Just wondering has anyone experienced paranoia during recovery ,I’ve had bouts of it lately where I think people are staring and on bad days I think people are laughing it’s only come on when I go through withdrawals is this normal
Alcoholism
Posted on Monday, August 31st, 2009 at 2:37 pm.
Written by Casa Palmera Staff
Alcoholism causes a variety of physical consequences that are well known and easy to recognize, but it also causes a variety of psychological consequences that people rarely discuss. When people talk about the “effects of alcoholism” they often only talk about the physical effects; people rarely talk about alcoholism and the mental effects. Because of this, many alcoholics will continue to self-medicate their mental symptoms without realizing that their drinking is causing these problems in the first place.
Alcoholism and the Mental Effects
The mental effects of alcoholism vary from person to person, depending on how much you drink and how long you’ve been drinking. People who rarely drink will experience feelings of relaxation and an energizing release of inhibitions. People who drink a moderate amount on a regular basis will begin to experience feelings of nervousness, melancholy, restlessness, irritation and some relationship troubles. People who drink heavily and often will begin to experience insomnia, paranoia and hallucinations.
Other common mental effects of alcoholism are:
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Depression. The old saying that you can “drown your sorrows” by drinking alcohol comes from the fact that many people drink to make their feelings go away. Drinking may provide a temporary escape, but the truth is that prolonged drinking can actually bring on feelings of depression while you’re drinking and even when you’re sober.
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Dysthymia. Alcoholism can lead to dysthymia, a disorder less severe than major depression but one that causes many of the same symptoms: fatigue, low self-esteem, difficulty concentrating, unusual eating or sleeping habits, and a persistently depressed mood.
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Anxiety. Alcohol is a depressant that decreases activity within your brain’s nervous system. When combined with the physical stresses that alcohol abuse causes, feelings of anxiety can be aggravated. These feelings can include restlessness, nightmares, general discontent and general feelings of anxiety.
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Personality changes. Alcohol abuse can cause big changes in your personality. Normal personality traits can disappear during intoxication and be replaced with selfish, angry and egotistical behavior. Aggression and mood swings are very common as well as a general deterioration of morals. Alcohol slows your brain’s synapses and chemically alters your body by affecting serotonin levels, the chemical responsible for transmitting signals of mood to your brain. These physical changes cause your emotions to get out of control and cause your do say and do things you normally wouldn’t do.
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Compulsive behavior. Alcoholics are addicts with the same impulses and urges as drug addicts. Someone who is dependent on alcohol will become obsessed with drinking and is no different than a drug addict seeking his next hit. Your obsession with alcohol can lead you make decisions that negatively impact your life and cause you to lose interest in activities and people you normally enjoy when you were sober.
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Denial. Denial is a common characteristic of alcoholism. Alcoholics will deny they have a problem in order to keep drinking, or may not even realize how serious their drinking really is. Denial is a dangerous place to be mentally because it can keep you from getting the help you so desperately need.
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Co-occurring disorders. Co-occurring mental and mood disorders often exist in alcoholics. They can be caused by the mental effects of heavy drinking or can be the reason heavy drinking occurs in the first place. Oftentimes a person with a co-occurring disorder such as depression or anxiety will become addicted to alcohol after trying to self-medicate their symptoms.
Getting Treatment for Alcoholism and the Mental Effects
The mental effects of alcohol can lead many alcoholics to continue drinking in order to self-medicate their symptoms. Getting treatment for alcoholism and the mental effects should involve a rehab facility that offers dual-diagnosis therapy for co-occurring disorders. Talking to a medical doctor about your symptoms can help you determine what type of treatment you’ll need.
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Could be anxiety, low self worth… could be an illness or issue you never noticed while not sober
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Never had a problem with anxiety before I started drinking heavy but as a drink heavily and started getting blackouts really bad I noticed it during the few weeks with all the symptoms of withdrawals ,was told by a doctor that it’s part of the recovery from drink and it’s the Brain chemicals changing and giving off odd symptoms
Any time u quit an addictive substance there will absolutely be anxiety. That’s your body and brain trying to tell you you need more of whatever it’s addicted to. Round and round.
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Ya it’s so weird I was once in Thailand partying before with mates around a year ago and I drank for 5 days straight and was getting slurred speech really bad after I stopped with two black bags under my eyes ,for afew days without a drink I felt really bad like I could barely walk and still had slurred speech very weird feeling 
Hmm sounds a bit like an overdose to me
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Ya it probably was the doc told me when I got back that it was nerve damage called alcohol neurpathy
@Darren_Coakelin how long have you been sober are you newly sober? My substance was different I did not drink much but understand that alcohol and benzo’s are the two that you may need medical help to detox because they are the only two you could die from.
I’m sober with 25 days but before that I was a very heavy binge drinking and suffered slot of blackouts when I drank towards the end I could never control my drinking and often at weddings or parties I would start on spirits like vodka and whiskey during the day and stay on it till the next day
Hmm I think at 25 days you are probably past the detox. There may be some other issues and want to discuss it with your doctor. I think @carmen071 mentioned it too that maybe it is something you might have had all along and did not notice it because of the drinking? But I would definitely look into that because I do not believe that is normal.
Ya it’s part of paws post withdrawal symptoms that can last for up to 2 years so I no its part of withdrawals was never a paranoid person in general ,I’m also experiencing exhaustion and anxiety very common with paws
That is very interesting and good to know. I hope you feel better soon. If it gets too out of control though I would really get that checked.
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Ya will do thanks
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Post Acute Withdrawal (PAW) Symptoms
March 21, 2014
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Many symptoms of alcohol and drug withdrawal are the result of the toxic effects these chemicals have on the brain and the body.
In the first days and weeks following cessation of drug and alcohol use, individuals may experience acute withdrawal symptoms, which can be more severe for some than others and will vary depending upon the drug of choice among other factors.
As acute withdrawal symptoms fade, post-acute withdrawal symptoms (PAWS) may be an issue for people in recovery. These symptoms, too, will vary in characteristic and degree based upon a number of factors. In general, however, many clients in recovery report experiencing some or many of the following post-acute withdrawal symptoms for up to two years after detox:
Irritability and hostility
Depression
Anxiety
Mood swings
Low energy and fatigue
Sleep disruption, including insomnia
Limited ability to focus or think clearly
Lack of libido
Inexplicable chronic pain
woman detoxing from drugs and alcohol
The good news is that professional detox services can help to mitigate the experience of acute and post-acute withdrawal symptoms in clients and reduce the risk of relapse during this critical period of recovery. Through medical detox and long-term therapeutic intervention and support in recovery, clients will have access to the resources they need to effectively manage PAWS.
Drug of Choice and PAWS
In addition to the post-acute withdrawal symptoms listed above, those in recovery from specific drugs may also, or instead, experience various issues, as outlined below:
Marijuana: A number of studies support the existence of acute as well as post-acute withdrawal symptoms during marijuana detox. One study suggests that sleep disruption including intense dreams may persist up to 45 days or longer.
Cocaine: Impulse control continued to be a struggle for study participants after four weeks of sobriety, according to a study published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence.
Methamphetamine: Long-term issues with executive control function were shown to be a persistent issue for people in recovery from methamphetamine abuse, according to a study published in the journal Addiction.
Opiates: There are a number of post-acute withdrawal symptoms that have been reported in the weeks and months following opiate detox, including sleep disruption, anxiety, and depression, as well as decreased executive control functions.
Benzodiazepines: People in recovery from benzodiazepine abuse and addiction often struggle with reemergence of the symptoms that originally created the need for the prescription in addition to post-acute withdrawal symptoms. Any new symptoms that occur during the post-acute detox period are generally identified as post-acute withdrawal, even if they occur after a long period of being asymptomatic. For example, extreme anxiety, panic, and symptoms that often look like other mental health disorders may wax and wane during the months following detox but gradually dissipate as long as abstinence is maintained.
Physical and Psychological Issues That Exacerbate PAWS
The following is a list of conditions that tend to inform and/or worsen the experience of post-acute withdrawal symptoms:
The drug or drugs of choice
How long, how frequently, and how much of these substances the person uses regularly
Acute emotional issues that arise during the first year or years of recovery
Co-occurring physical and/or mental health conditions
The support provided by substance abuse treatment professionals
illnessUnfortunately, there are no clearly defined timelines for post-acute withdrawal symptoms. Some clients will not experience any significant issues following acute detox while others will experience ongoing post-acute withdrawal symptoms for years, and still others will have periods of being symptomatic followed by periods of being symptom-free. With personalized care and long-term support in recovery, clients can learn to manage post-acute withdrawal symptoms as they arise and remain active and successful in sobriety.
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I’m 22 days sober and have experienced a bit of paranoia here and there. Especially at the grocery store, I felt like other customers were talking about me- I got really paranoid about what I was purchasing like they all knew I was having raging sugar cravings.
Of course this wasn’t happening in reality. I had to take deep breaths and talk myself down.
I play video games when I’m feeling especially anxious/paranoid. It’s been proven playing a game, even a card game can help distract you brain and diffuse the paranoia/anxiety.
I hope you start feeling better! Maybe visit a counselor?
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I experience quite a bit of anxiety without alcohol. So when I started drinking oddly enough it worked backwards and eased my anxiety. But it made everything else worse. I have adhd so I’m severely overstimulated by places I consider larger than normal or places that have alot of people. I just use headphones to drown everything out. Put on meditational music and try to get out as quickly as possible. When i dont know something I refuse to ask for help I just wander around until I find it
I had a little paranoia for a while. Still comes and goes now but not as bad.