Is occasional social Alcohol use ok?

[[Je...]]

Hey Buddies,  I have been using alcohol every couple of weeks and seem to be doing OK with it.  I did get a fairly tough wave come after coming back from vacation and drinking a few days consecutively.  I have noticed that my waves come independent of any alcohol use.  Has anyone else who has been off longer continued to drink in moderation and still heal adequately?  I feel like I'm about 60% better at 13 weeks out.  I feel like the alcohol has the benefit of being social, living like a normal guy, and forgetting about all of this for the evening.  For me the constant anxiety about the symptoms is one of the toughest things with cognative fog that comes and goes.  Any advice?

 

Thanks and Keep on trucking my friends!!!!  This is way harder than I thought it was going to be, but we CAN do it!

[[ba...]]

Hi Jesmeiser , nice name 

 

i had a quick question for you, i used to enjoy drinking in the past i would drink alot before my benzo days , do you feel any tinnittus and does it worsen from drinking ? umm i've been sober since 2/ 2012 i plan to drink lightly in 2016 . thanks for any replys

katie

[[Fi...]]

Well, I didn't want to weigh in on alcohol since a lot of people seem to feel that steering clear of it completely is part of the healing process, but my story is that I have had one glass of wine every day since I went off my post-op Oxycodone.  Mixing those two was a no-no, so I adhered to that rule.  But I've always heard that if you can stick to one glass a day, you're golden, and since I don't seem to have any trouble doing that, I couldn't see why I couldn't indulge in this one little thing that seems to make me feel better.  At 15 months out from Xanax CT, I'm still having rollercoastery waves.  Since my alcohol intake is completely steady, I don't think it has anything to do with it.

[[Je...]]

Yeah Angel, I do get the ringing in the ears.  It has been one of my most constant symptoms since quitting.  It was very loud and often most of the days the first 4 to 6 weeks.  I felt like I was on RedBull all the time with a constant BUZZ.  Now the ringing is less loud and happens maybe 10 percent of my day.  It is funny because I can hear it start up when I am still lying in bed.  The way the symptoms come and go throughout the day is so strange.  Right now, three weeks out my worst symptoms are Cognative Fog, Muscle Spasms at night/Restless Leg Syndrome, and Intrusive thinking.  I do feel better, but I still have a ways to go.  Just two weeks ago I felt 90 percent healed then I had my third wave since quitting and I think I'm still at the tail end of it.  At least I understand what waves are now and don't freak out anyomre thanks to all of you on here.  Realizing that at least 1/2 of it is my old Anxiety Disorder resurfacing makes me feel better because I have dealt with that before and came out ok. 

 

Getting ready to go for a run though,  it makes me feel like an instant window most times for the rest of the day(usually).  Take care guys!  We are all in this freaky journey together!!!! 

[[ba...]]

thats great that you go running i do the same thing on my treadmill i just need to do it every single day ! i had my worst withdrawals on week 2 -8 that treadmil of mine saved me , when i had some really bad withdrawals i hoped on the treadmill i couldnt run just walk then it seemed to clear up for hours just  a 5 minute walk ! excercise worked best better than every vitamin i took , i shouldnt have done this but i took 4 vitamins at the same time awhile ago since i had none wth breakfast i dont want to encourage vitamin use since some people feel worse with them, they just work for me and help me

 

its great to see that you go running and take care of your health doing this 

Katie

[[cr...]]

I've been in this constant battle too whether to drink a bit or stay sober. I have chosen to drink on special occasions since taper started 11 months ago. Sometimes its unbearable both cog fog wise and my morale to attend a social event and be behind the 8 ball the whole time. Plus, as you said, getting out and being social can boost my confidence because most of the time I'm stuck in the house every day of the week besides occasional work and exercising. I do have a pretty bad day the next day. I guess some call it waves. I just call it an expected terrible hangover because I know that it will come when I decide to drink. I usually have to recover another 3-4 days, back to normal sleep schedule and all, if I drink more than 2 drinks during the night. the tinnitus does get worse after drinking or smoking which I usually and more inclined to do in social situations to be at ease. Usually this is 1-2x a month at best.

 

So, I see it as a tradeoff. Like my friend just got engaged and he's having people over. Haven't seen him in a while and I have a high value for our long friendship. Some would say, well he would understand then but being the awkward person at the hangout drags down everyone in the room. A couple beers to keep off the edge and survive the outing for a sub par day the next day is a trade-off I'm willing to take.

[[ma...]]

I've been sober for 9 months now and I'm considering having a beer or two to see if I can handle it as I really want to have a beer or a glass of wine with my Christmas dinner and maybe a few beers on New Year's Eve. I think I might try one tomorrow...

[[Ra...]]

If you use to drink previously I would say CAREFULLY and GRADUALLY reintroduce it. If it's something you loved, NEVER GIVE IT UP. Be true to yourself. FUCK benzo w/d. Of course we have to RESPECT benzo w/d too. Drink a small amount of alcohol socially with the attitude of saying FU to benzo's but do it in a peaceful calm way... Eventually you'll be able to drink more and more amounts of alcohol. Since coming off the benzo's I've gone back to smoking, too much freaks me out. Too little and I don't feel calm. The just right amount puts me in that happy cozy warm place!

[[Co...]]

I think as long as u don't do it every day you should be ok. You don't want to keep hitting those gaba receptors every day. That seems to be when trouble starts. I haven't tried alcohol so I really can't say. I will say my sister in law drank every evening or every other evening for about 7 years. She decided to quit and 3 days later had 2 seizures. She was a freaking mess. She finally pulled out of it a week later but she was sick like me in acute. She snapped out of it rather fast which surprised me. So maybe once in a while is ok or maybe it won't bother u at all. It's hard when there is always that chance it can just derail everything. I'm way to scared to do it.

[[Je...]]

"Similarly with alcohol: a glass or two of wine is perfectly permissible (and even said by some to be advisable for health). Although it is important not to substitute increasing doses of alcohol for decreasing doses of benzodiazepines, there is no need to deny oneself small pleasures. Moderation is the key: there is no call to be puritanical."

 

I just read this in the Ashton Manual, so it seems like two glasses of wine or beer is fine if tolerated well by each individual.  Thanks for the feedback guys!!!

 

 

[[Lo...]]

i used to drink every single day. ummm gross but anyway lol.......i can't drink or want to drink like that anymore.  i get really depressed and my anxiety is out of control for freakin days or weeks.  i can drink about once a week (if that) and most of the time ill just drink a couple. everything in balance. your body will tell you if drinking doesn't work for ya.  :)

[[ma...]]

Well I've just had my first beer in 261 days, it tasted soooo good! I'll post back if I have any problems... fingers crossed!

[[ro...]]

After over two years off, alcohol is the only thing I cannot tolerate.  That's just me.

[[ma...]]

Well 4 hours after I had that drink and I'm still feeling fine - I had a little anxiety whilst drinking it as I think would be normal for anyone in benzo withdrawal. I just hope tomorrow doesn't see a revving up of symptoms...

[[Si...]]

Good luck Even a tiny amount gives me insomnia and irritability for days, so I won't try it myself anytime soon.

[[cr...]]

Had three pounders last night because my friend got engaged. Don't feel as depressed like I usually do. DP/DR increased. Made sure to keep fueled with food and water which definitely helps. Not trying to think about the sleep thing though tonight because I usually get worked up because of the insomnia after drinking. I'll probably take an extra melatonin and a hot shower.

[[ma...]]

Getting to sleep was definitely harder and I woke up once in the middle of the night which is unlike me lately. I kinda feel like I've got a slight hangover and a bit irritable but the benzo symptoms like anxiety haven't been revved up at all - well at least I can have a beer with my Christmas dinner so I'm happy