Quick question. When I stopped drinking it was because I thought that my body was trying to kill me, I felt terrible, shaking, lack of concentration and a very strange feeling of my head and eyes expanding and feeling that they were going to explode. Un-rational panic attacks also played a part particually when I was in work or in a busy place like a supermarket (sorry don't know what you call them in USA / Canada / Australia / Camden.) Making me feel like I wanted to run away from my own body! In some ways I felt like I had to concentrate on something because I felt I was going to go completly nuts or pass out.
After stopping drinking, with the help of my local hospital, (detox program) all of this stopped, as I expected because I was told that it was all caused by the alcohol addiction.
In the last 2 weeks or so, some of these feelings have come back, still on a much smaller scale than before (no shaking) and I also feel really worn out.
I have not had any alcohol now for 169 days, mentally feel strong and at the moment don't crave a drink.
Has anyone else had anything else like this happen? Is it normal? and if it is, how long can I expect it to go on for? Or is it just too much strong coffee!
If it's not normal, anyone know a surgeon that can do a head transplant for me please!
Hope everyone is well and sober.
Any info or advice is much appreciated
Best wishes.
Chris.
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"Computer games don't affect kids; I mean if Pac-Man affected us as kids, we'd all be running around in darkened rooms, munching magic pills and listening to repetitive electronic music." -- Kristian Wilson, Nintendo, Inc, 1989"
I would cut back on the coffee if you're overdoing it. I still find myself suffering from needless anxiety from time to time and I'm sure it's due to too much caffeine. Also, since I stopped drinking (14 yrs ago) I seem to be more sensitive to some other substances. I noticed some cold medications with Pseudephedrine and other stuff like that really whack me out. It was frustrating at times because I'm a person who used to abuse just about anything and rather prided myself on my excesses. I wouldn't worry to much about it.. for me that just tends to aggravate the situation. Try some methods like breathing and meditation. It slows the mind down. Takes a while to get the hang of and a bit of practice but it works.
I started developing a obsessive / compulsive thing with checking locked doors, is the oven off, etc. a while after I stopped drinking. It eventually went away on it's own. Hopefully your anxiety will too (this too shall pass)
I've had lots of trouble with panic/anxiety attacks and know exactly what you're talking about. When I was in therapy I tried a bunch of different things. Getting regular exercise helps. Having a regular sleep schedule helps. Eating on a regular basis (not going too long between meals) helps. Having protein with every meal (and not just stuffing yourself full of carbs) helps.
That sounds like a lot to worry about, and it is. I'm not very good at doing it myself, and still have occasional anxiety attacks, but not like before.
You may also find that meditation or relaxation tapes help you too. I used that a lot when it was bad.
Hang in there... and if you do get a head transplant be careful, you could end up with one like mine.
Well, Cabbagehead... I don't much like the idea of having to call you Turniphead or Brusselsprout head... just doesn't have the same ring. Let's keep your head for a bit and see if we can't just settle it down a little.
The blokes have all the practical stuff down...like the logistics of it all...basic needs...which may be what your after (being a bloke and all).
Here's my two cents worth...or tuppence as the case may be. A couple of years ago I started getting these real weird anxiety things...I was running at a pretty fast pace, (which is kinda normal) but had several jobs on, and lots of deadlines and was convinced I must have been overloading.
The heart and head would start pumping, and I'd be on the edge of my seat, like a bomb was about to go off at any moment. Then they started happening at night and freaking me right out, because I have never lost the ability to slip into a coma and not much wakes me. Instead, I'd be sitting there in silence, with no distractions convinced that something catastrophic was about to happen. My head ran RIOT with it all.
So, enough is enough, I decided, and started pulling the pin on lots of my commitments. Gotta ease up, I kept telling myself. It didn't go away.
I moved out to the farm, thinking it'll settle once things slow down. Nope. Still there - not as often, but still there.
I finally worked out what it was. It was my conscience! The damn thing was turning me inside out, and I had forgotten that secrets keep us sick. Once I shared a step 4 again, I was free again. The anxiety stopped. Sometimes we tuck things away in our minds and think they don't matter or can be forgotten. Our minds are pretty powerful, I reckon - and it doesn't want the crap any more than we do! So it starts kinda rejecting it... pushing it out and we don't know what to do with it, so we kinda panic. That's the best way I can describe it...
And it might not make much sense to the logical types who like things to add up...but that's how it was for me.
As soon as I begin to feel that panicky feeling, I ask myself what am I hiding from? What do I need to let out here? And the steps provide the answers.
Everybody has contributed really helpful stuff from a few perspectives.... this board at its best! I can only kind of reiterate and look at it from a slightly different angle. So here's my 2 bits (a quarter, 25 cents).
I am told that the first stage of recovery is the first detox,, getting the alcohol out of our system. Then, like Phil says,, the body is kind of at a loss, being so used to running on alcohol and not knowing how to run normally any more. Many alcoholics do not take care of ourselves, don't eat right, work to much and too long,,, or sleep all day, don't exercise to keep in condition. So we feel better that the alcohol is out,,, but then we start to feel the general neglect. And coffee is an addictive substance too, that can result in headaches and jitters. We alcholics tend to be addicted to multiple substances. Do you smoke too?
So it looks like it is time for you to go to the next level. I like what Nic said about 'turniphead' . How about Punkinhead? lol Actually, I gues the Canadian and Maine French do use the cabbage as a term of endearment. 'ma petit shoo'? How do you spell it?
love in recovery,
amanda
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do your best and God does the rest, a step at a time
The bits about the multiple addictions (coffee in large ammounts and far too many cigarettes) Thats me.
Relaxation is always something that I've found hard, I'm always on the go, so I think I need to make more time for meditation.
Interesting point about conscience, if I am hiding from something, it's buried deep in my brain because I've no idea what it could be. May be able to access it through meditation.
Looks like I get to keep the cabbage for a head, at least for now.
Thanks again.
Chris.
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"Computer games don't affect kids; I mean if Pac-Man affected us as kids, we'd all be running around in darkened rooms, munching magic pills and listening to repetitive electronic music." -- Kristian Wilson, Nintendo, Inc, 1989"
It is worth noting that after offering you that helpful advice I managed not to get to sleep until six this morning.
The irony was not lost on me.
Back to bed... if I don't get at least 7 hours I feel anxious and exhausted all day. Which is kinda funny, because I used to be able to make do with 5 hung over.
I have a mate who is not an alcoholic nor a junkie that has anxiety attacks even thinking about leaving his flat.
I have managed to get him to a couple of Crystal Palace games and a West Ham game, which involved a bit of travel, but it was like taking a very young child. Normally anything that involves a trip of more than 10 metres is out of the question.
Even getting him to go to the doctors to ask for counselling or help won't work.
It looks like he will be forever living on a diet of Channels 1 through 5, chinese deliveries and Waitrose meals ready to eat.
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Back the bid for the Olympics anwhere else but London
The result is that I have tried meditating, and relaxing, and I've cut out the coffee.
Feel fine now, whatever it was, it's now sorted out.
Thanks.
Chris.
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"Computer games don't affect kids; I mean if Pac-Man affected us as kids, we'd all be running around in darkened rooms, munching magic pills and listening to repetitive electronic music." -- Kristian Wilson, Nintendo, Inc, 1989"
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