Hey there....I stopped drinking 8 months ago and don't really have much of a craving to start again. I drank pretty good for 20 years and stopped cold turkey. I also stopped anti-depressants, coffee, and the herb a month later. When I stopped the booze, I had no knowledge of the withdrawal syndrome that would be with me 8 months later. I was clued into what I was going through after talking with a psyche nurse. Although things have been much better, fall through winter being the worst, I am still going through withdrawals. the good periods are longer than the bad now.
What I have been doing to get through this:
In late November I ended up taking a month off work it was so bad and returned in January to work part time....my employers are very supportive. At home, we hired a nanny to watch my 6 year old daughter in the afternoons whaile I focus on exercise...for the most part road cycling is my thing and I log about 150 miles a week. Cycling helps everything! I know that exercise is key to a healthy recovery....the only thing is not being able to spend more time with my daughter after her school day, but I know that a healthy daddy will benefit her down the line. I also take suppliments like B's, C, D, Omega 3, and skullcap. I take a magnesuim/calcium drink at night to calm down and get a good night's rest...so important!
Eating 3 GOOD HEALTHY meals a day on time with 3 healthy snacks in between is very helpful. Also, I came to the conclusion that slowing down to prepare the meals and snacks is good for the whole routine....I seem to appreciate the food more too. Eating lots of organic veggies as well as food rich in protien is key for me. I miss my caff'ed up coffee! Watching sugar intake is also important....it's a toughy!
So, the big part of withdrawals for me has been the mental part. Boy does years of boozing mess with the brain! I got so paranoid and anxiety ridden in the late fall, I thought that was it...off to the mental ward throw away the key! It was then I landed a good therapist, who also has a background in addictions and has worked with junkies and alkies....she's been great. My acupuncturist has also been fantastic.....a very wise and claming man who knows his stuff....has seen it all. I also got hooked up with a psyche nurse practitioner.The PNP has been of great help to me as well! I am also on Campral to help with getting the natural GABA thing going again.
In the end, I have a super supportive wife and daughter, incredible friends, co-workers, and neighbors. For me, feeling supported is such a relief to my system! Just having people to talk to makes a difference. I did try AA...it only depressed me and I believe that I am more powerful than alcohol....not powerless.
I would say that all these things I am doing have helped me to this point. The hardest was putting myself first. I'm told, and in my research have found, that P.A.W.S. can last past a year. The way I see it is, it has been HELL...but, it's getting better....I'm sober.
In closing, I am intersted in reading anyone elses experience with acute withdrawal syndrome and if anything I wrote here helps anyone out....Great! I also know that many people lack insurance for medical services and family-friend support...but if you need help there are ways.
Catbox
What I have been doing to get through this:
In late November I ended up taking a month off work it was so bad and returned in January to work part time....my employers are very supportive. At home, we hired a nanny to watch my 6 year old daughter in the afternoons whaile I focus on exercise...for the most part road cycling is my thing and I log about 150 miles a week. Cycling helps everything! I know that exercise is key to a healthy recovery....the only thing is not being able to spend more time with my daughter after her school day, but I know that a healthy daddy will benefit her down the line. I also take suppliments like B's, C, D, Omega 3, and skullcap. I take a magnesuim/calcium drink at night to calm down and get a good night's rest...so important!
Eating 3 GOOD HEALTHY meals a day on time with 3 healthy snacks in between is very helpful. Also, I came to the conclusion that slowing down to prepare the meals and snacks is good for the whole routine....I seem to appreciate the food more too. Eating lots of organic veggies as well as food rich in protien is key for me. I miss my caff'ed up coffee! Watching sugar intake is also important....it's a toughy!
So, the big part of withdrawals for me has been the mental part. Boy does years of boozing mess with the brain! I got so paranoid and anxiety ridden in the late fall, I thought that was it...off to the mental ward throw away the key! It was then I landed a good therapist, who also has a background in addictions and has worked with junkies and alkies....she's been great. My acupuncturist has also been fantastic.....a very wise and claming man who knows his stuff....has seen it all. I also got hooked up with a psyche nurse practitioner.The PNP has been of great help to me as well! I am also on Campral to help with getting the natural GABA thing going again.
In the end, I have a super supportive wife and daughter, incredible friends, co-workers, and neighbors. For me, feeling supported is such a relief to my system! Just having people to talk to makes a difference. I did try AA...it only depressed me and I believe that I am more powerful than alcohol....not powerless.
I would say that all these things I am doing have helped me to this point. The hardest was putting myself first. I'm told, and in my research have found, that P.A.W.S. can last past a year. The way I see it is, it has been HELL...but, it's getting better....I'm sober.
In closing, I am intersted in reading anyone elses experience with acute withdrawal syndrome and if anything I wrote here helps anyone out....Great! I also know that many people lack insurance for medical services and family-friend support...but if you need help there are ways.
Catbox
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