One year alcohol-free

[Lowcountryman]

One year alcohol-free

Greg, congrats! Excellent!

Btw: my psychiatrists suggested me to smoke weed instead of drinking. For the same reasons you figured out yourself.

Brigitte: very nice hairday today

[Popeye]

One year alcohol-free

Great post Greg, and well done.

[Greg]

One year alcohol-free

Just a bit of a caution to anyone else considering cannabis and/or a benzodiazepine such as Xanax...not preaching in any way however...

Cannabis can and does cause unpleasant side-effects and after-effects, contrary to what many enthusiastic users will tell you. In my particular case I have noticed increased anxiety at times, both during the start of use (if using too much in a single dose) and the day after use (possible mild withdrawals if only using once a day, also possible cannabis-induced anxiety). This could also easily be due to taking my whole dose of Xanax in the evening and having it wear off quickly during the following day...it could also be due to my underlying anxiety disorder which I do not take anything for during the day (aside from the low-dose baclofen late in the afternoon).

I have also noticed a very pronounced next-day lingering tiredness, lack of concentration, memory deficits, and other symptoms of being mentally dulled, almost as if I had taken a sedative in the morning. I nickname this effect "pot fog" and it may be due to lingering after-effects of the cannabis, lingering effects from the 1 mg Xanax I take in the evening, and even effects due to my depression which is still not really treated. This mental dulling will often occur even if I have had enough sleep, and it can be strong enough to be like an actual alcohol hangover (minus the nausea and headaches).

The next goal is getting off cannabis and also Xanax (and hopefully all benzodiazepines). Groups like AA/NA and SMART recovery can probably help a person make the required changes to their lives to be able to cope without dependence-producing drugs and alcohol, along with things like counselling/CBT (make sure it's with someone who is well trained and experienced). Antidepressants can also help some people. Also, be aware that both cannabis and benzos have very real withdrawal symptoms, and that benzodiazepine withdrawal can be dangerous if done too quickly...my advice to anyone else would be to seek a doctor's supervision while attempting to quit any tranquillisers or sleeping pills!

[bleep69]

One year alcohol-free

Greg, I think someone with your level of insight and awareness, and proven ability to solve problems, will be fine.

Well done.

[Bruunhilde]

One year alcohol-free

Greg, congrats, thank you for sharing, we all need to hear success stories here, as you know, to keep on keeping on.

I agree with clearing out as many drugs as possible. I stopped the xanax after a month or so on bac, because I thought they were interacting. But, I found I couldn't sleep even after the xanax withdrawal was over (2-3 days). I started it up again after a month or so, and now am sleeping again.

Funny, your description of pot side effects match my bac side effects, only the bac seems to effect me much longer, usually for another day after my last dose. I'm not one who can just skip a dose and be okay for a meeting, it has a much longer life in my body than for some others.

I do think bac at low doses is a miracle, I'm so much less prone to freaking out every morning about the day ahead, or about whatever is nagging at me. I am an advocate of long term bac low dose use.....