Day two off of alcohol
 

I feel dazed and confused. No motivation to even shower.

Is this normal?

Yes, that's normal. Your body has to begin healing and it's a process. Try to eat well and get some exercise. Good job on Day 2.

Very normal. Food, hydration and rest & maybe light exercise most important things right now.

Thank you.

After this my doctor is tapering me off benzos

I've been on them for years.

I only Seem to drink when I run out.. They had stopped working so I took an extra one.. or two

I just read the benzo forum here and I feel hopeless.

I had a friend on this list who tapered off benzos and alcohol after 25 plus years of use and a pretty high dose. It can be done and you will be successful if you work with a doctor, taper gradually, and realize there will be some tough times with withdrawals along with gradual improvement.

Being free of benzos and booze will be life-changing for you!

Thanks Hawkeye I needed to hear that so badly

Lila - I definitely felt very disoriented in the beginning.
I had it in my system all the time at the end of my drinking days. Our bodies need to adjust & heal. You will do it!
Good job on your two days.

Way to go, Lila. You drink when you run out of benzos because it hits the same receptors in the brain. It is possible to taper off - many do, and the definitive work is the Ashton manual but there are other ways too. It is important that you realize it's normal to be feeling the way you are right now. Just take things easy, get some nutrition, plenty of rest, and stay sober - then deal with the next step. You're doing fine.

Thank you.

Wow advbike I never thought of that!

Just scared to death because obviously needed the benzos to function without hyperventilating.

Feel like I'm having a nervous breakdown

Just work at staying off the booze for now, Lila. You are doing great, and will make it through this.

Keep posting and eat something regularly.

So normal to feel overwhelmed. Have you considered a support group?

Very normal. I was afraid I’d keel over in the shower. Better unbathed than sorry! Drink water, Gatorade…and keep it flowing. Soup or anything you crave to eat and can eat. Take it easy on yourself. You’re not alone.

I hope you're doing okay, Lila.

Today is day 4. I still have no energy, don't want to get out of bed.

No interest in anything. Just hopeless.

Lila, alcohol has done a lot of damage to your body. It takes time to heal. You will start feeling better. The book Alcohol Explained by William Porter does a good job of explaining what you are going through and can provide some tools for sobriety as well. Reading about what was happening to me helped a lot.

Lila, four days is no small achievement. To me this is where I was when I was in the middle of the worst part of breaking the cycle. Day 5 was the worst, but I didn't just get well after the requisite number of days of cravings, whatever that may be for others. Day 5, was the day I got an important tip. It was the tip I needed at just the right time. It was to give up planning for the day I could be a normal drinker, and resign myself to life long sobriety. I had gone through so much Hell by that time, that I embraced that, not because of the wisdom, but because I was finally ready. It also happened at that time that cravings were about to subside, and I had time between cravings to process ideas with a clear mind. Positive change started to happen then. On that day, I also found a support group to hang with. It happened to be AA, and it became a safe place to go every night until I got my feet on the ground. That helped too.

Alcohol is a depressant. It by definition makes you feel depressed and hopeless. The way to feeling happy and positive is to refrain from drinking, and as your sober days add up, you will begin to feel much better.

You are doing really well just holding the line and not drinking.

Yes, I also felt both hopeless and exhausted (some days more, some days less) in early sobriety.

Your body has been through the wringer and alcohol sleep is typically not restful—you don’t get the deep cycles you need and usually start withdrawals while still trying to sleep. So please try to be patient with that.
Also, insomnia is not uncommon as the body keeps dumping stimulants in your bloodstream to compensate for the depressive alcohol effects—it also will pass as your body resets.

I second the suggestion to get Alcohol Explained (I like the Audiobook read by author) as it gives a lot of insight and hope into alcohol addiction. There is even a Facebook page for additional support which is quite positive and encouraging.

I also felt hopeless not just because of relapsing, but of facing the mess I made of my life while drinking. It was scary, but by just moving in baby steps and doing the next right thing, I was able to get things moving in the right direction faster than I expected, which helped lesson the hopeless feeling and gave me some positive energy.

You are doing a great job—just keep doing it :)

I've had problems since childhood. Not with alcohol or drugs but other things.

I'm sure they account for my weird binge drinking now.

Not holding out much hope for myself right now.

I have no quality of life.

Be patient. It will get better and you will feel better. :hug: