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Anxiety as a trigger

Old 06-01-2018, 04:49 PM
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Anxiety as a trigger

Does anyone else get intense cravings and desire to drink with severe anxiety? I have ruminations, worry about real problems and sometimes the tiniest thing. Sometimes my head becomes so noisy and unbearable that it makes me feel like checking out or drowning it out. And then I can pick myself up and the cycle happens again. I've had this for as long as I can remember. It's the type of anxiety where simple things like getting the car washed for the first time, or having a day off and wondering what to do can be like climbing a mountain. It can involve so much overthinking that it just exhausts me.

Just seeing if anyone is similar. I have been on medication and gone to therapy before. I will probably do that again. I also journal, meditate, run, walk, rest and lead a healthy lifestyle.
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Old 06-01-2018, 05:24 PM
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Your definitely not alone. I got sober, which helped a ton. After some time sober I have learned that Ive had a life long problem with what you describe. My doc put me on an antidepressant which I avoided for years .I finally gave in and I'm a different person now.
Just my story though.
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Old 06-01-2018, 05:56 PM
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Originally Posted by gettingsmarter View Post
Your definitely not alone. I got sober, which helped a ton. After some time sober I have learned that Ive had a life long problem with what you describe. My doc put me on an antidepressant which I avoided for years .I finally gave in and I'm a different person now.
Just my story though.
I'm the same. I was on anti depressants before I quit alcohol. They were great but then I stopped them for various reasons. Now I've a clearer head I'm gonna talk to the doctor about them again. Life is pretty good, so there's no need for the noisy background in my head. If one simple tablet helps- it's gotta be done!
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Old 06-01-2018, 06:05 PM
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Yes, I also get the anxiety thing going at times.

What has helped a lot is that my sponsor shared with me years back that we need to be patient or become a patient.

M-Bob
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Old 06-01-2018, 08:33 PM
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Starsabove32 ,
In our class of April 2014 ,.... the subject of procrastination came up a couple years ago,...and I've suffered from * perfectionism * from years ago,...always overthinking projects ,..etc.


A lady in our group mentioned a few techniques to overcome procrastination from a book she was reading . Just getting started ,... and not feeling compelled to finish a project, ...but just commit to working on it a half hour ,...or hour , etc.


I use those techniques ,...even washing my car now . Who cares if I finish washing , waxing ,...doing the interior, etc .

Just getting started staves off the anxiety I was feeling ,...and the rest ,....well, one thing leads to the next ,..kind of.

Does procrastination ever cause you any anxiety ?


There is a much overused ( and terribly ambiguous ,..lol ) phrase I heard years ago in recovery support meetings ,..... and occasionally defer to it whenever I feel pulled between "what to do now ? " ,.... the phrase

"do the next right thing " …..when all else fails ?!!
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Old 06-02-2018, 12:21 AM
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I have suffered from this, too. It becomes like a manic obsession of thought processes and the world around you seems to 'speed up' and seems a bit like a runaway train. I find it can also be linked to catastrophising everything e.g. thinking that one is headed towards yet another disaster. I am lucky in that I get this quite rarely but it can be alarming.
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Old 06-02-2018, 05:21 AM
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You are definitely not alone. Sometimes I feel as if I have difficulty breathing. When I was drinking, the alcohol lessened it. Of course, during the night and in the morning, it returned with a vengeance. After stopping, the anxiety lessened significantly, but it's still not completely gone. I have to find ways to work through it without alcohol.
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Old 06-02-2018, 04:54 PM
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For me I needed something outside of myself to short circuit my own thoughts, whatever you need in your recovery plan introduce it and make it happen.

I went round and round in circles for many years, but it doesn't have to be!!

You can so this!!
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Old 06-02-2018, 05:42 PM
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I definitely can relate. I have had terrible anxiety for years. Alcohol had a by numbing effect but it also made the anxiety worse. I am really good at procrastinating and that causes extreme anxiety. I probably need to be on meds.
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Old 06-02-2018, 06:51 PM
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It sounds like you've already done or are doing a lot of good things to help with your anxiety....One thing I like to do that helps me with stress and whatnot is keep myself busy ... baking has always been therapeutic to me...I'm just about ready to go and make some chewy fudge brownies...the hubs is begging for it!! I like to cook for others....so keep tapping into the things that bring you JOY...whatever that may be...

I drove by a Farmers' Market today and didn't have time to stop...but I thought to myself..."Why don't I just go and walk around and look at stuff?"...Hmmm...It's there every Saturday...why haven't I ever gone there...so now it's on my list...
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Old 06-02-2018, 07:11 PM
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In early recovery, when I got anxious I used to walk my dogs. (weather permitting) I always felt better after a dog walk. And it got rid of the anxious cravings to drink.
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Old 06-02-2018, 08:33 PM
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Okay; I don't struggle with anxiety very often, but my spouse does. He won't take meds...which is good, I guess, but it's hard to live with him sometimes when I just feel like relaxing and he's keyed up. So, what does he do? He exercises INTENSELY and he stays busy with projects and stuff he likes to do...I have found that he is easier to live with when he stays busy. Ironically, even though he is the more anxious of the two of us, he falls asleep much faster than me and doesn't hardly ever have insomnia. When I feel stressed to the max and just want to "chill" I turn to music, exercise, reading, crafts, etc. Depending on our personalities...we all have different methods of coping. I like to get into a good book that has a twisting plot...it's perhaps another way of redirecting the brain...so, in this thing called life...COPING strategies are going to vary...I find one way to help an anxious person is to try and REDIRECT their thoughts...getting them thinking about something besides whatever it is that is making them anxious. Redirect.
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