Posted by Burt on October 7, 2002, at 14:11:52
In reply to Re: Does Alcohol give you PANIC/ANXIETY ATTACKS?¿? » awake at last, posted by rod on October 7, 2002, at 11:25:41
When I was young, I was a heavy drinker. I think, I started at age 14. I later worked in a job, which was very alcohol tolerant (advertising), any kinds of drinks were on the house, all day. I'm amazed how we got any work done. At age 28, after a serious round of intensive partying, I woke up with a severe panic attack. In a lucid moment, I said to myself: "Have a drink. If the symptoms go anway, then it's the booze." The symptons went away and it was the last drink I had in my life. I'm in my mid 50's now.
My wife drinks. She can't kick it and it literally drives her crazy. Given enough alcohol, she is diagnosed as psychotic or even schizophrenic. Major tranquilizers (antipsychotics, such as Thorazine, Olanzapine etc.) worsen her symptoms.
SSRIs worsen the symptoms (not as much as antipsychotics).
ECT worked, but she doesn't want to repeat it.
MAOIs (Parnate) work.
What really would work is to give up drinking. She has a terribly hard time doing so.
She's an artist, and she thinks and sees the world in fine nuances. In the case of giving up drinking, this works against her.
I am a very linear, black/white type. This sometimes doesn't work for me in daily life, but it definitely helped me giving up drinking (and before that, smoking) cold turkey without any relapses.
I agree that you should never ever have another drink if you have given up. It simply is too dangerous. I don't care whether I am labeled a "recovering alcoholic," a "dry alcoholic," or a teetotaler. It doesn't matter. I simply don't drink.
Also, one side effect of giving up drinking was gaining considerable power. In my alcohol days, I avoided conflicts by getting drunk. Later, I had to face the conflicts and deal with them. After some years, conflicts didn't worry me anymore. I knew, I could deal with them.
Today, my only worry is my wife. That is very hard to deal with.
My opinion: Any "reasons" for drinking (glucose, parents, peer pressure, yada, yada) aren't worth thinking about. I could give you 1000 reasons to get drunk. And when you are an alcoholic, there is one thing you will always have in abundance: Reasons for drinking, and reasons for not giving up. Reasoning with alcohol is a losing proposition. Your either give it up. Or you don't.
poster:Burt
thread:121218
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20021006/msgs/122667.html