Is this alcohol withdrawal...or maybe just anxiety?

[KOTH]

Hi, I have a question, which I wonder if its related to alcohol withdrawal or maybe just anxiety.  First of all, some background info on me.  I am 23, a male, in great physical health (I recently had a physical done in June, and everything was perfect).  However, recently I developed an anxiety disorder.  Most notably I tend to fuss over what to others might be considered "trival" things.  Also over my health.  I get many of the classic anxiety symptoms (all of which my doctor has assured me is just anxiety) including a sense of doom, a sense of not being in reality, lightheadedness, panic, etc.    

Now like I said I tend to greatly worry over stuff others might find trivial, or even strange.  But, it is this which has led me here to post this.

Basically, back in college I used to party fairly heavy on the weekends.  Which as you can guess involved a prodigious amount of alcohol.  It never got in the way of my studies, and I graduated in June with good standing.  

Now I still do like to go out one or two nights a week and drink with friends.  But, I've found that anymore after a night of drinking (I usually drink between 6-8 beers) the next day I feel very hyper(hard to sit still), kinda shakey, and feeling very anxious.  I never used to feel these after a night of drinking back in college (just typical hangover symptoms).  So my question is:

1. Is it possible to develop physical withdrawal from alcohol by only drinking one or two nights a week (Usually Wed and/or Sat.)?  

My doctor told me it is not, and that generally to actually physically "withdrawal" from alcohol you have to go on a week long "bender" or drink a six-pack a night every night for like a year.  I have been told by others that it is just my anxiety...but it just feels so weird.

Anyway I'm just looking for any input on this.  

Thanks

P.S. I know a solution to this would be to stop drinking..but it's still a great way to relax for the night (I have a very stressful job right now) and its still fun.

[Roger Gould, M.D.]

I agree with your doctor, but also remind you that in your anxious state that much alcohol becomes a kind of poison for you.  Also you age...tolerance for that much goes down with age. Perhaps you would think not of quitting your fun, but cutting down so you don't poison yourself..that would certainly be the reasonable thing to do.

[Natasha Beaverhausen]

Why not go to an open AA meeting and ask your question?  I am not saying your are an alcoholic.  But people at the meeting might have more accurate input than your doctor.  Ihave discovered that most doctors, even psychiatrists, know very little about alcohol and its effects. - Another suggestion wuld be one you have already thought of, but with perhaps a different twist.  Just stop drinking for a month or so.  See if there are any changes in your anxiety/manic/whatever that you are complaining about. Not drinking might not make any difference at all.  Then again it might. Play with it a little.

[drunksunflower]

I agree with Natasha ... you don't sound like you are totally in 'crisis' so experimenting with your alcohol intake to see what happens might be a good idea.

And if I am wrong, and you're feeling dreadful - see someone!!!!

good luck :)

[KOTH]

Hi to both of you, thanks for your quick replies.

As far as your suggestions to go for awhile without booze and see if that helps, well I have...but my results have been inconclusive :)  Let me explain what I mean (and I should have put this in the original post).

My results have been that yes these symptoms seem to occur after a night of drinking BUT...they dont always occur..even when I drink the same amounts (6-8 beers).  Furthermore there have been many weeks where I have abstained from booze, without problem.  During these times I have actually gotten these symptoms (though they aren't as bad) when my anxiety level is high, or I start getting into "panic mode".  Coffee also seems to set them off (again on a weaker level) BUT again not always.  So I'm honestly baffled.

[lmroswell]

Could it be that the alcohol is depleting your system and dehydrating you, and that your blood sugar is out of whack?  Some of the symptoms of anxiety, low blood sugar and large amounts of caffiene consumtion are very similar.  You could be experiencing all three of these, having similar symptoms, but for different reasons at different times.

[KOTH]

Imroswall,

Yeah actually I have thought about this myself.  The dehydration and anxiey would certainly explain the reaction to caffeine.  Not to mention it seems every proffesional person that i have asked says that it's related to the anxiety.  It's just so frustrating that the symptoms of withdrawal, anxiety, dehydration overlap so much that its hard to know exactly what it is.

Thanks for the reply.

[KOTH]

Imroswall,

Yeah actually I have thought about this myself.  The dehydration and anxiey would certainly explain the reaction to caffeine.  Not to mention it seems every proffesional person that i have asked says that it's related to the anxiety.  It's just so frustrating that the symptoms of withdrawal, anxiety, dehydration overlap so much that its hard to know exactly what it is.

Thanks for the reply.

[micro]

Hey mate I'm not sure if you are still monitoring this thread but as a 29 y/o male you has drank plenty in my day I can tell you that binge drinking can definitely make you shake the next day. Half the reason they "invented" the old hair of the dog theory. :)

[lmroswell]

Just curious...what is the old hair of the dog theory?

[micro]

The "hair of the dog" is a drink the next morning after a night of drinking to help with the hangover and prevent the shakes.

[KOTH]

Yeah I actually first heard that expression when I read an interview with Jackie Gleason...I thought that's what it meant.

[Azua]

I have the same feelings after drinking. I used to be a very heavy drinker, I would drink at least a 750ml of Jack Daniels in a night. I would feel fine the next day and be able to start back up again. then a few years ago I got a more serious job, and I wouldn't be able to go drinking every night. I am now 27, and after a night of heavy drinking the "hair of the dog" theory will get me going again, but will still leave me dehydrated for the next day. It seems like one night of drinking now takes me the entire weekend to recover. I do have anxiety disorder, but I still feel that these two are not the same thing. I seem to have my attacks when I am driving. What I have done for a while now is stop of at a bar a couple blocks away from my office, and have 2 drinks, then I feel fine. Today my Dr. gave me a script for lexapro. I will see if this  helps since Paxil wasn't doing it for me anymore. After drinking, before going to sleep drink a liter bottle of gatorade and you should feel a lot better the next day.

[kloedanser]

Christ are we actually helping each other feel better after binge drinking? Yes, I drink, too.  Its called self medicating.  Stop filling out your doctor reports with the questions  "How much do you drink" with "moderately" or "sometimes". You need something to take the edge off of your day.  You have anxiety.  Stop drinking, switch to drugs (just kidding, LOL) like klonopin or paxil and get some help.  Feeling shaky means you overdid it.  And if you overdo it, there is a reason.  You do not have to drink yourself to sleep at night.  Or to feel okay.  They have invented dope for that now. LOL, I mean the medical stuff that you MUST take only as prescribed. And once you get  a grip, you can start working on the long term stuff.  Believe me, I am not preaching.  I know.
Kloedanser

[bigdust05]

Last nite and today i have felt the same way you were.  Also, I am having trouble sleeping.  I have anxiety issues and always think somethings wrong with me so i twitched a lot last nite, maybe due to withdrawal a little but im sure dehydration, lack of sleep and depletion of vitamin levels.  I drink 3-4 times a week  or at least have been this school year so far.  

[AustinMV]

My experience the whole withdrawals is like this Koth. i'm 24 years old. when i turned 21 it was lots of drinking. 36 beers roughlty on the weeked and would be ready for work on monday. 22 i moved to liquor. light like maybe a pint and got worse. i'm not a big quy but the first time i experienced a withdrawal was after a week vacation where i drank up to a liter to a liter and a half of vodka everyday. needless to say i was borderline Delerium Tremens. Halussinating all  the crazy sorts. i haven't drank that much in a while but if i drink a 12 two days in a row now i suffer pretty bad withdrawals. enough that i got to call out of work for a couple days which never was a priblem in the past. Doc have studies that clain for each withdrawal you have you are more subjust to worst withdrawals and more often. i think the tern was called "Kindeling" your days in college may have worked you up to easier withdrawals