Does anyone have any tips for dealing with anxiety relating to alcohol withdrawal?
I am 30 years old and I have always been a drinker although in the last 18 months this had got out of control. I have been on a detox for 2 1/2 weeks now decreasing alcohol until 10 days ago when I completely cut down. The first 3-5 days were horrendous with insomnia, lethargy and anxiety. The anxiety is better now and most other symptoms have improved. My problem is that I feel anxious about feeliing anxious and have found myself having to cancel meetings, appointmnents, abandon shopping trips and/or avoiding public places because I just feel too anxious.
Help?
Tagged with: Alcohol • anxiety • anyone • dealing • relating • tips • withdrawal
Filed under: Alcohol Withdrawal Anxiety
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I would gets some xanax. That will help with all your symptoms.
Where you have the detox program, they normally should have medications for your to take while you are detoxing. Seriously, it is the same as coming off of any other drug….and the medications to help the stress you are feeling can help you SO much. Ask your doctor or someone at the place where you are getting help. There are simple meds to help you, and you are entitled to get them for yourself. Keep up the good work, and get the meds to help you make it through the holidays, as well. (I had a friend who was halting his alcohol usage, and he used to tell people he was trying to quit smoking………..so he couldn’t have a drink with them……..people seemed to take that more seriously than the fact that he was stopping the alcohol……and they didn’t push for him to have just a little drink with them, since he was trying to quit smoking! )
No tips… but congratulations on recognizing your problem and trying to fix it. Alcohol was one of the biggest reasons my marraige did not last. Hang in there!!
What you are feeling is normal. It is difficult when learning to live our lives without the substances we abused for so long.
I recommend going to an AA meeting. You don’t have to say a word. Just go and listen. You will find that there are other people who know EXACTLY what you are going through. Listening to these stories helped me out a lot when I stopped using.
Time. Give it time. We didn’t get into this condition in one day, and it will take a while to “un-do” the damage. And things DO get better.
Hope this helps!
Wow, congratulations on the huge commitment to not drink. Way to go. Now the anxiety can come from a couple different directions. If it’s associated with your withdrawal and your central nervous system re-aligning itself, you should be feeling better in the next 2 weeks. If this is the case, hang in there, give yourself a trip to the natural health food store and purchase “L-Theanine” It’s natural and proven to work in the prevention of anxiety, a sleep aid and a mild muscle relaxant.
It’s different if the anxiety dates before you began using alcohol inappropriately. In fact, many use alcohol to self-medicate issues such as anxiety. If you have a history of anxiety prior to abusing alcohol, then a double treatment approach is needed (I am a therapist and use to work in the addiction field). You will need to continue on your alcohol program. Additionally, you could really benefit from seeing someone trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). This approach is very powerful in eliminating anxiety. You could also still benefit from L-Theanine or if that’s not strong enough, talk with your MD about sustained release Xanax (Xanax XR).
But it’s essential that you don’t just fall back on L-Theanine or Xanax. Without learning the life and mind skills CBT offers the research shows a high level of relapse once you stop taking the supplement or medication.
Best wishes,
Dave Turo-Shields
For trustworthy professional advice take a look at http://www.counselingpros.com/addiction_counseling.html
A great place to start would be AA. My sister has been a member since 2005, and loves it. She goes to group meetings all the time still because of the great support and friendships she has received. They are used to handling the with drawls of alcohol. I would make sure you are taking vitamins to keep your body strong during this time, try ginko biloba, primrose oil, Vita E, and fish oil. If you don’t want a group of people to talk to, go to gailmomof6@yahoo 360 or .com and my sister would be happy to talk to you. She would have great ideas for you. She has overcome so much, including drugs and alcohol. She knows so much. She would help you. I am praying for you! You can do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens you.
Joyce Phillips (joyce_phillips4@yahoo 360