alcoholism and paranoia - is there a strong link? any personal experiences?

[neophyte]

Is paranoia common in alcoholics? My biggest catalyst for getting sober was when i realized i had lost the plot. I was paranoid thinking that people disliked me or my managers thought my performance was sub par. I had no evidence to back any of this.
I still have difficulties reconciling that it was infact the booze that made me that way, and that it was not a failing on my behalf. now that i am sober, i feel that i have improved with my paranoia.
i guess i would just like to know more, are alcoholics more likely to be paranoid? for those that were alcoholics, was your paranoia increased over the years?

[looking for peace]

alcoholism and paranoia - is there a strong link? any personal experiences?

Neophyte, interesting observation. I'm not sure that what you describe i would consider paranoia as much as really low self esteem and a feeling of not being good enough. I certainly think I suffer from not being enough and that is a common thread in alcoholics. Thankfully the feeling isn't as strong as a few years ago and at least now I am starting to recognize it when it creeps up.

[neophyte]

alcoholism and paranoia - is there a strong link? any personal experiences?

looking for peace;1642805 wrote: Neophyte, interesting observation. I'm not sure that what you describe i would consider paranoia as much as really low self esteem and a feeling of not being good enough. I certainly think I suffer from not being enough and that is a common thread in alcoholics. Thankfully the feeling isn't as strong as a few years ago and at least now I am starting to recognize it when it creeps up.

perhaps thats it then, a lack of self esteem. but i agree, it does seem better now that im sober.

[byebyebridgetjones]

alcoholism and paranoia - is there a strong link? any personal experiences?

I was extremely paranoid whilst drinking Neophyte, yes. I would become adamant in my own head that people were laughing at me. As I was usually acting like a complete dick, this is altogether likely to be factual though.

I agree with LFP though, alcohol is an incredibly efficient way to strip confidence and self esteem, even though we imagine the opposite to be true.

Lately I've given a lot of thought to a closely related problem, making poor life decisions. When we're actually in the act of drinking, the probability is very high that we will make abysmal personal choices, but I found that the effects were more far reaching. I was making incredibly poor decisions whether drunk or hung over (it was always one or the other) because I had drinkers brain, and lived a disengaged drinker's lifestyle. There are directions that I took during that time which I can't directly attribute to being pissed, however I know without doubt that my general lifestyle contributed to some diabolically bad situations. And I did it all to myself.....

So getting back to your observation, I think paranoia is to be almost expected given the dire things we do to our brain chemistry when we drink.

It's a really good sign that you see the world more clearly now. It's like turning the lights on, isn't it?

[neophyte]

alcoholism and paranoia - is there a strong link? any personal experiences?

byebyebridgetjones;1642872 wrote:
It's a really good sign that you see the world more clearly now. It's like turning the lights on, isn't it?

yes very much so. which is why im having trouble reconciling who i was a year ago to who i am now. last year at this time i made some poor life decisions based on reasons that didn't exist at all, i gave up a job that paid me more money and was a more senior position because i thought people were laughing at me because of the type of company i worked for, i was also convinced i would not pass probation, despite my doing well in the company. it wasnt even a bad type of company. I'm just so astounded that I did what I did. So i feel like i can reasonably blame the booze for putting rocks in my head, but it still feels like a cop out in many ways.

the whole experience was a catalyst to stop me drinking, so at least i have that to thank for.

But yes, im at the point now where i look back and realise that the decisions i made were not me, so it must have been the booze, yet its still is difficult to blame it on alcohol and not blame myself for poor judgement.

[byebyebridgetjones]

alcoholism and paranoia - is there a strong link? any personal experiences?

If it's illegal to sign a legal contract/document, or coerce someone to sign a contract when not 'of sound mind' (dementia, mental health illness, substances on board) then the law recognises that such factors make a rational, informed decision impossible.

We should take our cues from that.

It's what the alcohol does to your brain chemistry while you're drinking, and also short, medium and in some cases long term after that.

How bloody scary is that?

[Lavande]

alcoholism and paranoia - is there a strong link? any personal experiences?

Hi neophyte,

I see you are taking Baclofen. Are you aware that mental and or mood changes are a side effect of Baclofen? That should be reported to your doctor for your safety.

I've never experienced paranoia, it must have been difficult for you. I hope you continue to improve!

[Yourfriend6116]

alcoholism and paranoia - is there a strong link? any personal experiences?

Hi Neo! I'm the same way. I also think it's self esteem vs paranoia. Mine has been improving now that I don't have the shame of alcohol controlling me.

[neophyte]

alcoholism and paranoia - is there a strong link? any personal experiences?

Lavande;1642894 wrote: Hi neophyte,

I see you are taking Baclofen. Are you aware that mental and or mood changes are a side effect of Baclofen? That should be reported to your doctor for your safety.

I've never experienced paranoia, it must have been difficult for you. I hope you continue to improve!

you misunderstood my post, my paranoia was at its worst when i was drinking and there was no baclofen, my paranoia is much better now. I was simply wondering if anyone had a simliar experience.

[spiritwolf333]

alcoholism and paranoia - is there a strong link? any personal experiences?

Yes Neo -at least from my experience. In the final days before recovery, I thought that everyone was against me, that my wife was cheating on me, that the police were always behind -ready to pull me over, and that someone was always out to "get me".

Drink alcohol long enough and hard enough and you will experience paranoia in a way that is damn near deathly -at least for me. What I would really like to say some is this; if you keep toying around with alcohol, one day you might just wake up and realize that alcohol now owns you and all the destructive add effects of alcohol are then about to destroy you life. Just a thought.