What am I doing

[chittyshittyohffs]

Im going through a really stressful time atm and im suffering from awful anxiety. But im dealing with it badly, and since January my drinking has really accelerated.

I reckon im now drinking a bottle on average of wine a night, with maybe 1 day off a week. The last time I had several days off was January and before that all of September.

I'm so shaky and I don't know whether it's the alcohol or the anxiety or a mix of the 2 but now I'm terrified if I stop I will get awful withdrawals.

Please don't flame me or ask me to go to the GP I couldn't face the shame. What am I in for?

Just stop drinking. You’re not going to get withdrawals.

You need to be careful, it’s alcohol withdrawal, contact a support group, GP will not judge

i have read your other threads

you desperately desperately need professional support

please please please see a GP and be honest

if not for yourself, for your very young daughter

OP, I didn't want to read and run but I'm not expert and I don't have the anxiety as you do. However, to give my experience - this was me until a couple of weeks ago when I started slimming world to lose weight. I'm now focusing on the plan and determined to lose weight so much that I've naturally just stopped the need for alcohol every night. Like you, I was drinking 6 nights a week. I would wake up in the morning feeling shit and asked myself every day why I'd done that the night before, but it wouldn't change anything because I'd crack a bottle open again from about 4pm whilst cooking tea and before I knew it I'd be going to bed after having consumed so much AGAIN!
What I'm saying is - I think the slimming world is a major distraction now and that's clearly what I needed. I do still have a drink but because I am mindful of the syns, a) I've made a swap to the one with the lowest amount of syns (extra dry martini and tonic water), and b) I've learned to prioritise how I use my syns and have realised I get more satisfaction from other foods which I'd rather have.
Therefore the only advice I could mention is to find your distraction. Whether that be a hobby or like I did by joining SW/something similar. Its just finding something no else to motivate you.
With regards to the anxiety issues, I can't advise here so I will just suggest visiting your GP?
Either way, wishing you luck and sending you strength OP, I know it's hard xxx

utterly moronic poster

Don’t give such stupid, dangerous advice

You know that something needs to change, or you will slide further and further down this slope.
Well done for reaching out on here as a first step. This is a link to Alcohol Change’s Get Help Now page for some options for you to think about.

Get help now

No one here can tell you whether or not you’re going to get withdrawals. My experience is that I was drinking at or above your levels, and had started to get shaky hands, and I stopped without physical effects, but everyone is different.

There is absolutely no shame in going to your GP. Can you frame it to yourself as getting help for your anxiety, and explain to the GP that you’re using alcohol as a poor coping strategy?

@FunnyFinch

So the OP has a day off drinking a week and has stopped previously for a month in September, has one day off a week now and drinks approx one bottle of wine a night.

Why would she have withdrawals now?

@chittyshittyohffs - true alcohol withdrawal at a dangerous level (DTs, fits, hallucinations) is extremely unlikely if you are drinking at the levels you say. But alcohol does massively increase anxiety so you are likely feeling more anxious after the drinking ie through the night or the next morning. However if you do feel you are getting withdrawal symptoms, you can taper off (google it) by drinking something like watered down lager - a few mouthfuls every half hour/hour over a day, gradually taking longer between mouthfuls.

You’ve stopped before so you know you can do this. If you can’t face your GP, sign up for sober recovery group or something like that - you can do online and anonymously. However what I would say is - I was dreading going to my GP but they were great. Alcohol abuse is so common now they won’t bat an eye.

good luck! You CAN do this 💪❤️💐

@Pippa246 thank you so much.

I have previously had long stretches where I've not drunk at all or just 'normal' drinking at weekend or special occasions it's only these last couple months I've been drinking at these dangerous levels. I'm not sugar coating the amount, on average a bottle 6 nights a week I reckon.

The alcohol definitely impacts the anxiety and it becomes a vicious circle. I've got to break it.

Drinking makes anxiety worse. Anxiety can be caused by external situations or as a purely hormonal reaction in the body. And unfortunatly processing alcohol out of the blood stream leads to a rise in stress hormones, causing anxiety.
Focus on cutting down your drinking in any way you can, and you will feel better. Try the trydry app, you get to tick little boxes to track dry days and you get to watch streaks grow, which can be motivating.

For the anxiety itself, try sitting down and writing out what you are worried about. In black and white on a page, and leave it for a bit. Then, later, you can either sit and think of solutions, or rip it up and chuck it in the bin if they were not real worries.

Good luck.

I don’t think it’s a huge, dangerous amount OP. I know people that drink that amount and think it’s fine. High functioning, stressful jobs.

If you were guzzling a bottle of vodka, then wine, passing out etc then yes. I would say you have an unhealthy relationship with alcohol.

It’s very bad for your health too, I think you’d be ok to cut down safely or just stop personally.

There’s loads of helpful advice on mn about quitting. You need to think about the trigger, the time you think it’s time to pour a drink and get a plan in place.

Wishing you luck, you’ve done it before. You’ll feel so much better, sleep better, etc. You can do it. Good luck.

@RickyGervaislovesdogs and @Unabletomitigate thank you for your kind and supportive responses. I've got to do this.

Nothing changes unless something changes op. Pick your change. Good luck 😊

I would just stop - do 100 days alcohol free and see how you feel.

The shakiness you feel is your anxiety and probably a bit of dehydration. I was drinking much more than you (3 bottles a night) when I stopped. And I did it cold turkey. I was tired and irritable, but no other withdrawal symptoms.

You'll be fine. I really recommend doing 100 days though. Any stopping is good. But 100 days actually gives you time to feel normal again, get used to life without alcohol, and take stock of what you want. By the time, I got to the 100 day point, I'd lost any interest in alcohol. It no longer appeals to me, despite having been a heavy drinker for 20 years before that. I've AF for nearly a year now and life is so much easier.

I reported it. God that is so damaging.

OP get hold of the book This Naked Mind - control alcohol by Annie Grace.

It's very very helpful for anyone who wants to cut back alcohol. Actually can't recommend it enough. Try it!

You can get it on kindle or audible or the book on Amazon

This Naked Mind: Transform your life and empower yourself to drink less or even quit alcohol with this practical how-to guide rooted in science to boost your well-being amzn.eu/d/elz09oG

Yes, alcohol creates anxiety then pretends to solve it too. I have a podcast called 90 Days Later that talks about all the things I learned on how to drink less. Episode 24 'How to handle anxiety' would be a great place to start. Happy to answer questions too. x