Alcohol Withdrawal

An overview of the classification and treatment of alcohol withdrawal, including discussion of withdrawal seizures, delirium tremens (DT), CIWA scores, and "benzo-sparing" protocols.

[stephenresponts]

Alcohol withdrawal was the worst experience I've ever had in my entire life. I used to drink 7-12 beers every single day sometimes more for almost 4 years or so and I stopped cold turkey unfortunately, and went through absolute HELL is the best word I can use. I had massive anxiety all day, depression, brain tingling, headaches, body aches, heart and chest pain, and honestly one of the worst parts of the whole thing was the panic attacks though I had to go to the ER about 10-15 times and finally went into a rehab facility this went on for about 4-5 months til I found the right medication. I am now sober and have been for about almost 2 years. I occasionally miss having a beer with friends or in a family function but I will never, EVER want to go through that again. It was the worst time of my entire life. Just thought I'd share my story of withdrawal.

[bleedingfly]

After 20 yrs drinking constant i got lucky. I tasted success and for me success tasted better than alcohol. I wish you all luck.

[CCTH-]

Alcohol withdrawals are nothing to play with. Days after quitting alcohol on July 10, 2021, I've experienced "minor" withdrawals and some hallucinations. It was no fun, but I got thru them at home and work. It was probably due to tapering off for a few months until the quit date. I used to drink at least 4 beers and/or 3 mixed drinks per day for 14+ years. But, still, waking up in sweat, having weird "drinking" dreams, itching and some vomiting (I've developed acid reflux due to years of heavy drinking and overeating) was kicking my butt.

As of today, I'm 376 days clean and sober and 35 1/2 years old. Ain't going back to that mess ever again. I refuse to pick up alcohol or any other addictive substance.

[stephenduggan]

Delerium Tremens and cold turkey alcohol withdrawal is honestly by far the most hellish experience on Earth. Never thought that level of suffering was possible

[Milan-rcon]

I can only speak for myself and this is what happened to me. I was born to old parents in a small village in 1976. Drinking back then was like part of the culture. Everyone did it. I got my first drunk when i was 14 years old stealing and mixing my old mans liquor. Of course it did not agree with me so i puked it all back up... And so it was for many of my friends.
Alcohol was always part of something that we did even as kids, teenagers, young adults. etc... Now all these years later.. What did it really give me?... One marriage ruined, a long term relationship before that down the drain, as well as friendships destroyed. Job opportunities ruined. Loosing myself totally to the point i dont know who i was anymore or what i wanted other than to drink that drug.
This did not happen over night though. No no.. This was progressive over years and years. And since it was normal in the cultural climate i grew up in i was none the wiser to its damaging effects. But one day i was right there smack in the middle of it and in a moment of clarity i stopped and asked myself... How the F did i get here really... I was robbed of everything in life and i did not understand why or i did not even at that time want to confess to myself that i was an alcoholic. That is how screwed up i was mentally from drinking for so many years because i thought it was something that was normal.

Now being 5 years sober, i still have blame and guilt and depression. I am a work in progress but i am doing better but some days are just hard to cope with. Not that i have an urge to drink because i don't, but what drinking alcohol did to my life and how it affected others that i love and care about for so many years. That is the really hard part for me to cope with. Aka Myself.
It is true what they say though... You have to reach that point where you come to the cross roads. David Bowie did, Alice Cooper did, Iggy Pop, Duff Mckagan did, etc etc and they are better people for it... But if you ask me... I really wish i didn't. Because it is horrible and i never wanted it to go that far.

The worst of alcohol withdrawal is over in a week more or less. Then yes you can have some PAWS.. But the real struggle is mending back together all the relationships, all the things you destroyed and all the relationships and friendships lost and gone when you were under the influence. That is the real struggle.


I will end with this: There is no shame in being an alcoholic. The only shame is being one and doing nothing about it.

Thank you.

[Artman]

Sounds like alcohol addicts drink to calm the anxiety that is caused by their addiction.

[c.r.m.]

Going through withdrawals, and wanted to learn more. Thanks.

[Dumpweed]

I thought I was dying. Thanks to this video I learned im just a anxiety ridden hypochondriac that drank too much and has the shivers.

[twiistnutter]

I'm a little over 60 hours into my detox, just thought I'd share my experience. I'm about 1 year into HEAVILY drinking, around 12+ shots of vodka a day, 26 y/o male. Had no idea what to expect, but within the first 24 hours, the first noticeable symptom I experienced was anxiety. I hadn't really known what it felt like before, but I almost immediately recognized it. Which was almost a healthy experience because I have a better understanding and compassion for people who suffer with anxiety go through. My skin would also flush and itch with almost any exercise. Was very difficult to eat anything as well. But by far, and still going through this, is insomnia. It's been incredibly difficult to get any kind of sleep, even with alcohol-free Zzzquil. Also experienced some minor auditory hallucinations about 48 hours in, but besides the insomnia, most symptoms have stopped. My appetite is back, skin hasn't flushed a bit, and no further anxiety or hallucinations. I'd consider the first day the hardest by far, if you can make it past that, you got this. I also understand my drinking had only lasted around a year, so my symptoms could be much more minor than others, but just thought I'd share my experience. Thanks for the video, helped a lot!

[fuckjewtube]

I have drank heavily almost every weekend from the age of 16 with little to no hangover symptoms, I am 27 now and only in the last couple of months being hungover I feel HUGE anxiety, literally cant relax or be around people and feel like I'm gonna have a panic attack at any moment, the only other substance that used to give me panic attacks before I quit was weed but that was while I was actually high and not after. I actually used to drink alcohol while I was smoking so that I wouldn't freak out. I am 4 weeks sober now and the anxiety is starting to disappear. so basically the same reason I quit smoking weed is the same reason I am now quitting alcohol. Gonna live that sober life 😇

[AWhileHanlin]

I know this is listened and well known but after getting rid of alcohol in my system approx after 5 days my sleep is amazing!. I forgot what proper sleep was, I can function so much better and feel happier even at this stage. Don't overlook how important sleep is and how disruptive alcohol is for it.

[mekadoe]

I'm so tired of drinking. My body shaking so bad

[Joy_stick]

28 year old male, drank half a fifth of makers mark everyday after work and would wake up and take a shot or two before work and on the weekends it was drink all day till I passed out and then wake up and drink till I passed out again. I would be stopping at the liquor store just about everyday. I recently was diagnosed jaundice so I’ve quit cold Turkey. Day 1 was not as bad as I thought it would be Day 2 I lost my appetite and began feeling nauseous all the time, Day 3 I felt fine for the most part but my anxiety has been through the roof to the point I think I have medical conditions I don’t have. On the upside my skin has started to clear up and no longer gets red spots on it after a shower, sleep is still hard to get. Today is Day 4 and I feel like I’ve gotten hit by a Mac truck, I throw up anything I consume I feel dizzy and I woke in the middle of the night covered in sweat. So far Day 4 has been the worst but it can only get better from here right? I wish you all luck on your journey through this hell on earth

[Annabelleannabel]

Alcahol caused me to follow strangers to their house and I blacked out and woke up with no underwear soaked in urine. I’m traumatised by this experience and it made me stop drinking

[chriskarr]

Quit alcohol just over a month ago. Was drinking about 6-8 drinks every night, usually in a high percentage beers that I’d drink very quickly. Always woke up hungover, but I’d been so used to it for 2.5-3 years that it hardly ever bothered me much. Except that it affected my performance in college and I was a shut in. Woke up about a month ago feeling rougher than usual. Fine for the first few hours of the day then bam; instant withdrawal started. Very intense anxiety and ‘sense of doom’ for lack of a better word. I felt so bad that I didn’t even want to drink that night and knew that I had a problem. First 3-4 days were absolute HELL. Hot sweats, cold sweats, borderline panic attacks, intense stomach pain, insomnia, minor auditory hallucinations, and minor visual hallucinations. I had to deal with all that while going to classes and work as well…. It literally felt like I was going insane. I somehow did all of that without any help from a doctor or friends. PAWS started happening about a week ago and I’ve been seeing my doctor and will soon start therapy. Some tips: natural sleep aids like melatonin and chamomile will be your best friend, cut down on sugar and caffeine as much as possible, eat healthy, get some sunlight, exercise, maintain a steady sleep schedule, distract yourself with healthy activities such as a hobby, and most importantly SEEK HELP. Don’t let pride get in the way of recovery. If I had known just how serious quitting alcohol was I would’ve sought help IMMEDIATELY. Get into therapy, AA, talk to friends and loved ones, or even better all of those! I’d be lying if I said that quitting is easy; it’s not. In fact, its probably the single hardest thing I’ve had to do in my almost 25 years on Earth. I still have a long ways to go, but I’m determined to stay on track because I NEVER, EVER want to experience this again. Its never too late to seek sobriety and not impossible. Wish me luck!

[BinaryTechnique]

Damn I've been drinking for a year now and after reading the comments, I think I'll stop

[Jayrezah]

Ive only had night sweats when i stop drinking for days id say i drink alot about 3 to 4 times a week but if i go a week without drinking i feel different like i dont want to drink and then the next time i drink i wanna keep drinking and re start the cycle.

[xXPanzerStalkerXx]

Just wanna share my story. Wife left because I was an alcoholic, I started using cocaine and drinking heavily every single day. One day I woke up and my entire left side of my body was hot and numb and i was so sick I couldnt even walk. The panic attacks have put me in the hospital 3 times in a week. I lost my job, house car and family. Im only 29 and would never wish this on anyone. Im on day 3 of sobriety and this is absolute hell.

[creativeforgery]

I’ve binged drank weekly and suffered from alcohol withdrawal for 10 years. I used to drink for up to 3 days but it ended up being up to 7 days consuming (and forgetting) my whole week. I’d be aware only on day 2 and then something would completely take over me and I’d go into a braindead program to just drink and drink without thought.

3 months ago before the virus, I had the worst withdraw effects of my life after consuming 10 litres of Smirnoff and a case of Fosters throughout a week. It lasted 6 days and included all the regular stuff such immense feelings of anxiety, dread, auditory hallucinations, visual hallucinations, closed eye visuals, palpitations, racing thoughts, dizziness, hot and coldness and dripping wet with sweat.

This time around, my CNS was completely and utterly shattered. I had to hold onto every things in the rooms (from bed to kitchen) to attempt to pour a glass of water. I managed it and as soon the pint glass was full, my body went into an uncontrollable frenzy. I had a fit. The water went all over expensive electrical equipment. I emptied the pint glass completely by violent shaking. Ongoing insomnia prevented me from sleeping and I could’t close my eyes without seeing peering, evil eyes and a stream of insane, random images as if Wikipedia and other peoples conversations were being streamed through my brain. I couldn’t look at anything or watch TV because my eyes felt like they were pulling out their sockets.

I was literally in a no-win hell. I knew the only way was to endure it and ride it out, rolling around on the bed, sitting up (with crazy, huge convulsions doing so), then lying back down to somehow attempt to get one moment of peace. I was quite literally pleading to God for it to come to an end. It took around 5 days, gradually getting better, with one symptom disappearing one by one. I couldn’t hold a glass to my face, couldn’t use the phone, nor answer ongoing annoying iMessages. I was hearing conversations in electrical buzzes coming from the kitchen - women whispering as I passed trying to walk to the toilet to violently vomit anywhere but my bed and carpet which already had fresh pools and dried areas of sick.

I said over and over again, aloud ’Never again! Never again!’.

Unfortunately I witnessed a death recently and I hit the bottle with the intention of just doing one night (I had done a few of these successfully), but I went down the old slope once again with that same thing taking over. Although I only 4 litres of vodka and around 8 cans (in contrast to my last experience), this too was hell. On top of the usual symptoms, I witnessed extreme visual hallucinations. I looked up at the painting at end of my bed (Bathers 2 - Paul Cezanne) and the whole scene of people turned into a vivid animated scene of debauchery, akin to Sodom & Gomorra. Hell was literally playing itself out.

Amongst this, I went to the toilet for the umpteenth time to be violently sick. This time the wretch was extra violent and I thought to myself that I’m surprised my innards aren’t coming up. Low and behold, I witnessed a sizeable spurt of blood. I expected to see this in my stools and confirm something serious, so my anxiety and dread was tenfold. Thankfully all seemed well, but naturally that probably wasn’t something minor - not to mention all mentioned symptoms.

This time, it lasted 3 days and nights with no sleep. I slept for 4 hours yesterday and I now feel normal today. The grace of life returns once again and I feel reborn and raring to go. I need to embrace this feeling. We don’t appreciate health until we don’t have it.

This really needs the mark the final, final time and I’m the only one that can make it so. Keeping my head in my self employed job (which I previously only worked on and off) and my interest in music is hopefully going to be my saviour in this venture.

I can’t repeat, nor emphasise it enough. The alcohol withdraw experience is quite literally a living hell.

The infuriating thing is, is my willingness to now try and share my issue, telling friends and family of these experiences to try and justify why I am the way I am, only to be greeted with such responses as (and I quote)…..’When I’m hungover, I just have a banana and a bit of toast’….

[gerardoalejo]

Had my first seizure a week ago during work. Stayed 5 days in the hospital but right away doctors knew it was a seizure due to alcohol withdrawal, it was a scary experience and I'm afraid of having another drink and it happening again