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Safe alcohol withdrawal

Posted , 8 users are following.

john55859
john55859

Hi, I've stopped drinking on a number of occasions and always starts again. At present I am drinking between 1&2 bottles of 12% wine per night. I usually don't have my first drink until 7 pm and my last around 9 pm and I never drink during the day. 

I have read a lot about this subject.

During the day I suffer from shaking hands, sweats, anxiety and it comes in decreasing waves and is usually gone by about 6pm.I never have hallucinations, DT's or seizures. 

At 6pm I have the mental compulsion to start drinking again as I have convinced myself that if I don't something bad will happen. 

Have I not already got over the worst of the withdrawal during the day. 

 

0 likes, 8 replies

8 Replies

  • vodka07
    vodka07 john55859

    Posted

    From my experience, certainly not!! I also was only a evening drinker, half a litre of vodka every evening between 6 pm and 11 pm. I too during the day would suffer from withdrawals and at the end of last year attempted to cut down on my drinking at night. In turn, I experienced more withdrawals over a longer period of time, not only during the day but at night also. I'm not sure when was your last alcohol free day, and when you have stopped before for how long?

    I underwent a home detox 23 days ago and I'm not confident in saying that I couldn't have just stopped without the support of medication. My body is currently attempting to repair itself, but it's not easy and you do need willpower and good supports around you. 

     

    • john55859
      john55859 vodka07

      Posted

      I stopped drinking last year. I had to work away and because of this couldn't drink. I stopped the day before I went and didn't suffer from any significant symptoms. I think I'm going to try and taper at 50% for 2 or 3 nights and then try cold turkey but keep a bottle in just in case. 

      Thanks for the reply by the way.

  • h1954
    h1954 john55859

    Posted

    Hi John, seems to me that if you're getting through 1-2 bottles of wine in two hours you are drinking very quickly. With the withdrawls you are getting I would suggest getting a medical opinion.
  • rachel24065
    rachel24065 john55859

    Posted

    Hi John

    I have just started with an ARC and I am not an expert, but from what I've heard and read, it sounds as though the physical effects you have during the day are because your body is physically dependent. I have also routinely drank the same as you but not in such a quick time scale and I don't have any physical effects like you. I am mentally dependent though but this has just meant that I was advised to reduce to 1 bottle for a week then half a bottle for another week and then abstinence.

    I have 1 more day of alcohol and then that's it for me! Am feeling positive about it all though and definitely feel I am in the right mind set to do this now.

    I will control it....it will not control me!!

    I strongly recommend you seek some support because of how your body reacts physically through the day, it's not worth taking the risk!

    Good luck and all the best! 😊

    • h1954
      h1954 rachel24065

      Posted

      Hi Rachel, I'm really interested in what you say about being mentally dependent, cos I think that's a bit like me. And how you've found reducing so rapidly, and how you feel about your impending abstinence - does this mean never ever having alcohol again?

      I often drink, not because I physically need a drink but because I think a drink would be nice - and I think that too often!

    • rachel24065
      rachel24065 h1954

      Posted

      Hi h1954,

      Yes, I am aiming for abstinence as I don't think I can learn to manage my drink responsibly. It used to frighten me when I thought about never drinking again but when I have had nights with minimum / no alcohol, I feel amazing the next day...my mind has more clarity, less fog!

      I mentioned to my keyworker at ARC that I am approaching this in the same way as when I gave up smoking. It is all linked to habit and emotions....I'm happy..I'll have a fag/drink - I'm p*ssed off..I'll have a fag/drink. It takes a lot of mental effort but i know a craving doesn't last long so it's about how I manage that feeling and then move on. My keyworker said that I was very self aware and that my thought process on it is exactly how they would advise so I guess I must be doing something right! She said that because I have no physical withdrawal effects that it was ok for me to reduce over a 2 week period.

      Hope this helps some! Good luck

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