Back to drinking after 4 months without.

General health and lifestyle
1

Hi guys I am a bit disappointed with myself. After a year of sleeping problems I began to self medicate with alcohol to knock myself out but I noticed after a couple of weeks of drinking every night that I started to get depressed and super anxious when not drinking, I guess withdrawals? So I gave up and just put up with my sleeping problems, maybe taking the odd sleeping tablet.

But last night after 40+ hours awake I went and bought a few strong drinks. Well I ended up blacking out from the drinking and the next thing I know it's 8 hours later from the point I last remembered and I woke up in bed. I must have gone to bed not long after I last remember because I checked my internet history on my tablet I was using and it showed not no activity after midnight (I woke at 7.45).

Anyway I am a bit disappointed to have given in and drank, but just relieved I slept all that time.

2

Sorry to hear that you haven't been sleeping. I used alcohol as a crutch to help me sleep too, usually having one bottle of wine a night ( sometimes a bottle and a half)  I've started exercising which let's face it nobody wants to actually do but it helps me sleep better. I also now take half a Xanax or sometimes a full one to help me relax and get to sleep maybe one or two nights a week, if I have anxiety or know I am wound up, I find it helps. At least I can get some decent sleep which we all really need to function properly. Don't be so hard on yourself, we have all been there and I know from personal experience that the feelings of shame and self-loathing the next day can eat you up. Tomorrow is another day! 

3

Also 4 months without alcohol is a huge achievement so give yourself a pat on the back for that. 

4

Garth my heart goes out to you. I am struggling so hard not to over drink and I did last night. They very exact situation that I am afraid of for myself and so ashamed of. 

I am in the process of hopefully being treated with the Sinclair Method, but just as I discovered a pathway I had to go out of town before I could fully pursue it. I know today is a new day and all, but I feel so sad. 

5

Lack of sleep is sooo hard! I suffer from this too. I used to self medicate with drink to sleep and eventually my drinking became a problem. After sorting this out (too long for relevance to this post) I started recently thinking about self medicating again....I have managed to resist..just...but I did have a chat to my doctor about going back on an anti-depressant that helped my sleep before, I’d come off it as I’d discovered a link to Myeloma that my mother has). We discussed the pros and cons of life and I decided sleep deprivation was not good for quality of life so overall worth the possible risk involved. What I am TRYING to say is that you need to seriously find a way to tackle your sleeping problems even if this means using sleeping tablets! Way better than alcohol self medication and all that involves. Talk to your doctor, hopefully he is sympathetic! If not get another opinion. Good slick my friend! Lack of sleep is literally a killer!

6

I know that feeling so well! Don’t be too hard on yourself...you have researched and are going to try The Sinclair Method! You have made huge steps in the right direction. The Sinclair Method works if you use it properly. Best of ‘Luck’. 💕

7

I am the same on sleeping pills but they don't work all the time so I also self medicate maybe we could chat and figure out another way?

8

I worked a 9-9pm had to be back in at 7am didn't fall asleep till 3am had to be back in for 9 am half a bottle of wine and sleeping pill worked but felt like crap so ya get whrtr you are coming from 

9

auto correct sucks supposed  to say so get where you are coming  from 

10

Gareth (I see auto correct changed your name in my previous message), do you have a Costco there?  I take their over-the-counter Kirkland Sleep Aid and it helps me. I also chew up 4 Sleepaide gummies each night. The gummies help me fall asleep, the sleep aide helps me stay asleep. 

11

MHi Gareth

What a familiar story, could have written it about myself years ago.

Dont be hard on yourself. The good thing here is you’ve recognised and admitted a potential problem.

As the previous posters have said we’ve all been there and self medicating leads to all sorts of problems.

It took me years to recognise that alcohol induced sleep is not the same as natural sleep. Yes you May be out for the count for several hours, but you wake up feeling worse and guilty, anxious and full of self loathing.

Alcohol is a depressant and ok it does make you feel better for a short while, but once it wears off, you feel worse. It’s like a merry go round which you can’t get off. A vicious circle.

I take nitrazapam to help me sleep, but they don’t work very well, basically because I’ve been taking them for years and my body is used to them. Like alcohol you eventually need more and more to get the desired effect.

As I’ve said, don’t beat yourself up and look at the positive. Lack of sleep does strange things to you. A dr once said to me, “no- one ever dies from lack of sleep”. A bit of a daft thing to say, but it’s true.

Ive learned to accept that no matter what I do, if I get 4 hours proper sleep a night, then I’ve had a good night. There’s many a night I don’t sleep at all, but I’ve learned rather than lying awake worrying, I either read, get up, watch tv or do jigsaws on my iPad. Sometimes I’ll then nod off for an hour or so. Even if I don’t, for me it’s far better than lying awake staring at the clock.

Well done on the 4 months without drinking. Stay positive and accept you’ve had a wobble. Get back on track again, you know you can do it.

12

A well thought out reply with so much wisdom😁

13

Thanks for the replies really appreciate them all, last night I did not drink but couldn't fall asleep until 6am and I only got a couple of hours. Just sick to death of insomnia and feeling like crap because of it, it just grinds me down. Since having insomnia I am not the same person. I have gone from a relatively happy optimistic person to someone who is sad and pessimistic. It has wrecked my life.

Doctors think I was depressed when I started not sleeping but I wasn't. Just one night it suddenly began, closed my eyes and nothing happened I just tossed and turned all night. I think sleep anxiety creeped in during the following night and it spiralled from there really. Rapid heartbeat, sweats, dreading going to bed etc. That's when I chose alcohol because it calmed my brain down.

14

Hi amy I'm in the UK but I have tried the kirkland sleep aid last year bought off ebay. But it did not work despite all the amazing reviews. I'm wondering if they were fake even though the pills and bottle looked legit or it was a bad batch. Because ive tried a similar antihistamine phenergan and they have worked when I've tried those.

15

Hi sue you can private message me if you want and we can discuss anything you want.

16

What a horrible situation! No sleep will make anybody irritable! I know that i would be irritable. Alchohol does help you sleep but it is still not brilliant. Sweating, depressed or concerned when you wake up? How much did i drink? That is at least how i used to feel when i was drinking...so hard to come up with a solution for you since i sleep well albeit only 6 1/2 to 7 hours...

17

Yes about 3 strong drinks does send me to sleep. It does seem like my problem is not relaxing enough, because alcohol relaxes the brain and allows you to sleep so I need to practice relaxation techniques. It's like my brain is very active all the time even when I am asleep which makes me dream a lot too.

18

Hi i feel your pain , i just cant get to grips with my alcohol takes edge off everything. I feel guilty every day i want to try tsm but just keep putting it off. I guess im just not ready to many other issues just an excuse keep trying

19

I'm sick to death of not sleeping properly, it just makes me feel anxious and depressed. I didn't drink last night & didn't fall asleep until about 5am, only had 3 hours fitful sleep so it's back to the drink tonight.

20

Wov 3 hours. Do you work full time and is it a demanding job i wonder. Most jobs are demanding..just feel your pain. I went to bed at 2210 but woke up at 0425am. Watched my tablet and managed to sleep later from 0600 tiil 0645am. Felt ok...how to help you?