Exactly. Tuesday for me was just like that. I had a lot of fun over that 4 night holiday booze fest, but woke up that morning with that exact panic/anxiety where I couldn’t breath and relax. I think and hope that experience sticks in my brain so I can always come back to that when I feel like a drink. Thanks for the support, hope to be to a point where I can offer encouragement.
Thanks for asking. Honestly been really tough. I was shocked to see it’s only been 2, almost 3 days. Truly has felt like at least a full week and a half. Shakes have stopped for the most part, slurred speech has gotten better, anxiety attacks/panic attacks(whatever those were) have lessened. So I’m coming out of the worst of it thankfully. Appreciate the check in!
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That’s good to know these feelings aren’t isolated. That’s really great you have gotten that many days. I’ll be right behind you, thank you for the support!
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Thank you very much. This app is my first step. Seeing if my insurance has affordable therapy again. And this time around, I probably need to find an AA. Thanks for the encouragement, really appreciate it
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Your Very Welcome! I’m coming up on 4 years on September 14! It hasn’t been easy but I have so much to live for that I took for Granted before and now I realize I want to be sober for the People who needs me! I need them too!
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Same with me. I rarely ever deal with anxiety when I’m sober. Anxiety and depression (which I’m Normally a super happy and upbeat person) was kicking my a** pretty good when I drink. That was a key factor in me striving for sobriety also.
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I too started developing depression and I am also an upbeat positive person and this year it seemed I was digging myself in a whole of depression. I haven’t felt any of those two since I’ve stopped. I’m so glad.
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Congratulations! You are going to be so much happier without booze! Yes there are going to be some humps to get over but sleep will return to normal and you will feel so relaxed you won’t even wanna drink! One thing I always do is remind myself of the kindling affect and tell myself, if you thought that last time was bad, this next time would be way worse! Another thing I tell myself when I am tempted is to just not take a sip today and let me know how you feel in the morning and if you Wish you would have drank the night before.? In fact I kind of did that last night and now I am so happy that I didn’t. In other words I just put off the decision to drink for another 12 hours and I’m batting 1000 with that made the right decision by not drinking! I wish you all the best and we are all here for you!
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Thank you very much! I’m definitely starting to break free of the last weeks crippling anxiety. It’s going to be tough, but I’m here to put the work in this time. Appreciate the support!!
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Great to hear you’re coming out of anxiety. It gets better friend.
The anxiety is the WORST. I’ve used alcohol to manage my mental health problems, ie drink to numb feelings and alleviate anxiety. Very soon it was alcohol and being hungover or withdrawing that made me anxious
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Thank you! I feel pretty good right now at 10 days. They call this the link cloud I think?
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Exactly what I was/am going through. Thanks for sharing your experience!
Pink cloud, 
Link cloud comes later, 
I second that! Glad to say goodbye to the hangxiety, I didn’t even know it was called that. 571 days in and I get nauseous when I hear people talk about being hungover
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Wow!! Way to go on the ODAAT!
Hi Jason, how is it going for you?
Did you put a few days between today and your last drink?
I didn’t read all the posts in the thread, but know this forum to be incredibly helpful and to share some fundamental tips to make the sobriety stick - as long as you are willing to put in the work.
The first time I realized alcohol had turned into a big problem was when I didn’t drink for 24 hours (I was traveling and didn’t have any at hand) and had a massive panic attack and started dry heaving in the middle of the night. Shakes, everything. I didn’t even realize that was withdrawal. I thought I had a bug and was stressed about something else.
Then it happened again and again at times when I didn’t drink for longer than a day.
I realized: “o sh*t” (pardon my French). what have I done to my body?"
Tried to solve it alone. Didn’t work. Had to share with my husband. he was supportive and I made it to a month, one of the scariest experiences I’ve been through. For a week I thought my heart was going to give in and I was going to die. Had loads of scary symptoms and anxiety/panic attacks were there to keep me company.
After a month, things improved, holiday season came and I thought I had “reset”
Tried moderation. As I mentioned in another thread, 2.5 years of stopping for a month, on weekdays, for 2 weeks, for the first few days of the holiday, and thinking I could have a few drinks and not have it snowball has not worked for me.
It always snowballs and I find that I get to the very bad part of drinking quicker and quicker.
I’m on day 119 AF and very happy. I miss a drink sometimes, but the tradeoff for me is not even worth thinking about it.
Do spend the time to think about what you will do differently this time around so you don’t relapse again.
What tools will you use when the little voice says “it’s just one drink”?
Two things I learned:
- It is very difficult (if not impossible) to do this alone 2) Like with anything in life, you need to plan for this. Like running a marathon. Have a plan for what you’ll do the first few days, for the first month, for when you get cravings…
- make this a priority in your life. It’s the most important thing, so all the other areas of your life have a chance of thriving.
It’s been helpful to me to write a list of why I’m doing this. A list of what alcohol does for me that is positive (nothing) and negative (a long list). A list of what I can do when I’m craving a drink. Write it down, go to the forum, call family, go for a walk, brew some tea, eat something I like, read a book, go take a nap…
Finally, reaching out to this community has been a massive help. Even just reading helps.
Here to support you when you need it 
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