Alcohol

[[Kr...]]

Hey guys. I feel extra excited when I go out, it’s really hard for me to be calm at this moment (almost 20 days off). 
 

Drink some beers helps me cope a lot and be calmer. Do you think this can be bad for my recovery? 
 

[[Ma...]]

Terrible. Alcohol is liquid benzos as it’s the only thing that acts on GABA the exact same way.

Your goal is to have your GABA receptors heal, which takes time. 

Drinking alcohol can also throw you back into acute, give you akathasia, just a whole host of risks are associated with it.

Maybe give yourself a year (?) off?

[[da...]]

Oh dear . Stay away from the alcohol 

[[GS...]]

Does anyone have experience of drinking alcohol and it not have negative consequences?

29 minutes ago, [[M...] said:

Terrible. Alcohol is liquid benzos as it’s the only thing that acts on GABA the exact same way.

Your goal is to have your GABA receptors heal, which takes time. 

Drinking alcohol can also throw you back into acute, give you akathasia, just a whole host of risks are associated with it.

Maybe give yourself a year (?) off?

[[Kr...]]

Just now, [[G...] said:

Does anyone have experience of drinking alcohol and it not have negative consequences?

 

31 minutes ago, [[M...] said:

Terrible. Alcohol is liquid benzos as it’s the only thing that acts on GABA the exact same way.

Your goal is to have your GABA receptors heal, which takes time. 

Drinking alcohol can also throw you back into acute, give you akathasia, just a whole host of risks are associated with it.

Maybe give yourself a year (?) off?

Right now is helping me cope with my normal life. I’m afraid without it I will stop going out and that will give me an extreme depression…. 
 

[[Kr...]]

1 minute ago, [[G...] said:

Does anyone have experience of drinking alcohol and it not have negative consequences?

Yeah, I would like to know that too. Because it’s helping me… 

[[Kr...]]

I think it’s better to drink than to have gabapentin or another med? 

2 minutes ago, [[G...] said:

Does anyone have experience of drinking alcohol and it not have negative consequences?

 

[[st...]]

Let me just say I have drank about 5 times since I jumped last October . I really thought those small amounts of drinking wouldn’t hurt me but almost 7-8 months later I’m suffering as bad as I was in acute . I’m not trying to scare you but I wish I could know what I would’ve felt like if I didn’t touch it at all . 
 

it’s a risk reward situation . Everyone’s biology and makeup is different . If the hangovers aren’t that bad for you and you don’t feel much of a setback then just be careful about it . But it really screwed me up . I wouldn’t say it’s worth it . Everyone is different . 

Edited May 8 by [st...]

[[Kr...]]

1 minute ago, [[s...] said:

Let me just say I have drank about 5 times since I jumped last October . I really thought those small amounts of drinking wouldn’t hurt me but almost 7-8 months later I’m suffering as bad as I was in acute . I’m not trying to scare you but I wish I could know what I would’ve felt like if I didn’t touch it at all . 
 

it’s a risk reward situation . Everyone’s biology and makeup is different . If the hangovers aren’t that bad for you and you don’t feel much of a setback then just be careful about it . But it really screwed me up . I wouldn’t say it’s worth it . Find other ways to cope with trying to find a normal life. 

But how do you know it’s because of the alcohol? It’s normal to have waves and setbacks, I believe. At least for what I have read. 
 

I’m drinking like 4 beers, not much. I don’t feel any hangover… 

[[st...]]

4 minutes ago, [[K...] said:

But how do you know it’s because of the alcohol? It’s normal to have waves and setbacks, I believe. At least for what I have read. 
 

I’m drinking like 4 beers, not much. I don’t feel any hangover… 

I’m not saying you’re wrong , I’m still trying to piece together what’s doing it in for me . I’m a weird and rare case I guess… only 25 years old too…

again , just wish I could rule it out not being the alcohol but since I drank there’s no way of knowing . If you feel like you can handle maybe give it a shot but I just want to give you a fair warning from my experience. I don’t recommend it though. It could severely damage your recovery process. I’m sure you’ve read what kindling is too…  

I wish you well on your recovery journey 

Edited May 8 by [st...]

[[Kr...]]

3 minutes ago, [[s...] said:

I’m not saying you’re wrong , I’m still trying to piece together what’s doing it in for me . I’m a weird and rare case I guess… only 25 years old too…

again , just wish I could rule it out not being the alcohol but since I drank there’s no way of knowing . If you feel like you can handle maybe give it a shot but I just want to give you a fair warning from my experience. I don’t recommend it though. It could severely damage your recovery process. I’m sure you’ve read what kindling is too…  

I wish you well on your recovery journey 

I’m 26 too! It’s beeing really challenging. I’m on my 18 day off. Things are getting harder day by day, not getting better. It’s my second attempt. I took mexazolam during 4 years, almost everyday, for my anxiety…. 

[[st...]]

1 minute ago, [[K...] said:

I’m 26 too! It’s beeing really challenging. I’m on my 18 day off. Things are getting harder day by day, not getting better. It’s my second attempt. I took mexazolam during 4 years, almost everyday, for my anxiety…. 

yea these drugs really aren’t a joke . And I’ve been all around the board too with substance abuse but It wasn’t until i was on it for like 3-4 months last year it completely kicked my life in the ass . definitely did something to my brain and it doesn’t want to heal for some reason . 
I’ve ruled everything out from medical tests so it has to be either this or maybe a bit of long Covid ? I dunno . Either way it’s torture… 
 

like I said that’s my story but heather ashton said like a glass of wine was fine once in a while , but that doesn’t even seem to be good for me either. Try to Let your brain heal is my advice . Take care of it . a little drop of alcohol could go a long way of damage for some people that’s what I’ve read and experienced . Not everyone , but you have to ask yourself is it really that worth it to find out ? 
 

Best regards, 

[[Le...]]

16 minutes ago, [[K...] said:

But how do you know it’s because of the alcohol? It’s normal to have waves and setbacks, I believe. At least for what I have read. 
 

I’m drinking like 4 beers, not much. I don’t feel any hangover… 

I really wouldnt reccommend it. it is sort of like giving yourself a short dose. i understand the desire for relief though. 

[[Ma...]]

There’s no magic bullet other than going through this process, and you have to all the way through it. If there was another way we would know about it.

This site gets 250,000 hits per month, there are 31,000+ topics and I believe (Collin?) it was founded around 2016. If there was an easy way, pill, solution this forum would not be here. 

Bottom line: alcohol will delay and hinder your recovery if not make your symptoms extremely worse. 

As the above said, Kindling is real and devastating.

You’re going to find whatever you’re looking for wether that be someone who doesn’t get a hangover or someone who takes the risk, but the bottom line is this:

If you want to recover and heal and limit your suffering, not to mention the timeline of healing (just take a look at the Long Haulers group that have been suffering for years):

Do Not Touch Alcohol.

Edited May 8 by [Ma...]

[[Ma...]]

38 minutes ago, [[K...] said:

 

I think it’s better to drink than to have gabapentin or another med? 

 

No, alcohol is just about the worst thing you can do if you are trying to get off benzos.  I actually take gabapentin (for nerve pain, not benzo WD) and have for a decade with no issues.   Not advocating it for anyone here, but for most people, it’s a safe medication.

 Alcohol on the other hand completely wrecks your GABA receptors along with just about every physical organ in your body.  Please don’t go down that road right now.  Let yourself heal.  You may be able to have a drink or two at some point socially when you’re more healed, but using it now, as a coping mechanism when you are just getting off benzos, is playing with fire.  

[[jo...]]

I personally set off a wave with alcohol. I wouldn't risk it. Some report they can tolorate it in moderation but others say it gives them serious problems. I personally I'm not risking it again.

[[or...]]

1 hour ago, [[M...] said:

Terrible. Alcohol is liquid benzos as it’s the only thing that acts on GABA the exact same way.

Your goal is to have your GABA receptors heal, which takes time. 

Drinking alcohol can also throw you back into acute, give you akathasia, just a whole host of risks are associated with it.

Maybe give yourself a year (?) off?

I have to agree with this, I think many of the issues I have are because I drank alcohol while I took benzos over the years.  But I was just a "social drinker" right Also, I have read plenty about alcohol being like a benzo, and when you are off a benzo, your body's natural healing process can kick in again, but not if interfering with that.

It's why so many are very careful, even about supplements, nutrition, and drinks that could inhibit healing.  I hope you can stop drinking alcohol, but it helps to not let yourself give into a "crowd" that is drinking.  I got a support group when I was 33 and it changed my life, similar to the support group I've found here Stick with us, oregonlady~denise

Edited May 8 by [or...]

[[GS...]]

Has anyone experienced a normalisation over time, I enjoy a beer. I’m 2.5 weeks in and feeling way better vs the first few days. Don’t consider myself to have misued on a long term basis and hoping the recovery reflects that. I’m planning on taking a break until I feel like I’m back to normal. A lot of my symptoms have dropped off slowly over the 2.5 weeks, occasional over sensitivity but some of the more heavy going symptoms have disappeared (for now anyway). 

[[Le...]]

4 minutes ago, [[G...] said:

Has anyone experienced a normalisation over time, I enjoy a beer. I’m 2.5 weeks in and feeling way better vs the first few days. Don’t consider myself to have misued on a long term basis and hoping the recovery reflects that. I’m planning on taking a break until I feel like I’m back to normal. A lot of my symptoms have dropped off slowly over the 2.5 weeks, occasional over sensitivity but some of the more heavy going symptoms have disappeared (for now anyway). 

you are lucky. learned the lesson without paying too much for it. congrats. 

[[GS...]]

2 minutes ago, [[L...] said:

you are lucky. learned the lesson without paying too much for it. congrats. 

That’s how I’m feeling, hope that’s the case anyway. Spend the next few months making positive changes to my day. 

[[jo...]]

6 minutes ago, [[G...] said:

Has anyone experienced a normalisation over time, I enjoy a beer. I’m 2.5 weeks in and feeling way better vs the first few days. Don’t consider myself to have misued on a long term basis and hoping the recovery reflects that. I’m planning on taking a break until I feel like I’m back to normal. A lot of my symptoms have dropped off slowly over the 2.5 weeks, occasional over sensitivity but some of the more heavy going symptoms have disappeared (for now anyway). 

The first time I came off this stuff I got gradually better in a pretty linier fashion over a few weeks. If this is the case for you then don't make the classic mistake of thinking down the line that you can take this stuff again and not pay too high a price. Too many people make this mistake. Myself included. If you get off stay off. Good luck!

[[GS...]]

Just now, [[j...] said:

The first time I came off this stuff I got gradually better in a pretty linier fashion over a few weeks. If this is the case for you then don't make the classic mistake of thinking down the line that you can take this stuff again and not pay too high a price. Too many people make this mistake. Myself included. If you get off stay off. Good luck!

There’s enough experiences shared in here that have nailed that on for me.

[[Le...]]

Just now, [[G...] said:

There’s enough experiences shared in here that have nailed that on for me.

I am very happy to hear this. Give these guys no more victims. live and be happy. 

[[jo...]]

Yeah me too. I'd be careful with alcohol for a while too it's caused people problems in their recoveries. I put myself into a wave of symptoms for a couple of weeks just by having a few beers. 

[[Le...]]

3 minutes ago, [[G...] said:

There’s enough experiences shared in here that have nailed that on for me.

The part that interests me most about this and the lesson I take away is beware of people who speak in metaphors. This industry has more in common with faith than science. If a scientific calculator would round your knowledge on a topic to zero dont act like an expert. It is natural for an industry to try to expand but this one is very irresponsible. 

You got tithed not sacrificed to their god and I am happy for you.