Alcohol - strange things

[Ollie28]

I hardly drink I didn't really drink much before all this either prob a can if footy is on then 5 or six beers at home on a Friday night with a take away kind of drinking but I've had this on a couple of occssions and it's terrifying me!!

Because of how I feel im now stuck (the way I feel and physically able to think) I havnt Drank much at all but when I find I do i suddenly feel like I'm dropped under water I feel strange I can't talk proper my head feels kind of zoned out I just feel as if I'm on the bluddy moon sort of strangenees, I'm talking a slight bit of alcohol (a swig of strawberry cider) I've just had and I started to feel it coming on like, I'm a 20st 6ft male so I'm not drunk not of one sip lol, the feeling is strange as if I'm dunked under water pressure and I can't move proper or really talk.

It's scaring me it's just another messed up thing I'm experiencing!!

Stupid question but is anyone else the same or is it just me?

Been bad again today the pain was bad and I felt so weak and tired. Been work it's as if I know what needs to be done I just can't seem to process how to I feel strange and slow.
Thanks xxx

[Fishmanpa]

Alcohol and anxiety don't mix. Proven fact.

Positive thoughts

[Ange1]

Alcohol and caffeine both big no no's for me when my anxiety is bad. Makes you feel 10 times worse.....if that's even possible!lol x

[MyNameIsTerry]

Not everyone finds alcohol affects anxiety, as much a proven fact as it is that it does. I wonder whether it's linked to severity because you become hypersensitive to any stimulus whether alcohol, caffeine, exercise, even food.

I think the fact it happens Ollie means you need to avoid it for now and try it again when you have recovered to a certain point.

I can't say I know how this feels but I know you've been having some severe symptoms so its worth avoiding ones for unnecessary reasons.

You seem to find your cognitive abilities affected by your anxiety and this seems to have a similar impact.

A very small amount of alcohol seems unlikely in the absence of a allergy so it seems more that it triggers current symptoms because your subconscious thinks this is how your response should be, like how it stores the location of a panic attack and brings it on again when in that location despite not being very anxiety beforehand.

You can change your thinking though, it's just that it can be very hard but science had proven it happens and we have forms of psychotherapy that are used to do it.

[HalfJack]

Yes! That happens to me too.
It never used to but I stopped drinking for a while and the next time I had a beer it made me feel just like you described. I couldn't work out what was happening and it freaked me out because at first I had no idea what it was.

I had a few drinks at christmas and it didn't happen. I felt a tiny bit uncomfortable in my chest but nothing compared to how it before so I guess it goes away with time.

---------- Post added at 04:44 ---------- Previous post was at 04:43 ----------

Although I'd stay away from booze for a while x

[Ollie28]

I've only drank on 3 occasions the first was a family meal out that put me in agonising pain the next two put me in to some sort of strange feeling like i was drunk and what I can only describe as a warped underwater pressure feeling, I'm talking a tiny bit of alcohol too a glass at the most.

I'm finding I'm having a lot of crunching in my kkneck and around my jaw/ears like My body is crunching up.

Cognitive - I'm severely struggling, it's strange Im still getting about but I just don't feel right, not dream like or strange but as if there's no blood in my head. I can't think normal I'm struggling I'm in pain feel like I've got no outwards awarness and I'm being crushed inwards I can't physically look outwards or take anything in as if I'm being pulled inwards it's horrible. It changes all the time though, I clicked out of it the other day again for about 15 minutes then it come back. I'm really struggling starting to give up fight and hope, Ive just finished a fireplace installation the longer I concentrate on what I'm doing the more inwards I go the more outwards I lose I can't focus enough only on what I'm doing the feelings start getting more and more intense I struggle to talk proper, I've just finished sat taking a minute to try to open my mind back out try to catch up with where I am and what I'm doing, my body calms a bit the feelings wear off a little but the crushing pains still there I still can't think outwards even if I try. It's driving me insane. The pain feels like it's the core of my brain - the top half of my body feels tense too I just feel wrong. I think I've trained my brain to go inwards that's how it feels like I've shifted the brain power to a different part of my head. If I try to just shut down and relax I can't let my conscious mind go it feels awake 24/7,
Because I feel like this I cant think about my kids unless I talk about them, I cant think about them if I try I can't because I'm using my mind to try so it's as if I'm my mind and if I'm using my mind to concentrate I can't think why trying to think to think! It physically hurts if I try I have to stop after 3 - 5 seconds. Any tips?? I'm starting to panic I'm stuck like this I can't cope I feel like I'm a million miles away and lost.
Every now and then it will lift along with my mood my wife and other people can tell the difference because I can have a intelligent conversation I can remember without having to tell myself to try to think I feel open & free flowing I feel aware of were my kids are I even feel emotion if only a little so I'm still in there somewhere Ijust feel lost or gone. Yesterday was amazing I could feel the feeling of summer - coming home from work after a hard days labour and the feeling that comes with it, I could feel the feeling and emotion of taking my kids for a walk in the sun I could feel the emotion of happiness and "me" I could feel it!! I want this to go away! I want to feel normal and be able to think normal again I want to have free flowing awareness and ideas and thoughts I want to be out of pain. I'm battleling on the best I can, I've started boxing again if only in my garden it its not helping. Medication isn't doing anything. The hardest part is my kids I miss life with them I don't feel like I know my 2 year old boy he was only 9 months when this happens to me.
I miss life with my wife and kids ild do anything to have it all back.

[MyNameIsTerry]

Its a tough one Ollie, the issues you are suffering from are not something I understand. Anxiety certainly impairs cognitive function, but to this level and with the pain seems pretty intense.

Have you been referred to see a professional about this by your GP to see what they can suggest?

[Ollie28]

Sorry for the late reply,

I'm due to see neurologist on the 3rd of March, it's really really bad now the pains getting worse I'm lying on my sofa now my brain feels like it's being fried it's that bad. I'm having some horrible things happen to me I can't deal with, cognitive power is low if I try to think it physically hurts, my thoughts and dont seem conective to my actions so it feels like thinking it and actually acting upon it is not connected like I can't actually process doing it - if I do act upon the thought be it something physical it hurts so thinking hurts doing it hurts the more I do it the worst it gets, so my job is installing fires and fireplaces I'm still pulling myself only just through each day in pain confussion no mind power I'm litrally running on nothing now just basic function with hardley no power in me I'm in so much pain every thought and action is uncomfortable for me. Everything I do in work is physical so let's say I need to extend the gas pipe to myself (that's how I have to do it too I have to tell myself everything before I can do it and even then it's like it's different between thinking and doing rather than just naturally knowing & doing it, then actually acting on the thought physically hurts, I'm like that all day everyday - I got home litrally not with it in so much pain my head feels like it's been put in a fryer, I can't breath proper.

I don't know what's going on with me I feel like I've had some sort of stroje personally and I'm continuing to have symptoms of some sort of TIA, nothing takes my pain way it's not a head ach pain it's always intense burning, frying, crushing, crunching pain, Im having shooting pains suddenly that stop me in my tracks.
I feel embarrassed talking to people because when I do its as if what Im thinking to say and saying it is not attached i get confused and slur words and get muddled up but also I can't focus at the same time again it hurts like my mind and awareness is being warped. It's the same when writing too it's as if what in trying to write im thinking each word but it's as if what I'm trying to write and actually writing has no connection so my writing is slurrd my spelling is terrible I get confused an trying to concentrate at the same time physically hurts like a frying stabbing crushing pain.

I'm not sure how much longer i can cope like this I've felt helpless and totally lost and I'll all day everyday, 14 months solid. If they don't find anything wrong I can't live like this.

My awareness is shocking because of the way I feel - litrally no awarness in just manually hoping I work things out each second, Im bad really bad to the point I nearly ended my life Monday just gone. I can't cope with the way I feel and what I being out through it's no way to live.

I'm just surviving the best I can it's impossible to enjoy life the way I physically and mentally feel.

---------- Post added at 20:24 ---------- Previous post was at 20:07 ----------

Sorry for the grammar my grammar and co ordination is getting worse too. I struggle to even keep train of thought of what it is I'm actually trying to explain or say.

What the hell is happening to me!! I use to be a highly intelligent gas engineer I now wake up each day without even knowing what day it is I just leave the house the best way I can go through the day the best way I can then return home ly on my sofa because I've no ideas and do it all again the next day, I can't do anything because I don't think to do things like there's somethihg missing up there in my head, things like eat!!! Drink!!! Check on my kids!!! Think about my wife! Contact friends or family!! I'm that bad I don't even have natural thoughts in too busy struggling in that moment of time.

I get these horrible horrible horrible feelings that are really bothering me now - I can feel about 80% I can feel and think clear with no pain Im aware without trying to be then it feels like I'm being pulled out of reality like Its really bad it's scary and hurts. My attention can be taken up lets say for 20 seconds il be focusing on what in doing but as I am I'm not aware of it then il snap out of it and il reset, but then at times il be like I'm losing mind power and being pulled inwards it feels like my minds being crushed I'm losing awarness thought power the pain starts, it's really painful and intense I'm stuck like this - I need to feel in control of my life again not just surviving and struggling, I need to know I can look after mysekf and my kids if anything happens to my wife - all I'm doing is going work so they can live I'm not able to live with them the way I am in pain & confused with no brain power at all to the point ever little thought feels like I'm being electrofied and fried and crushed

[cjemc]

Sorry for the late reply,

I'm due to see neurologist on the 3rd of March, it's really really bad now the pains getting worse I'm lying on my sofa now my brain feels like it's being fried it's that bad. I'm having some horrible things happen to me I can't deal with, cognitive power is low if I try to think it physically hurts, my thoughts and dont seem conective to my actions so it feels like thinking it and actually acting upon it is not connected like I can't actually process doing it - if I do act upon the thought be it something physical it hurts so thinking hurts doing it hurts the more I do it the worst it gets, so my job is installing fires and fireplaces I'm still pulling myself only just through each day in pain confussion no mind power I'm litrally running on nothing now just basic function with hardley no power in me I'm in so much pain every thought and action is uncomfortable for me. Everything I do in work is physical so let's say I need to extend the gas pipe to myself (that's how I have to do it too I have to tell myself everything before I can do it and even then it's like it's different between thinking and doing rather than just naturally knowing & doing it, then actually acting on the thought physically hurts, I'm like that all day everyday - I got home litrally not with it in so much pain my head feels like it's been put in a fryer, I can't breath proper.

I don't know what's going on with me I feel like I've had some sort of stroje personally and I'm continuing to have symptoms of some sort of TIA, nothing takes my pain way it's not a head ach pain it's always intense burning, frying, crushing, crunching pain, Im having shooting pains suddenly that stop me in my tracks.
I feel embarrassed talking to people because when I do its as if what Im thinking to say and saying it is not attached i get confused and slur words and get muddled up but also I can't focus at the same time again it hurts like my mind and awareness is being warped. It's the same when writing too it's as if what in trying to write im thinking each word but it's as if what I'm trying to write and actually writing has no connection so my writing is slurrd my spelling is terrible I get confused an trying to concentrate at the same time physically hurts like a frying stabbing crushing pain.

I'm not sure how much longer i can cope like this I've felt helpless and totally lost and I'll all day everyday, 14 months solid. If they don't find anything wrong I can't live like this.

My awareness is shocking because of the way I feel - litrally no awarness in just manually hoping I work things out each second, Im bad really bad to the point I nearly ended my life Monday just gone. I can't cope with the way I feel and what I being out through it's no way to live.

I'm just surviving the best I can it's impossible to enjoy life the way I physically and mentally feel.

---------- Post added at 20:24 ---------- Previous post was at 20:07 ----------

Sorry for the grammar my grammar and co ordination is getting worse too. I struggle to even keep train of thought of what it is I'm actually trying to explain or say.

What the hell is happening to me!! I use to be a highly intelligent gas engineer I now wake up each day without even knowing what day it is I just leave the house the best way I can go through the day the best way I can then return home ly on my sofa because I've no ideas and do it all again the next day, I can't do anything because I don't think to do things like there's somethihg missing up there in my head, things like eat!!! Drink!!! Check on my kids!!! Think about my wife! Contact friends or family!! I'm that bad I don't even have natural thoughts in too busy struggling in that moment of time.

I get these horrible horrible horrible feelings that are really bothering me now - I can feel about 80% I can feel and think clear with no pain Im aware without trying to be then it feels like I'm being pulled out of reality like Its really bad it's scary and hurts. My attention can be taken up lets say for 20 seconds il be focusing on what in doing but as I am I'm not aware of it then il snap out of it and il reset, but then at times il be like I'm losing mind power and being pulled inwards it feels like my minds being crushed I'm losing awarness thought power the pain starts, it's really painful and intense I'm stuck like this - I need to feel in control of my life again not just surviving and struggling, I need to know I can look after mysekf and my kids if anything happens to my wife - all I'm doing is going work so they can live I'm not able to live with them the way I am in pain & confused with no brain power at all to the point ever little thought feels like I'm being electrofied and fried and crushed

Hi Ollie, have you had any blood tests? Have you had any scans on your brain or any other organs?
I know how you feel living with something that no-one can comprehend. I am still retching if I have to go anywhere or do anything so as a result I avoid going anywhere or doing anything.
I have felt like I am dying since 2004. Its a disgusting existence. I want to go back to school when life was more innocent and before I developed this disgusting affliction.