Annoyed with myself

[Sitting pretty]

The last week I have had work function after function and had a wedding this weekend followed by a post weddding bbq! I have tried to drink responsonly but after a couple have thoght bugger it and gone wild, Not to the point of no control which is good but feel down about it and had a heart to heart with my wife last night who I would say drinks too much as well. I ended up necking a bottle of wine yesterday topping up from the wedding the night before and got quite emotional as so pissed off with myself for doing it. We have decided after my family leave after the Christmas break to drink nothing on weekdays and the occasional beer at the weekend!!!! Ive been suffering from panic attacks for years now and have just got to the point whenre I diont think a drink is worth the bother (eventhough it makes me feel bulletproof!!!!) Im worried about the heeebie jeebies, the fear whatever you want to call it) as it is really overpowers me to have a drink to get rid of the dizziness, cant swallow properly amd genral feelings of anxiety I have when I dont drink. I cannot wait to stop and with the help of you guys believe I can do it but one question I have to ask is how do you handle the fear and the anxiety, whats best for preparing myself to do this?????

[aspman]

Annoyed with myself

hi.

Hello sitting and:welcome:.
This is the place to be, some much more experenced people will follow me. all i can say is I feel where you are at and there are some gr8 reads to be had here.
the tool box has some great ideas to hlp you start.
https://www.mywayout.org/community/f1...box-27556.html


I came here wanting to mod, but have since decided to go Alc Free (AF)
good luck with your plan.:goodjob:

[Lavande]

Annoyed with myself

Hi Sitting,

Welcome to MWO! This is a good place, you'll find lots of info & support!
You do need to make a good plan for yourself - something you can stick to. I also highly recommend the Hypnotherapy CDs. They reinforce all the new things you are learning. I still use them from time to time.

Drop in the 'Newbies Nest' thread for some extra support as well.
Wishing you the best on your journey!

Lav

[TranqWilly]

Annoyed with myself

Hi SittingPretty, and welcome.

Is your drinking to the point of significant withdrawals when you stop? "Im worried about the heeebie jeebies, the fear whatever you want to call it) as it is really overpowers me to have a drink to get rid of the dizziness, cant swallow properly amd genral feelings of anxiety I have when I dont drink." Others can recommend drugs and such to help snuff the withdrawals. There is great help here and advice in the various forums. Regardless of where we're coming from there's help, and plenty of others who have walked the road before us. You might download the MWO book and begin to understand how to set a plan for yourself.

Don't hesitate to post with questions in any of the forums. And don't be too hard on yourself -- none of us asked for this really, we just have to deal with it.

Take care.
tw

[Sitting pretty]

Annoyed with myself

Yep. I started getting panic attacks before I really started drinking and then found that a couple of beers would get rid of the anxiety and now ive gone full bloody circle!!!! :H
Ive realised that there not going to get any better and in the long term drinking has probaly made them worse hence my deternamtion to stop. The doc gives me sedatives for a fear of flying so now I'lll pop a half pill in the morning then by 6pm - 7pm home for a beer. Just sick of having to rely on stuff to make me feel normal hence the big decision. I am worried about my job etc as have to meet a lot of people in my line of work and having a panic attack in front of someone is horrible. I acyually even stop breathing which is another reason im getting the bloody anxiety as well.
:alf:

[Cindi]

Annoyed with myself

Try to relax and put yourself l in another place in time for now,,deep breaths, water and a bucket by the bed, It's sickening but in the end it will be worth it.

[savon19]

Annoyed with myself

Hi Sitting -

The Anticipation of doing anything different in our lives naturally brings with it feelings of anxiety. The irony of stopping drinking is that one of the outcomes of being sober for a while (usually just a few days) is that we have Less anxiety!

The aftermath of drinking usually makes us feel anxious, guilty and ashamed... The idea of quitting makes us anxious... Quitting makes us feel Not guilty, Not ashamed and Not anxious!!

[Sitting pretty]

Annoyed with myself

Thanks guys!

Im excited about doing this. Just scared as alcohol's been controlling me for too llong!!!:thanks:
I'll keep you all in the loop!

[redhibiscus]

Annoyed with myself

Welcome sitting pretty. I have a history of panic attacks, too. Since I have come here, I realized that alcohol creates worry and anxiety as I am coming off of it. When I drink, I will wake up with horrible anxiety, heart pounding, worry, heebie jeebies, and that is alcohol withdrawal. It stinks and I hate it. Now that I drink only on occasion, I do not have panic attacks anymore. Only if I drink do I again have the awful feelings of stress and worry.

I ordered all the supplements, the MWO book, the hypno CDs and followed the program in the beginning. It was so helpful to me. The Calms Forte is a homeopathic pill that calms you down, and I really needed it in the beginning. Not so much now, but I do take it from time to time when I am wound up and need to relax. So...make a plan, try the supplements, maybe the medication if you feel that is right for you. I do not know how bad your withdrawals will be and you may need medical help, they are nothing to mess with so be careful And read, read, read all the posts. Good luck to you.

[Starlight Impress Forever]

Annoyed with myself

Hi Sitting pretty,
As a fellow anxiety-sufferer, I assure you that the anxiety is feeding off of the alcohol.

Many of us, myself included, suffered from anxiety before we ever abused alcohol and subsequently found that alcohol can indeed soothe anxiety, but only in the short-term, i.e. when under the influence. The booze is exacerbating your anxiety.........it takes us to quit drinking to fully appreciate that fact.

When drinking, I was all but crippled with anxiety on a daily basis and would periodically suffer panic attacks, sometimes for several weeks at a time. I am long-term AF, yet not anxiety-free, but what I wish to stress is that anxiety was a condition from which I suffered before I began drinking to excess........in my case, drink made the anxiety worse, but did not originally cause it.

So, self-medicating anxiety with alcohol will never cure it, but quitting drinking will allow you to experience your anxiety in its own `right`, so that you may better understand it and seek the appropriate medical or hollistic help. I prefer self-help personally, and try to hold onto the idea of `mind over matter` as it is our own `distorted` thinking that causes anxiety. We have to relearn how to think, so as not to overthink.

I have not turned to medication for anxiety, but I have found that my anxiety is enormously reduced since becoming sober. Anxiety sufferers may never be cured, but one thing is certain.........drink will not cure you.

My best to you,

Star x

[sharonk868]

Annoyed with myself

Sitting pretty;777815 wrote: The last week I have had work function after function and had a wedding this weekend followed by a post weddding bbq! I have tried to drink responsonly but after a couple have thoght bugger it and gone wild, Not to the point of no control which is good but feel down about it and had a heart to heart with my wife last night who I would say drinks too much as well. I ended up necking a bottle of wine yesterday topping up from the wedding the night before and got quite emotional as so pissed off with myself for doing it. We have decided after my family leave after the Christmas break to drink nothing on weekdays and the occasional beer at the weekend!!!! Ive been suffering from panic attacks for years now and have just got to the point whenre I diont think a drink is worth the bother (eventhough it makes me feel bulletproof!!!!) Im worried about the heeebie jeebies, the fear whatever you want to call it) as it is really overpowers me to have a drink to get rid of the dizziness, cant swallow properly amd genral feelings of anxiety I have when I dont drink. I cannot wait to stop and with the help of you guys believe I can do it but one question I have to ask is how do you handle the fear and the anxiety, whats best for preparing myself to do this?????

Thanks you for the post.
Hi guys, Im a newbie. Nice to join this forum.

[Rusty]

Annoyed with myself

Dear Sitting Pretty,

My doctor was afraid I might have withdrawal symptoms when I quit drinking so she put me on a wonderful medication that I took at night to ease the anxiety as well as mitigate the shakes, etc. It's called Alprazolam. See if your doctor will put you on it. Also, my therapist suggested cutting back for a few days before going cold turkey so I wouldn't get the shakes, etc., and that's what I did. It also depends on whether you go overboard EVERY day of the week or some days (which is what I did). You might not even get withdrawal symptoms but like you, I was afraid I would. I wasn't on Alprazolam when I quit drinking and I had no withdrawal symptoms other than craving sugar the first few days. Good luck and keep in touch.

Rusty

[Rusty]

Annoyed with myself

Hi Everybody,

I just wanted to say thank you to all of you who wrote on this thread. These posts have helped me immensely today! I am joyful now, too!

Rusty

[Sitting pretty]

Annoyed with myself

Xmas, parents etc etc.

Hi Guys, Thanks again for your replys and i, glad Rusty you are getting stuff out of this as well! Makes me feel good and worthwhile for joining and starting the thread!!!! Well sometings happened to me , i actuallty remember the whole of Chrissie day!!!! I only had a couple of beers all day then quite a quite a few wines in the evening but rather than have a huge blank I recalled the whole day and enjoyed it immensly. So its not perfect at the mo but a start. My parents have arrived from overseas now which doesnt help as my dad is a BIG drinker and I dont really want top let them know about my problem as they wouldnt understand and would see me as weak. They'll be off soon and my wife (who doesnt have a problem) and I have agreed to cut drinking out. She never knew I had a problem until I chose to tell her and I need to cut it out or right down. She's a cool cat and is fully supportive and is doing it with me!!! still worried about the withdraawl symtons but i'lll cross that bridge if and when I get them.

This could well be the happiest new year of my hopefully booze free life and hopefully will be for you guys as well!!!!! :laughmonkey: