horrible cycle

[petegms]

I use to smoke alot of pot, but just recently i quit because i kept getting really bad panick attacks when i smoked. So i decided just to quit, so thats the plus of this story so far! haha but anyways i have been drinking alot, either everyday or somtimes ill take a day or two break. I am 18 years old and i already feel like im becoming a alcoholic. After a night of heavy drinking my nerves are shot.. so i take xanax.. but then the night comes along and i am just fiending for a drink. I feel so relaxed and at ease when im drunk, and its become my medicine. I just dont know what to do.. I feel so horrible when im not drunk usually.. not all the time but like today, i feel tottally depressed and nervous...its hard for me to breathe and i cant feeling like i wont get enough air in. It helps me to know that if you havent fainted yet from it you wont start.. so that helps me alot.. its just really scare. Am i just worrying about stuff too much or should i try and get professional help with my drinking?
thanks everyone, this site really helps me when i feel in a hole
<33

[nomorepanic]

Pete

I was just off to bed and saw this so I will reply now.

When I was at my worst I used to use alcohol as a test. I guessed that if I was so ill and dying then if I got drunk I would still feel as bad. So I drank and I mean a lot. Some weekends I could drink 12 cans of regular (not 5%) lager in one night.

I felt fine that night and no panic so I proved that I was not dying. The next day I felt dreadful as you can imagine so what did I do? Yep drink again that night to forget it all again!

I still drink too much but nowhere near as much as I used to but I blame that on age and not coping with so much lol.

My doc told me I needed to cut my drinking so I stopped for 3.5 weeks last year - it was very very hard and I recently gave again up for 2 weeks cos I was on antibiotics so had to. I never slept whilst off the booze, felt terrible etc but a lot of that was psychological cos I couldn't have a drink.

I think a lot of us find a crutch - be it drugs or alcohol or even tranquilsers to cope. Mine was alcohol and I know the damage it can do but like you I still drink.

Do you drink all day or at certain times - I only ever drank at night but that doesn't necessarily mean I didn't have a problem.

Maybe Vern will see this post and reply cos he has been through it all and out the other side and stopped drinking.

have you ever tried stopping - how did it make you feel?

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.


Nicola

[petegms]

I usually just drink at night, ive tried stopping.. but i really missed the feeling of being loose and relaxed. So i dont usually go that long without having a brew. But i definetly agree, alcohol is my crutch.Thanks for replying nicola, means alot<3

[nomorepanic]

It is like a drug - hard to give up I guess.

I too used to drink to help me relax and sleep - bad I know but I am being honest here.

I hope we can both work through this Pete.

Nicola

[petegms]

Yeah definetly, just got to stay strong and keep your head up, and let you know..in the end everything is going to be alright =)

[Piglet]

When I was 16 I drank like a fish everynight and was like that until I had kids (looking back it was way way too much). I think if I hadn't had kids it may have begun to affect my health.

These days whilst the odd drink does really make me feel relaxed I hate the out of control feeling of being drunk so its a fine balance between the two that I strive for. I would like to do the whole red wine thing as its supposed to be good for you but get scared I would get reliant on it (like old ladies with their sherry or gin).

Moderation is the word but moderation is so hard to do isn't it!!!

Love Piglet:)

"Supposing a tree fell down, Pooh, when we were underneath it?" said Piglet.
"Supposing it didn't," said Pooh after careful thought.

[Meg]

alcohol and panic-do they mix? (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2409)
Alcohol (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=4783)
Anxiety and alcohol (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=5142)
Alcohol (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=5347)
hangovers (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=5825)
Panic attacks and alcohol (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6371)


Meg
www.anxietymanagementltd.com

Your anxiety is the human representation of the pictures that you paint using your many vivid colours of revolving and reoccurring thoughts.
How big is your gallery ?

[rois]

i'm the total opposite, i don't drink that much anymore cos the panic's got so bad and i could't cope with trying to decide if i had a hangover or a panic attack so now i drink about once a month and i don't get drunk- i used to drink nothing but jack daniels but haven't had one in months, i try to stick to lighter stuff. hope you guys can work thru it all

"Ther goes the fear, let it go. You turn around and life's passed you by, you look to those you love to justify...there goes the fear."

[Greenman50]

I know this is an old post , but i want to throw away my alcohol crutch in 2012 unless i go out , its the drinking in the house that has to stop. Don,t get me wrong i don,t get blind drunk , it just feels great to feel so relaxed and worry free everything looks better after a few beers .

I,ve always drank a few cans 5/6 every night for 25 years . Last week i had 3 nights off the longest since last year when i didn,t drink for 3 weeks and i missed one night this week .

So i know i can do it . There will be no beer in the house after tonight (my wife hardly drinks) .
How did you guys get on ? and does anyone else want to give up in 2012 perhaps we could post up how we get on as i think it will help me to pack in (i can,t lie if i,ve had a beer and slipped up )

Thanks for everyones help over the last year and all the best for 2012