Millions of people struggle with some form of substance abuse. Addiction can destroy your life. Finding yourself entangled in a spiraling cycle of relapse and substance abuse can be overwhelming. It doesn’t have to stay that way. There is a solution. That solution is recovery. To start a recovery journey, you may have to overcome some difficult challenges. You never have to do this alone. One of the immediate struggles will be dealing with withdrawal symptoms. Withdrawal is different for each individual person, plus there are unique withdrawal symptoms for different drugs. Even alcohol withdrawal can be painfully difficult. If you think the only bad withdrawal symptoms relate to heavy drugs, I must humbly insist that you are wrong. I have endured alcohol withdrawal. While I did not reach the horrific level of Delirium Tremens, it was anything but fun. I did not realize there was a safer and more comfortable way to deal with the agonizing effects of alcohol withdrawal. Here is my experience with alcohol withdrawal and an adamant suggestion for anyone with an alcohol problem.
My Experiences with Alcohol Withdrawal
I use the plural of experiences. There was a period in my life where I sought an easier and softer way to stop drinking. None ever worked. I could stay stopped for short periods, but I could never overcome those sudden overwhelming urges. Each attempt at self-control led to an increasingly more miserable withdrawal. Every time I relapsed and drank again, each of the agonizing effects of alcohol withdrawal became worse. Alcohol is a progressive disease. Anyone who has tried ardently to stop, but continually failed, will easily appreciate this truth. The same applies to the withdrawal symptoms when you try to stop. They get worse. Eventually these symptoms can threaten your life. Here are the withdrawal symptoms I experienced.
Nausea, Vomiting and Diarrhea
During my heaviest drinking periods, I was never prone to vomiting. My mistake was to assume this was some sort of badge of honor. It was not. However, following heavy drinking spells, I would feel nauseous most of the next day. I would be dangerously dehydrated, experiencing agonizing leg cramps. Later, I learned this was because of the devastating effects alcohol has on my body to retain fluids. The diarrhea was not only inconvenient; it worsened the problem.
Headaches, Foggy Mind and Dizziness
As with vomiting, I never experienced steady hangover-type headaches. However, my mind was never right, during or after my uncontrolled drinking spells. Sometimes, I would be uncomfortably dizzy. There were points prior to recovery where I put myself at great risk on the job. I kept my secret disease well hidden, or so I thought. I was never sharp after an intoxicated night. It showed in my job performance. For years, I thought bosses fired me because they didn’t like me. The fact was that my job performance was poor because of the effects of alcohol abuse and the effects of withdrawal.
Insomnia, Restlessness and Loss Bodily Function Control
Many nights, I tossed and turned, struggling to get to sleep. These restless nights exasperated the daily problems of focus and mental acuity. However, there were as many or more nights where I simply passed out from drinking so much alcohol. When I did sleep, it was never rest deemed healthy. I never woke up feeling vibrant, even though I was apparently asleep for hours. Then there was one of the more embarrassing aspects of too much alcohol. I would pass out so intensely that I could not wake myself to go to the bathroom. The restless nights with cold sweats were a problem, but waking up to soaked bedsheets was as demoralizing a thing that I had ever divulged. Thankfully, hundreds of alcoholics have shared this common problem. My experience with alcohol withdrawal was borne out of stubbornness and ignorance. I did not realize there was a solution. Even when presented with a better choice, my stubbornness insisted I could do this alone. Each time I tried, my best efforts failed. Every time I relapsed, the withdrawal symptoms got worse. I am one of the lucky ones who didn’t die. If I had known, I would undoubtedly have chosen a supervised detox program. If you have experienced even the slightest tendency towards alcohol withdrawal, my suggestion would be to consult a professional. If you’re wise, you’ll elect supervised detox. An even smarter decision, if you feel you may have a problem with drugs or alcohol, is to ask for help. Don’t wait until it’s too late. Help is available. All you have to do is ask. Alcohol withdrawal can kill you. Even if you’re lucky enough to survive any serious withdrawal consequences, you could do permanent damage to yourself. Reach out for help today, and end the agony of alcohol withdrawal forever because tomorrow might be too late. Call us at 424-499-2603.
