View Full Version : Alcohol
Hey,
This is a hard post for me to write but here goes...
I drink a lot, I went through a stage where i was drinking 4 cans a night during the week and then I could easily do 8 on a weekend. My OH doesn't drink so the majority of the time I was drinking alone.
I decided I couldn't carry on like that so cut my drinking down to weekend only easily doing 2 bottles of wine or 8 cans... once I start I can't seem to just have a couple.
My anxiety the next day is a total nightmare. Occasionally whilst drinking but 9/10 it relaxes me.
I suffer with terrible brain fog, my feet and hands go freezing but sweaty. My memory is a huge problem and getting worse. I cannot see a picture of a memory in my minds eye anymore, my head feels blank most of the time, I rarely laugh anymore, I keep getting disoriented with directions, things that happened yesterday feel like they could of happened months ago. I'm so snappy.
In the lead up to Christmas I have been drinking more like thur fri sat sun and I only drink in an evening. Since the 22nd I have had a drink every day. My anxiety was great (still the memory problems) up until yesterday and my anxiety has been going crazy.
I'm not having a drink tonight, and I have decided once new yr is out of the way I am doing dry January. I have an appt with my gp in Jan so I am going to speak about meds. I know when I start them I will have to knock alcohol on the head anyway.
Not sure if I will bring my alcohol consumption up with the gp. I'm embarrassed to. But I do want to rule out other causes to my memory issues.
Thanks for reading xx
You can do it ! Good job on realizing you have a problem. I'm with you on the next day feeling very anxious. I often ask myself is it really worth it? Good luck with the new year and I hope you accomplish this resolution.
Weasley123
29-12-16, 17:24
Hello I have alcohol anxieties too though better now. I used to drink more heavily in my 20s. I'm nearly 39 now. I usually don't drink all week then will have the majority of a bottle of wine or more often the whole bottle over 5 or 6 hrs on a Saturday I might do this 3 times a week if I'm on vacation. I don't want to stop completely but plan to spread my weekly bottle over 2 or 3 days I find it feel much better that way I relax but don't get anxious and of course I drink less which is healthier
Thank u. I feel dreadful right now, really dreadful. Not much fun x
Sounds like you realise you need help.
My advice would be you have to tell your Doctor. They need all the information they can to provide you with the best support. You wont be the first person who tells them you have a drink problem, and you won't be the last.
This guys videos were really helpful for me when I was cutting down/stopping.
https://www.youtube.com/user/AlcoholMasteryTV
The alcohol is causing you the anxiety, even though you feel like it is helping it.
Please don't be embarrassed to speak to your GP about your alcohol habit. There is help out there to give you support. If you've been consuming as much as you say, you may have some withdraw issues to contend with that's why being transparent with your GP is vital. Like you said, if you're considering meds, it's a given you need a handle on the alcohol and there are potential issues to contend with mixing the two.
I just want to say good for you for recognizing you have a problem and for wanting to address it. One step at a time, one day at a time... you'll get there!
Positive thoughts
Thank you for the replies. I do realise I have a problem and want to get a handle on it. I can go through the week with no drink, but I do think about having one on them days. Come the weekend I am ready for one when I get home from work. I do want to get a hold of this... I know it causes my anxiety and is just a vicious circle! Could it be causing my memory issues or is that more down to the anxiety?
brucealmighty
29-12-16, 18:23
well done on seeing theres an issue, I used to drink a great deal some years back and with one thing and another ended up going completely dry for two years.
I can see it from both sides. I never drank on a school night so that made me think I was fine to go bananas at weekends.
Your gp is a good place to start, I was put on a course of tablets to help come off the alcohol then with a few wobbles and occasional crash I got a lot better thanks to a lot of people
I also found little things helped, I would always drink everything I bought whether it was 8 cans, 2 bottles of wine, whatever. so I began leaving one can, or only buying four, sounds silly but it was my way of showing control once I`d gone through the tough part.
and it makes anxiety into an absolute monster when the hangover hits too. the drop in blood sugar, poor sleep, dehydration etc is a memory I have tried to block out!!
don`t go mad on it just go one day at a time, or even a few minutes at a time. and there`s no shame in it at all. hats off to you for saying somethings not right, now put your energies into making your life how you`d like it
and I`m not some guru of recovery either, I still have days when I drink like a cartoon tramp but its very rare. PM me if you need anything anytime I know what its like
Thank you Bruce for the reply. I think that's my issue because I don't usually drink everyday I figure it's ok to go mad on a weekend. I neve black out etc but I definitely wobble to bed. I know I'm at a ridiculous point now and really want to grab hold of it and tackle it but the thought of not having a drink on the weekend is a bit well scary! Sounds sad I know. I'm scared to speak with the gp because of my kids, I never drink whilst they are up and never get impaired enough not to be able to deal with them.. if they wake up in the night I get up and deal with them, whilst my other half is out for the count still and I still get up in the morning with them too. After drinking every night since the 22nd I am having a night off as no family do's etc but my anxiety is going berserk because of it. Really dizzy and my heart keeps racing and my hands and feet are like ice. Takes me all my power not to run off to the hospital.. probably worse as my kids not here tonight I manage to hide it when they are. Can't really speak to my other half about it.. funny thing is we always have spirits in the house which i seldom touch only ever beer or wine x
MyNameIsTerry
29-12-16, 20:44
Alcohol causes your Serotonin to spike, so the more you drink more you are getting. I reckon the next day is a combination of many things e.g. symptom focus is worse for any hangover than a "normal" person" and if your Serotonin needs to rebuild that means food to get tryptophan back in to build it.
Just like how suddenly becoming unbalanced from missing a med, this seems to have a similiar effect in many anxious people.
Certainly speak to your GP. There are good support groups too.
Serotonin is involved in memory so it could be the anxiety side. There are tons of threads across the forum about memory issues with anxiety. It's hard to even concentrate with brain fog and anxiety is known to cause cognition issues as a symptom. Sometimes I just couldn't do the most basic sums in my head or remember things and I've always been good at those.
Thanks that makes sense to me. I've done a lot of reading on here about memory but none of it fits the bill properly.
I think I will speak to the gp however it scares the hell out of me the thought of doing so.. funny when I'm so open with my anxiety with them..
MyNameIsTerry
30-12-16, 01:40
Have you seen any of the memory threads I have posted on? I ask because you might find something in the examples some of us have discussed.
I've walked across roads without looking and only realised half way across. Been distracted by a shopper in a supermarket and walked out without paying (had scanned & bagged in the self service), walked into rooms and wondered why I was there, gone to fetch things and forgot multiple times and still forgot, struggled with finding the right word, the last goes on.
The people I've found on here that ask about it tend to be worrying about things like dementia, alzheimers, etc. That's the anxiety speaking because these things happen to everyone and we tend to forget (:winks:) due to the biased thinking patterns found in mental health issues.
Hmm I will have a search for your threads regarding this terry, I think I may of read one or two, but i will have another read.
I do like to think I am relatively logical, I don't tend to worry about Alzheimer's or dimentia as I'm 29, so it would be highly unlikely, I have contemplated a tumour, however doubtful as a family friend has been extremely poorly with his and my symptoms are no where near on that scale, so this is what's led me to believe it may be anxiety or the alcohol causing this...
What gets me the most is I cannot see pictures in my mind when I visualise... it's just black.. this never used to be the case, and Christmas for instance feels like it could of been 9 month ago with my memory of it. I also like you forget what I want in a room for, forget what I m saying halfway through saying it. Somebody can ask me if I remember xyz from years ago and I have no recollection.
---------- Post added at 01:59 ---------- Previous post was at 01:54 ----------
I don't forget important things though like birthdays appointments etc...
MyNameIsTerry
30-12-16, 04:57
There are different types of memory, not just short and long term. There may be reasons why lower Serotonin impacts on certain types? I'm not sure on that but dates would be one specific sort and pictures might be another? I couldn't say without checking, it's been a while since I read about that stuff.
It's good to hear you are focusing on the most likely issues and not being panicked into more serious issues. The fact you can challenge like that is a good indication of your control over anxiety in a HA person.
---------- Post added at 04:57 ---------- Previous post was at 04:39 ----------
Here are some I can remember:
http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=159329
http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=171482
http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=176087
http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=177146
http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=178632
There was another person just like that but I can't remember her name to find her. It's in my downloaded PM's somewhere as we spoke a few times on & off the forum but she was very similar to rbm.
Maybe you will find some of that matches your experience.
Very interesting. I had 1 therapist tell me my memory problems weren't normal and I should go to a memory clinic, there again this same therapist used to ask me why it was an issue that I couldn't see memories or why things that happened yesterday feel like they happened months ago. When I explained he just changed the subject...I am now on the waiting list for a new therapist!!
What I have read on this and the links makes much more perfect sense, so thank you for that.
Well my anxiety is all over the place today from drinking last night Im so dizzy an have chest pains which is mega freaking me out right now. Definitely time for a cut back.
MyNameIsTerry
01-01-17, 20:34
It may change as you recover. I couldn't drink at the harder points but could later.
For now it will be a matter of accepting it for what it is and pushing through to the other side.
Well my anxiety is all over the place today from drinking last night Im so dizzy an have chest pains which is mega freaking me out right now. Definitely time for a cut back.
Look... there are some that can tolerate alcohol and that's good for them. Most that post about it here cannot. It's not even a matter of moderation. it's a matter of abstaining until you're in a place mentally and physically to tolerate it and even then, consult with your doctor. Everyone is different and what may be Ok for one, may not be for another. Lay off for a while. Get your $h!t together and even then, abstain or partake in limited amounts.
Positive thoughts
You have my support, if I can have yours!
I only drink on Fridays and Saturdays but I can easily polish off a bottle of wine a night. I always feel terrible for a couple of days afterwards so I decided to do dry January to see how much effect it has. I've also packed in chocolate so I'm in for a great month!
My trouble is that I like taking my dogs down to the pub and having a good chat with the regulars. Now I know I don't have to drink but I do enjoy it. Still, no pain, no gain and all that.
You can do it!
Pip
Hey,
so i did worry that after drinking all over xmas for 10 days i would want a drink but ive been good. Havent wanted one either.
Had a mega stressful day at work, people falling out left right and centre, and i only work with 5 other people and they were screaming at each other, but ive just come to bed instead.
anyway, ive figured that it has to stop for now at least, im actually interested to see how my body responds to no alcohol, after drinking ever weekend for a good 10 years (minus 2 11 month spells when pregnant!) im hoping to see an improvement in my anxiety.
test for me will be at the weekend, as im used to a drink then, and its become a habit.. kids are at their dads this weekend which is a shame as no distraction, but im thinking i will either go to the cinema, or bingo (love a bit of bingo haha!)
im determined to keep it up and see how i get on as i feel i have only being hindering my recovery.
Pipkin - chocolate too! thats going to be a hard one lol.
Sorry i havent seen these replies until now :-)
---------- Post added at 22:09 ---------- Previous post was at 22:07 ----------
Look... there are some that can tolerate alcohol and that's good for them. Most that post about it here cannot. It's not even a matter of moderation. it's a matter of abstaining until you're in a place mentally and physically to tolerate it and even then, consult with your doctor. Everyone is different and what may be Ok for one, may not be for another. Lay off for a while. Get your $h!t together and even then, abstain or partake in limited amounts.
Positive thoughts
i agree.. even if i had good intentions of moderating, i know that i am not very good at that! so feeling positive, reassessing alot of things, and no alcohol for a while. My other half doesnt really drink, so plenty we can do with no alcohol involvement.
I was a real partier back in the day (more than alcohol too). There were many times I couldn't remember why I woke up naked on the couch if you know what I mean ~lol~ Since my heart attacks and cancer, I've cut it out almost entirely. I'm on meds for my heart and chronic pain that just don't react well with alcohol. That being said, I really do enjoy a good beer now and again and do so a couple times a month with a nice meal. On New Years, I had two really nice micro brews (9% ABV too!). I was feeling pretty good as you might imagine so I popped a 3rd. I woke up at 4am with only a couple of sips gone from the third. I ended up putting it in the fridge to use as a marinade for a nice cut of beef. I've turned into a real lightweight and I'm thankful for it! ~lol~
When drinking becomes an issue, and you have to be really honest with yourself, you have to take control and make the decision to refrain, extremely limit or totally abstain. Those on meds should consider this anyway. It's not avoidance, it's common sense! As I said, if you can handle it, meds or otherwise great... good for you... but those posting about issues pertaining to drinking DO have an issue and need to address it.
Positive thoughts
Haha oh dear! Good that u can now enjoy a couple and are a cheap date haha.
I guess you had some very good reasons to knock it on the head, I certainly feel I do till I get control of this anxiety at least!
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