Anxiety and blackouts

It's just awful, isn't it, the morning after the night before for all sorts of reasons.  Bad enough if you just have the physical hangout over symptoms and the self learning that goes with it.  But if you don't know what you did, or if you do and what you did was awful, well that's even worse.  And then there's the negative effects on your health, if not now, than eventually.  And the risk of your girlfriend sleeping in the spare room permanently.

I expect you've been asked before, but what help have you have with your anxiety?  Because you're just piling extra anxiety and feeling bad about yourself on top of what you've already got.  There's medication that can help you to drink less, about which or there are people on this site far more knowledgeable than me.

But my sense is that you need help dealing with your anxiety in a healthier way.  Please talk honestly with your doctor if you really want this to change.  It might not be easy but it will be worth it.  I wishe you well.

It's just awful, isn't it, the morning after the night before for all sorts of reasons.  Bad enough if you just have the physical hangout over symptoms and the self learning that goes with it.  But if you don't know what you did, or if you do and what you did was awful, well that's even worse.  And then there's the negative effects on your health, if not now, than eventually.  And the risk of your girlfriend sleeping in the spare room permanently.

I expect you've been asked before, but what help have you have with your anxiety?  Because you're just piling extra anxiety and feeling bad about yourself on top of what you've already got.  There's medication that can help you to drink less, about which or there are people on this site far more knowledgeable than me.

But my sense is that you need help dealing with your anxiety in a healthier way.  Please talk honestly with your doctor if you really want this to change.  It might not be easy but it will be worth it.  I wishe you well.

Also I notice you say "it just keeps happening" and not "I keep on doing this".  Thinks about the difference, please.

Hi RedMick, This is the nature of the Game I'm afraid. The Drink is causing you more problems than the Temporary Anxiety that it frees you from. When you go out in the Evening to a pub, what else is there to do apart from Drink? If you look at all the affects that you get from the Drink, all the Pro's are Short Term and the Cons are all long term. The dopamine that is released whilst Drinking makes your Body think that booze is what it needs (Dopamine is what makes basic human needs enjoyable, like Eating, Reproduction and any Motivation) It takes time to rewire the Brain to a stage where this chemical is released naturally, not with the aid of drink. Stopping this cycle is not easy, and very hard to do on your own. If you could snap your fingers and be in you ideal situation, what would it be? Do you want to to cut down drinking or stop totally? You can change your lifestyle, it's hard but 100% possible. Blacking out and waking up with no recollection is not fun, and it's not helping you in any aspect of your life (apart from the first Hour when your on a Night out). You will more than likely have medical issues regarding your Anxiety and Depression, but you can't tackle these whilst your on the Booze, you know that the Alcohol is making things worse. I would often have blackouts and wake with nothing but fear filling my Body, it's not a good place to be. I don't know how well you get on with your Girlfriend, but sitting down with her and having a frank discussion about this situation and talking about what could change to make things better would be a great place to start things moving forward. Are you Alcohol dependant, or a Binge Drinker? I hope you are feeling a little better, chat soon,AL    

Alcohol works like benzos, it slows part of the brain down, the side that starts to worry (anxiety). If your body is not used to so much alcohol and you overload it, then your brain/body will shutdown to protect itself. That is why young people/students are the ones that tend to black out because their bodies are not used to it.

How much did you drink? Any idea?

Waking up knowing, dreading, feeling the shame of knowing I did something dreadful to my husband is the absolute worst feeling in the world. I would say the most hateful things to him and rarely remembered.  It would start with me "going over" that point of control and judgement and him saying something derogatory about it. Then I would light into him about every little resentment from the last 30 years. Believe me, I heard about this every morning after.  I have said things that hurt him deeply.  That's not who I am when not drinking.  

I agree to discuss anxiety with with your doctor and be very candid about your blackout drinking.  I have been on Naltrexone for almost a month now and I think I'm seeing a difference in my drinking behavior.  It's not always prescribed correctly.  According to the Sinclair Method, you don't take one pill every day, you only take it one hour before you have your first drink of the day.  It blocks the pleasure receptors in the brain and over time it's purpose is to help you to become ambivalent about alcohol because it brings no pleasure.  You'll still get drunk, you'll still be hungover, but it is a treatment plan that works in 80% of people who use it religiously.  

The Sinclair Method can take three months for some, but the average is between six and eight months, very few over one year.  Some people only drink twice a year now, but still always take the pill one hour before drinking.

Im praying it will work for me. Thankfully, my husband is supportive of this new plan of attack even though I'm still drinking.  

Please continue to to let us know how you're doing.  

Sheryl