Relapsed. Now have horrible anxiety

Just need someone to talk to. Having horrible anxiety. Coming off a 5 day bender drinking. Now I’m shakey and having panic anxiety bad.

1 Like

Are you under treatment? If that is the case, please contact your practitioner. Because after such a period of heavy drinking, a lot happens physically and mentally, as you notice. It is good that you share your feelings here but please try to get help from a professional for the time being.

1 Like

Breathe, drink some water, you got this. Think about the emotion that got you to a bender, and how you’d overcome it next time.
Rest and remember by simply going “I need help” is a positive, reaching out is a positive and getting back on to the sober path is positive.
I recently veered off my sober path and now if I drink, around 2am I get a panic attack, either I’m awake and it happens or I’m asleep and wake up.
I take vitamins now, b1 (thiamine) which is depleted from the body when we drink, also vit b is important in recovery, stress and energy, iron and vit c (low vit b and low iron can mimic low moods/ depression). Speak to your dr and see if you can get a blood test (depending on your country, I’m in australia so it’s free) .
Remind yourself that you are worthy of a great life and you will get there, just have to tackle the emotions/ triggers differently.

2 Likes

Hi Corey,

You’re in a bit of a cycle because you’re not climbing up out of your addiction hole. You keep repeating the same pattern of using and feeling regret, using and feeling regret - read back over your posts here since you joined and you’ll see it - and you’re probably doing this because, as you said in your first post, in May 2021:

That’s the addiction talking right there: “this will work, this will make the anxiety go away, this will feel good”.

It’s a lie, addiction is always a lie. That voice, that pull, that draw - it’s a lie.

What you need to do is pretty simple:

  • If you’re having medical effects from heavy drinking, you need to go to the emergency room and get treated. It doesn’t matter if you feel ashamed or regretful. You need to stop hiding. Hiding is addiction, reaching out and honestly going to get help, is helpful.
  • Inpatient recovery is helpful. www.FindTreatment.gov will help you find one near you. Just call or visit the places you find and see what is possible. I know you have kids. They’ll be fine. Figure out somewhere they can stay. There is a place and you will find it if you search. Call your local social services, call your city Children’s department, call your childrens aid society, call someone who can help. You’ll find what you need somewhere, and you’ll be able to be a more present, helpful father when you’re sober.
  • Join a group and go. www.AA.org is good or there is a list here: Resources for our recovery. The group will help you form healthy connections (addiction is isolation; recovery requires reasonable and healthy social connections)

(Edit to add: you need to keep this crystal clear in your mind: my sobriety is absolutely top priority. If there’s anything planned or happening that makes me feel at risk, I cancel or I leave. If there’s a trip or an event, and I feel vulnerable, I cancel. No explanation needed, if you don’t want to. If there’s chaos in the house because the kids are going nuts, I do what I need to do, maybe I take a short walk [most of your kids are teens anyway right? Old enough to care for themselves for an hour or so] to clear the head and calm down. Etc etc. Nothing else, absolutely nothing else, is more important than staying sober.)

This pattern of anxiety-use-regret will continue until you change your choices. You need to change your choices. It’s that simple.

Thinking of you brother. Don’t give up. :muscle:

7 Likes