eagle83

So I was sober for about 6 years white knuckling it. I had some drinks two days two weeks ago. Last week I started freaking out. I couldn't eat, I couldn't sleep, cravings were out of control. Yesterday I had the worst craving of my life and thought I was close to using. I went to a meeting instead and surrendered and asked for a sponsor. I hope the program works for me like it has worked for so many others. I am just worried about the not eating or not sleeping. I wonder what is wrong because my body was not in detox. It was only about 9 drinks over two days. Anyone have experience like this?

biminiblue

"Only" 9 drinks in two days is a lot. Sounds like kindling.

Here's a good article about what happens when we go back to drinking after not drinking.

Kindling - NIH

Ken33xx

Rock star Alice Cooper had a terrible time with alcohol withdraw.

By late that night I had the shakes. By the time they subsided to tremors a day later I had uncontrollable waves of nausea and diarrhea. I was angry and melancholy for a week. Cindy, fed me an allowance of beer - only six cans a day - to keep from collapsing completely. I shrunk. I must have lost twenty pounds in water. My bloatedness went away. My eyes were no longer puffy and the black and blue marks from falling down started to fade. But I had really done myself some damage. I was only twenty-three years old and I looked forty.

The man eventually got sober and I believe recently celebrated 30 years or so of sobriety.

DaveNZ

That's completely normal. Our drinking triggers diminish in power as we don't drink in response to them. But once we drink in response to them again then they come all the way back to their full strength almost immediately.
It is in this respect that we are never "cured". We can place the condition in remission, but those drinking triggers stay there forever.

Katie1984

While I'm no scientist, I don't think the brain ever forgets the addiction.
When you don't drink that feeling goes away but is not forgotten so when you drink again the brain says hey I remember this, it made me feel good and I want to feel good!

Which isn't helpful I know! We have to use logic to overpower the strong desire

You'll be okay, it was a little mistake that you can accept happened and move on from
Good luck

Gottalife

The allergy thesis of Dr Silkworth may shed some light on this. Like all alcoholics I know my body has an abnormal reaction to alcohol. It also has an abnormal reaction to some pollens. I might also have a reaction to poison ivy or peanuts. The reactions would be all different. Puffy eyes and sneezing, large welts, swelling of the neck and obstruction of breathing, and with alcohol the phenomenon of craving and possibly other ill effects.

To quote the good doctor "This allergic reaction can never be eliminated. The only solution we can suggest is total abstinence."

So yes it is normal, it cannot be cured and will happen whenever alcohol enters your system, next week or next decade.

SoberRican

Yes it is common. Its an allergy per se .