Anyone in the First Week of Their Unpteenth Quit?

[NoSugar]

How are you, Bri? I hope you're feeling calmer and maybe ready to sleep.

[briseus]

Thank you so much NS and Lizann, sorry for hijacking the thread with my panic. :/
Who know's...it might be a part of withdrawal...maybe it's exacerbating my symptoms. I know I always dealt with anxiety/OCD before...but for the last five years have been self-medicating...in the past when I quit in the back of my mind I knew that I would always drink again if the thoughts/anxiety got really bad, but this time I know that isn't an option and won't ever be one...so I think that's why I am having a particularly difficult go of this.

Gosh...this evening was difficult. But I did feel better after reading your supportive comments. I also took a loooong bath. I put on some music and literally stared at the flames of a candle for a good 30 minutes.
Although when I got out I was just irritated as all hell. Anxiety really takes a lot out of you physically sometimes.

I just want to profusely swear right now, that's how frustrated I am!!! F IT F IT F IT!
But...I am still sober...and am on to day 8 tomorrow. Am ready for bed.
Thank you guys. You really helped me out. And I appreciate you asking me how I am doing. xox

[NoSugar]

Good night. xx

[briseus]

How are you doing Daisy?

[JackieM]

Are you doing o.k. Bri? I have been through a million panic attacks and know how awful they are.I am glad you didn't drink to get through it. I used alcohol a lot to calm my anxiety down. We both know the alcohol is a tempory fix that only makes things worse in the long run.
My anxiety has been way,way better since I quit drinking.I hope that happens for you also.

[actiongirl46]

Hi Bri - sorry you are feeling this way . . . hoping you are asleep by now. I hope I'm not being too personal, and if I am feel free to ignore. My curiosity is what are you anxious about? Can you name it or is it just everything?

Sending you peace, you got this, you are doing so well - AG

[jane27]

Hey Bri,
I hope the worst is behind you. It sounds fluffy, but every time I have gotten through one of those it has given me strength & confidence- not necessarily right away - but collectively over the long term. I was sailing along pretty smoothly and had an anxiety attack pop up out of nowhere in the early weeks. I logged on and reached out for help under the General Discussion thread. PineCone recommended going to sleep. I did, and I woke up and the mood was history. An exercise I like to do is to focus on letting all the weight of my body go- so that the bed is absorbing it (like a float). I think it works so well for me because so much of the time I am tensing up muscles and not even aware that I'm doing it. Its just challenging enough to take my mind off the anxiety. Congrats on your 8 days in the bank by the way. xoxo

[briseus]

Jackie - I hear you on the panic. I also drank over all those feelings. It only made things worse. But man oh man was it not a relief after dealing with it all day. I know that it only perpetuated the cycle. And there are so many people that deal with it without drinking. I guess we both fell into the trap at the time.
I hope this anxiety goes away soon but I have been dealing with it all my life. So it's time to consider more therapy or even meds if I can't get it under control.
How did you manage through yours?

ActionGirl - no it's not too personal. To be honest, it can be anything and everything or it can be absolutely nothing. Does that make sense? Especially with having OCD, I can latch onto the most irrational things that bring about a fear in me that spikes the anxiety. I was able to have it on lock down but in moments of extreme stress, it comes about in a vicious way.
A lot of people think OCD is just a germaphobe, organizing type mental illness. It's not. Although, there are those people, OCD is so much more complex then that. It comes with intrusive, obsessive thoughts that brings insane anxiety and the only way to "rid" yourself of these thoughts is to carry out compulsions. Sure, it calms the nerves, but OCD has a way to make yourself doubt *yourself*. So you go in circles. It's exhausting sometimes. ;(
This is a great link that explains it, you don't have to read it, I sometimes just have a hard time of explaining it. Not like the pro's.

https://iocdf.org/about-ocd/

Hopefully that works.

Thank you Jane. It's funny that you say that ! The melting into bed. I was doing a meditation app not long ago and when I finally began to relax that's exactly how I felt. And it does help!
I am going to make more of a conscious effort to do this because yes, I have noticed as well that I am *always* tense too. I actually noticed the other day that my shoulders are literally touching my ears! It's as if I am so wound up I am ready to spring at a moments notice!
I think I am going to look more into meditation as well.

Thank you everyone for checking in with me and for your thoughtful comments. It does help me a lot to get through these things knowing I have you all in my corner. Today is Day 8. I made it through that hellish feeling last night sober.
I am hoping for a better day today. Going to keep positive. Or try to anyways.

Hope everyone else is doing well.
And check back in Daisy!

Bri

[ToMyHealth]

Hi Bri. As one who has minor anxiety and OCD, I can relate...major has to be awful! You mentioned possible meds. I have had tremendous success with Seredyn, it's OTC. You can buy at BioNeurix. Hope it's ok to say this.

Have a friend who quizzed me about it because her sister suffers from great anxiety. Her sister tried it, told friend it was the best Thanksgiving she had in 20 years. Friend said, oh so you think it works. Sister said "I know it works".

TMH

[briseus]

Thanks TMH, that's definitely something I will try out.
I mean, there has to be something out there not habit forming that shuts up the OCD and anxiety, right? I mean...we put man on the moon!! Lol.
It's nice to know as well that I'm not the only one too. Do you do CBT as well, TMH?

[Lizann]

Hey Bri, hope you're feeling better today. I do deal with anxiety and irrational fears. I get that exhausting vicious cycle thing. I am taking lexapro, a prescribed med for it. It helps tremendously!

[Knitty]

Hello everyone! Not reading back today. Dealing with a bad headache over the past couple of days. Trying to figure out what triggers them (used to think it was alcohol) but can only be either lack of sleep, as I had a sleepless night the night before it started, or something I ate, although didn't eat anything unusual except that I was a bit heavy-handed when cooking with some cayenne pepper - probably not that. Anyway, just wanted to check in before I snuggle up on the couch. Hope everyone has a good day!

[briseus]

Thanks Lizann! I am hoping that I can figure something out when I see my pdoc in a few weeks time. I was going to see a naturopath tomorrow but it was cancelled on me. Grrr. Irrational fears are the worst. Especially when they're on a loop and mr anxiety accompanies it. :/
Hope you are doing well!

Hey Knitty!
How long have you been sober for?? When I was sober for 8 months last year I dealt with headaches often for the first 3-5 months. Was very frustrating to me but eventually they went away.
Maybe your headaches are trigger by food allergies or sensitivities? I know diet has a lot to do with.....everything. Lol!
Hope your headache passes soon!!

[Lizann]

One of the girls at work asked me to go to a "painting party" tonight. These are popping up everywhere. You paint and bring a bottle of wine/beer. Did not see that coming. I would love to do that. I politely declined. She did ask why. I just told her that I wouldn't know anyone else there and that was that. Crisis averted.
Hope you are all doing ok.

[daisy45]

Hi everyone...thanks for your responses.....has helped give me the kick in the ass I needed to get day 1 done. So day 2 today.
It is 6 months since my relapse.....what a waste! Just one drink brought this on! I was feeling so good back then. Once the drinking started, that was it......fighting to get started every day since.....
Bri, hope you're feeling better.
Lizann, wouldn't like to see the paining if wine was on the menu!