I am 22 years old and at university, I know the simple solution would be never to drink again but its a big part of my life. I have reduced drinking to only once/ twice max times a week, I only drink on these occasion, but the day after I start getting bad withdrawl symptoms around 5 o'clock. My symptoms start bad and gradually fade over 3 to 4 days, at first I find it very hard to concentrate, I feel very shaky and nervous, often for 2 days after I find it hard to walk past strangers in the street without getting nervous and I get very tight and my neck starts to jolt and my stomch muscles also do this. Even when I am by myself I fine it hard to move my head around slowly without it jerking. I never feel the need to drink unless i'm going out to a club or pub, although when I do drink a do usually get to the stage where I have some memory loss. I have read other people who have had this problem but a solution never seems to be found, I was hoping that someone could recomend how I can get over this, without the obvious solution of not drinking which I will eventually probally willhave to do.
RE: Alcohol withdrawl 22 year old none alcoholic
Hi there,
I work an an alcohol misuse Counsellor, what you are describing is binge drinking and can be damaging to your health. You dont say how much you were drinking previously or your previous pattern of drinking. Given your comments regards withdrawals, you may have developed a moderate dependency on alcohol. I would suggest that you attend your local drug and alcohol agency who will be able to advise you on safe ways of reducing your drinking and also inform you of the health risksof your current drinking pattern, along with an opportunity to address any related ssues such as anxiety.
14-21 units is the recommended healthy weekly limit and this should be spread out throughout the week, not consumed over a couple of days.
Hope this helps and I wish you success
Kim
RE: Alcohol withdrawl 22 year old none alcoholic
Hi Emdavegan,
I am a person who has not had a drink for along time and had some of the symptoms you are describing. I stopped drinking at 23. I will tell you my opinions on what you have written.
I would be interested to know how much you drink before you get the withdrawal. Your symptoms as described point to a pretty high physical level of alcohol dependency. Sounds like you going through the DT's. Do you shake alot, find it hard to eat? Has a drink in the past been the answer to withdrawal symptoms you have felt? The anxiety and nervousness sounds to me like panic attacks. Basically, unfounded and ungrounded fear, fear of everything. I remember those days, was horrible.
Memory loss is very dangerous to the brain. There is no answer to this, this in 99% of cases means excessive alcohol consumption. If blackouts happen to you on a regular basis then that points to alcohol dependency. These are my observations and not facts.
Without knowing you and based on what you have described, I would say you are drinking a very large amount of alcohol. If you go to a alcohol/drug agency as suggested they will ask you lots of questions and most likely suggest controlled drinking. Only having x amount of drinks per night, having a glass of water between drinks, or orange juice etc. This could be what you need.
Is there a history of illnesses in the family? The nervous ticks can be something handed down.
One question(ok a couple??), when you start to drink on a night out, do you find that you drink more than you want to or find that once you start you pretty much can't stop. Do you drink more than others around you? Would you feel out of place and uncomfortable in a public place without alcohol? If so, then you may have an allergy to alcohol, which is alcoholism. Sounds like a dirty word but is not really, is just a name for an illness. Look into the agencies and maybe go to an aa meeting, see what people say.
You are not alone in this.
Jo
RE: Alcohol withdrawl 22 year old none alcoholic
A Homeopath could help with the withdrawal symptoms and also the inclination to do so. There is a remedy called Nux Vomica which is a generally used remedy for ailments from alcohol which may be useful, though a consultation with a qualified Homeopath would be best.
RE: Alcohol withdrawl 22 year old none alcoholic
Hi emdavegan,
It took me many years to realise that I'm not the sort of person who is able to consume alcohol without it having severe effects on me physically and psycologically. I am a married middle aged bloke with a familyso Idon't have the same opportunities that someone of your age does to go out drinking on a regular basis. However I used to work shifts and used to frequent a works social club near to my place of work.
I used to drink occasionally but on many of those occasions I would drink untill I was drunk and sometimes continue to drink past the point of being drunk. The next day I would feel ill and experience some of the symptoms that you describe. I found the memory loss particularly difficult to cope with and would worry about what happened when I was drunk.
The only way that I have found to handle this is to stop drinking alcohol. I often used to find that I would go for a couple of drinks with the intention of not getting drunk but after a couple of drinks I was less resolved not to get drunk and would continue to have more to drink.
I still go out to pubs but these days I just drink tonic water or ginger ale. People I drink with have accepted that I no longer drink alcohol and I can still enjoy an evening out but alcohol free.
From what you have written it seems that you too find it difficult to cope with alcohol and find it difficult to cope without it the next day. I know this is not what you want to hear but it would be better to give it up completely. You can still have a good time and you can still have a laugh and you can have the added bonus of remembering it.
I'm sure your mates will eventually come to accept your not drinking although they may find it a bit strange at first. As you stated in your post you will probably eventually have to stop drinking. Better to do it now than let it become a problem.
Dunkirk
RE: Alcohol withdrawl 22 year old none alcoholic
Thankyou for all your responses they were helpful and informative, couple of them wanted to know my old drinking habits before, I pritty much went out 5 times a week drinking about 15-20 unit each night, and I would have no problem getting up for work at 6 in the morning then back out again. But now I only drink once may twice a week but some times not for a week or two and I never drink unless im going out. thankyou all