anxiety/panic attacks from alcohol withdrawal?

emmer · Newbie Joined: 04 Jan 2007 Posts: 2

Ive searched on this site but could not find a definite answer.

I stopped cold turkey a few months ago after getting drunk almost everyday for a year or more(I am 26 now but have been drinking since 16, not heavily though) And by drunk everyday I mean at least 10-11 beers each time. That first time I stopped I couldnt sleep, I was seeing things move, I got headaches, etc.

I started again maybe a month after that, but not drinking daily. A few weeks afterwards though I was back to getting drunk everyday again for maybe a month or so, I recently stopped and Ive been getting horrible panic attacks and anxiety. at first I thought it was my stomach that caused them but I was also feeling nauseous at the same time. i havent drank for more than 48 hours now and I was feeling shakey and nervous almost all day(with no appetite), and my palms were sweaty.

is all this cause from alcohol withdrawal? if so I hope they go away pretty soon, im a very social and active person and this is affecting that.

thanks for your time.

carmichael · Newbie Joined: 07 Jan 2007 Posts: 1

probably one of the top withdrawel effect most ppl get and ive been there too lol,ive been a heavy drinker since i was bout 20 yrs old im now 35 and its taken me 6 yrs to learn that all my symptoms of anxiety stem from just alcohol abuse,ive lost count the times ive gave in and had a drink just to stop anxiety/panic attacks,i gave up last june and i rode the withdrawels out and they stopped well i say stopped they came occasionally but they didnt start into a full blown attack...from my experiences the attacks usually came if i had spicy food causing me to ask doc if it could b an internal stomach reaction to which he agreed the damage from beer will take awhile to repair ....stomach acid is a very potent chemical and if u hav ulcers etc i think the link could b there well anyway i personally think that... i found a herbal remedy called quiet life by lanes pretty useful and more importantly non addictive, i hope u find this helpful any questions u wanna ask ill gladly help if i can

Evie · Newbie Joined: 29 Dec 2006 Posts: 8

Hi,

My Name is Eve. My ex fiance is actually going through his first hopefully 3 months of sobriety. Is relapsing within the first year in the program something to be expected? And if so what are the possible reasons for this?

Thanks, I appreciate it, Eve

emmer · Newbie Joined: 04 Jan 2007 Posts: 2

hey carmichael thanks for the reply. well my anxiety and nervousness went away after a week....BUT I drank again on a thurs - maybe 4 beers, then drank a few strong margaritas on sat. and about the same amount in mixed drinks and wine on sunday. I think I am going through it all over again. Is this possible? I feel exactly the same as I did when I originally posted. High amounts of anxiety which leads to crazy thoughts and panic.

loopyloo99 · Newbie Joined: 05 Mar 2007 Posts: 1

I've suffered from the same problem. I had an anxiety attack whilst on holiday after drinking a bottle of wine and a litre of beer. The raise in heart rate lasted for 12 hours. Since then I tried to avoid anything stonger than beer which works for me.

I've found that exercise helps greatly and if I overdo it one night then getting straight on the running machine / exercise bike the next morning I can get away with it - i really overdid it one night and it took 4 hours of walking to calm down but it wasnt too scary whilst actually exercising and a lot of it I did at walking pace whilst watching TV. I since avoid anything greater than 4pc alcolhol and always drinking plenty of water before bed and during the night.

I am keeping a record now of the number of days in a row I can keep to my exercise schedule - I now exercise 6 times a week over 50 days in a row now. This gives you a level of fitness that makes you more resilient to raises in anxiety. I think a lot of people could be virtually cured like me by become this fit.

I have also found caffeine can effect me - I find its good to be caffeine fit by having a couple of teas on a weekday - avoiding altogether for me makes me more sensitive to it and the mild amounts in chocolate (avoid chocolate near bedtime).

Salt can also effect hypertension so should be avoided (peanuts in pubs etc).

Chillies / spices raise your metabolism - I treat them like tea - I eat them to raise my resilence to anxiety - I avoid them at times I might be effected because of drinking etc.

Guest · Guest

I have suffered anxiety attacks from alcohol withdrawal (I drank moderate to heavy from age 18 to age 24 before I began to notice this). I then began to taper off the drinking, but it was only by finally stopping that I have had relief from anxiety attacks.

I believe in my case that my brain became hard-wired, so as a result I now cannot drink any alcohol. I am so sensitive to alcohol I can notice now even alcohol in Xmas puddings, chocolates etc., so I just avoid them.

I also do not drink any caffeine at all - that quickly triggers anxiety attacks.

My body is so sensitive now to chemicals that I do not to eat any food with e´s. (preservatives and coloring) I shop for myself, eating fresh fruit & vegetables, meat, fish and chicken etc.

And guess what I have had a great life since. It´s awkward sometimes socially, but I have control over my anxiety in this regard.

I hope this can help just one person.

flcowgirl29 · Newbie Joined: 01 May 2007 Posts: 1 Location: Florida

I have the same problem. I had a bad break up about 6 years ago and not only did I drink more, I gained about 45 pounds. I didn't care. I felt like the man, the only man, i would ever feel that way about had let me down so what did I have to look forward to?
I drank up until today. I'm no going to lie. And yes, at least 9 beers a day, but I lost everything....my home, my car, my job...to make a long story short, my parents took in my son and I and I do meditation(it does work), and though my car is broke down, I am walking to my first meeting tonight in 3 years.
You can do it. We have to believe. We can't depend on others to keep us sober or take away our anxiety. Anxiety is a trick on our minds. Take yourself to a beach or a spa and even your breathing. Don't think of the alchohol. It only got us here where we don't belong.
Good luck and God Bless
Remember:
God grant me the serenity to accept the thing I cannot not
Courage to change the things I can
And the wisdom to know the difference
Amen
Good luck. You are in my prayers. We can do this.........
Shell Wink

MWEDCC · Newbie Joined: 09 May 2007 Posts: 5

Ok so I am in the middle of the same problem, im 25 years old, was a heavy drinker for years, then slowed down to only weekends, but bind drinking on those weekends I mean probably 20-25 drinks a night. Anyway, I stop drinking for a month and then go to Vegas, drink non stop for 4 days, and drink about 20 energy drinks, last night im there, I drink probably at least 40 drinks in a 24 hour spand. Next morning, I wake up hung over as hell, sick as hell puking and the usual, but then all of a sudden I get depressed and anxious as hell, felt like I was loosing my mind. Passed back and forth all day for two days could not sleep felt like I was going crazy. Missed my flight had to stay two extra days, then I go to the airport the next day and am still anxious as hell. My brother talks me into getting on the plane. Minute the plane takes off, full blown panic attack, im in the bathroom puking, thought I was trapped and going crazy. Anyway I make it home, started feeling better, now it is the next day, was feeling better the next day until about an hour ago when full blow panic attack and surreal state returns. I don’t know if it was the alcohol, dehydration or what, but I don’t know what to do to make them go away, because I truly am beginning to think that I have lost my mind. Any suggestions would help.

MWEDCC · Newbie Joined: 09 May 2007 Posts: 5

Ok so I am in the middle of the same problem, im 25 years old, was a heavy drinker for years, then slowed down to only weekends, but bind drinking on those weekends I mean probably 20-25 drinks a night. Anyway, I stop drinking for a month and then go to Vegas, drink non stop for 4 days, and drink about 20 energy drinks, last night im there, I drink probably at least 40 drinks in a 24 hour spand. Next morning, I wake up hung over as hell, sick as hell puking and the usual, but then all of a sudden I get depressed and anxious as hell, felt like I was loosing my mind. Passed back and forth all day for two days could not sleep felt like I was going crazy. Missed my flight had to stay two extra days, then I go to the airport the next day and am still anxious as hell. My brother talks me into getting on the plane. Minute the plane takes off, full blown panic attack, im in the bathroom puking, thought I was trapped and going crazy. Anyway I make it home, started feeling better, now it is the next day, was feeling better the next day until about an hour ago when full blow panic attack and surreal state returns. I don’t know if it was the alcohol, dehydration or what, but I don’t know what to do to make them go away, because I truly am beginning to think that I have lost my mind. Any suggestions would help.

Guest · Guest

I've also had the same symptoms. I'm 26 and was a very heavy drinker for about 2-3 years, pretty much just getting wasted, passing out, waking up and doing it over again. In the past month or two i have been getting horrible paranoia and panic attacks. The alcohol use to shield it, but has done little lately. I stopped drinking for about three days, the first two were really bad with the horrible paranoia, then after that things settled down and the paranoia is pretty much gone. I also have a ton more energy to do things and what not. I'm pretty much convinced the alcohol over time seems to go from calming the anxiety to making it worse. I've been drinking lightly the past month or so since i "detoxed" for a few days. I've drank hard liquor twice and both times the next day the horrible paranoia was back. Last night i went out and drank nothing but beer, and quite a bit of it and this morning besides a mild hangover there was no paranoia. There has to be something in hard liquor causing the problems.
I would suggest to everyone with the problems to try and cut down the drinking as much as possible, and if you do drink, drink beer and avoid the hard alcohol.

anxiety/panic attacks from alcohol withdrawal?

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