i can see why many people turn to substance abuse

[deos68]

10 yrs full of anxiety took its toll on me

about 2 yrs ago i started drinking beer and said finally....something that works
fast forward to today i became a functioning alcoholic although i dont drink like crazy anymore 2 to 4 beers a night
.....damn alcohol finally took its toll it may or not be the cause and or contributing to my anxiety

tried tapering on my own but ended in failure
tried to quit CT and my anxiety level increase ten fold
to much of a pansy to attempt my own home detox using klonopin

one would think just go to detox right?
due to other health issues my insurance wont cover a detox center because they have a strict substance abuse rule and they will quickly cancel it...which i cant afford to lose my insurance right now...if they were to cancel i would have to pay 2500$ a month for the treatment i get out of pocket

local gov funded detox center here can take up to a month before you can even get a bed

wish i had never started drinking
but as the title states i can see how one would turn to drugs or alcohol to soothe ones personal issues like anxiety and self esteem issues

 

[Cosmic Trigger]

indeed. without money you are on your own.

 

[Moreaux]

@deos68 - it's great that you acknowledge you have an issue and are taking action toward getting healthy. Alcoholism is horrible - I struggled with it for 17 years. Be careful using the klonopin for getting off booze. Benzos should really only be used for alcohol withdrawal. Drinking 2-4 beers a night makes me think you may not have horrible withdrawal (i.e. tremors, siezures, hallucinations, etc) and do not require benzos to stop. Yes, booze may be increasing your anxiety. However, you really don't want a benzo addiction with your alcoholism, and it's really easy to develop one quickly, as benzos are like booze in pill form. I used to drink a six pack a night and it quickly turn into a case after I started Xanax for anxiety.

Something that helped me in early recovery is Indural (propranolol). It's a beta blocker and is used to lower blood pressure. It also stops the adrenaline reaction. It's fantastic for anxiety, and I recommend you talk to your doctor about getting some. If prefer the extended release form as it last all day, but the regular form is good for immediate treatment of anxiety attacks.

You may also want to look into the Vivitrol shot as the shot helps with anxiety, cravings, and also blocks you from getting any pleasure from drinking. It last for 30 days. If you can't get the shot consider naltrexone pills - it's the same as the shot but just in pill form, though it doesn't last 30 days and it's easier to cheat on.

The best thing you can do to help stop the addiction is to address the mental health issues that are driving you to drink. If you don't get a handle on those issues then you're likely to be caught up in the addiction cycle of starting and stopping in it quickly turns into a nasty downward spiral. Since you reference anxiety, I recommend you look into cognitive behaviours like therapy. I used CBT to get a handle on my OCD and my axiety is the lowest it has been since childhood.

Again I think it's great that you're getting a handle on your drinking problem now. Alcoholism is a progressive disease and adding benzodiazepines to the mix will cause it to progress exponentially quicker then just drinking alone. I really feel that if you got a prescription for Indural and naltrexone, you would be able to get off the booze fairly painlessly. Definately work on the mental health piece as you don't want to fall into the addiction cycle of starting and stopping, it's physically harmful and destroys your self confidence. Feel free to message me if you have any questions or if there's anything I can do to assist you. Good luck!

ETA: you said you have other health issues, if those issues require you to use opiates in any way then the naltrexone is not an option and it will put you in opiate withdrawal and the painkiller will be ineffective.

Also, when you first quit alcohol, your anxiety will increase, but eventually it does get better. The Indural should help with the transition.

 

[deos68]

@deos68 - it's great that you acknowledge you have an issue and are taking action toward getting healthy. Alcoholism is horrible - I struggled with it for 17 years. Be careful using the klonopin for getting off booze. Benzos should really only be used for alcohol withdrawal. Drinking 2-4 beers a night makes me think you may not have horrible withdrawal (i.e. tremors, siezures, hallucinations, etc) and do not require benzos to stop. Yes, booze may be increasing your anxiety. However, you really don't want a benzo addiction with your alcoholism, and it's really easy to develop one quickly, as benzos are like booze in pill form. I used to drink a six pack a night and it quickly turn into a case after I started Xanax for anxiety.

Something that helped me in early recovery is Indural (propranolol). It's a beta blocker and is used to lower blood pressure. It also stops the adrenaline reaction. It's fantastic for anxiety, and I recommend you talk to your doctor about getting some. If prefer the extended release form as it last all day, but the regular form is good for immediate treatment of anxiety attacks.

You may also want to look into the Vivitrol shot as the shot helps with anxiety, cravings, and also blocks you from getting any pleasure from drinking. It last for 30 days. If you can't get the shot consider naltrexone pills - it's the same as the shot but just in pill form, though it doesn't last 30 days and it's easier to cheat on.

The best thing you can do to help stop the addiction is to address the mental health issues that are driving you to drink. If you don't get a handle on those issues then you're likely to be caught up in the addiction cycle of starting and stopping in it quickly turns into a nasty downward spiral. Since you reference anxiety, I recommend you look into cognitive behaviours like therapy. I used CBT to get a handle on my OCD and my axiety is the lowest it has been since childhood.

Again I think it's great that you're getting a handle on your drinking problem now. Alcoholism is a progressive disease and adding benzodiazepines to the mix will cause it to progress exponentially quicker then just drinking alone. I really feel that if you got a prescription for Indural and naltrexone, you would be able to get off the booze fairly painlessly. Definately work on the mental health piece as you don't want to fall into the addiction cycle of starting and stopping, it's physically harmful and destroys your self confidence. Feel free to message me if you have any questions or if there's anything I can do to assist you. Good luck!

ETA: you said you have other health issues, if those issues require you to use opiates in any way then the naltrexone is not an option and it will put you in opiate withdrawal and the painkiller will be ineffective.

Also, when you first quit alcohol, your anxiety will increase, but eventually it does get better. The Indural should help with the transition.

i cant use anything to that lowers BP i check it daily and its usually at 90/95/ over 60/65
ive talked to a few docs and they said my intake was no where near WD levels but the magnitude of the anxiety is enough to have me searching for something to ease it
i had a endoscopy done recently and i couldnt drink for 24 hrs by hour 36 anxiety hit a level i never exp before

funny thing is i can say no to benzo's all day ill even take an anti histamine before ill take a benzo because i know the dangers of it
i for sure wont abuse it

 

[MynameisQ]

I have anxiety. It used to be much worse. I think as I've aged, I just don't give as much of a crap anymore. Now I feel more liberated. The key to killing anxiety is to just stop caring what people think. In the end, most things are society contrived and don't really mean anything.

I used to drink a lot. Well, "a lot" is a relative term but it was a least twice what you are drinking for around the same amount of time.

I quit for the most part. I drank for personal issues. Bad breakup, bad economy, changing life situation, etc.

At one point I decided to quit. That was about 5 years ago. I did the taper thing on my own. You just need to want to do it for yourself. I felt a craving for booze for a while but it went away. Eventually, I stopped thinking about it. Now I will only drink on rare occasions. Usually a couple of times during the summer per year. My tolerance is kind of messed up because I drank so much. I smoke weed on occasion which I feel is healthier overall.

 

[Moreaux]

Those are my blood pressure numbers as well, however it raises during anxiety. If I were in your position I would still ask my doctor about it. It only lowers the blood pressure by 10 points anyway. I think the biggest benefit from it is that it stops the adrenaline process. Good luck!

 

[herbavore]

I have anxiety. It used to be much worse. I think as I've aged, I just don't give as much of a crap anymore. Now I feel more liberated. The key to killing anxiety is to just stop caring what people think. In the end, most things are society contrived and don't really mean anything.

So true.

 

[deos68]

Those are my blood pressure numbers as well, however it raises during anxiety. If I were in your position I would still ask my doctor about it. It only lowers the blood pressure by 10 points anyway. I think the biggest benefit from it is that it stops the adrenaline process. Good luck!

i mean i usually have a BP of 90/60 so with the med dropping it by 10 points would that be dangerously low?
and i cant comprehend that tapering could work without issue
so basically if i drink 4 beers and i taper and i cut 1 beer everyday for 4 days the WD if any shouldnt be as bad compared to going CT?
like 4 beers today 3 beers tomorrow 2 days after that etc?

 

[Moreaux]

Hi deos68 - hope you're having a good day. I understand your concern about low blood pressure, I was concerned as well when I got on Inderal as my blood pressure is regularly 90/60. However, when you're having anxiety your blood pressure raises, and that's where it comes in handy. If I were in your position I would discuss it with your doctor.

As far as an alcohol taper, you're really not drinking that much. The taper you hve planned sounds valid, however I can't help but feel that most of this is psychological. If you were to quit cold turkey I believe he would experience a slight increase in anxiety and a huge increase in boredom, but I think that's about it. You may have some insomnia for a little while. As far as withdraw, you haven't been using alcohol that long and you're really not using that much. I was a heavy drinker for 17 years and I'm well acquainted with alcohol withdrawal. I've watch the disease progressing myself and many of my close friends with whom I grew up with. Unless there's more to the story like you have a pre-existing seizure disorder, or using benzodiazepines, I don't think that you're in for much of the withdraw.

I presume you cannot discuss the situation with your doctor so maybe Inderal is out of the question. You should be able to ride it out on your own if that's the case. I would definitely look into cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety management. I would also reccomend getting some hobbies to fill the time space where you would normally drink. Also keep candy around and eat it when you have cravings.

Out of curiosity what have your drinking habits been like for the last two years? I feel like there's more to the story than what's been said and don't want to give advice in haste. Are you currently using other drugs right now?

 

[deos68]

Hi deos68 - hope you're having a good day. I understand your concern about low blood pressure, I was concerned as well when I got on Inderal as my blood pressure is regularly 90/60. However, when you're having anxiety your blood pressure raises, and that's where it comes in handy. If I were in your position I would discuss it with your doctor.

As far as an alcohol taper, you're really not drinking that much. The taper you hve planned sounds valid, however I can't help but feel that most of this is psychological. If you were to quit cold turkey I believe he would experience a slight increase in anxiety and a huge increase in boredom, but I think that's about it. You may have some insomnia for a little while. As far as withdraw, you haven't been using alcohol that long and you're really not using that much. I was a heavy drinker for 17 years and I'm well acquainted with alcohol withdrawal. I've watch the disease progressing myself and many of my close friends with whom I grew up with. Unless there's more to the story like you have a pre-existing seizure disorder, or using benzodiazepines, I don't think that you're in for much of the withdraw.

I presume you cannot discuss the situation with your doctor so maybe Inderal is out of the question. You should be able to ride it out on your own if that's the case. I would definitely look into cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety management. I would also reccomend getting some hobbies to fill the time space where you would normally drink. Also keep candy around and eat it when you have cravings.

Out of curiosity what have your drinking habits been like for the last two years? I feel like there's more to the story than what's been said and don't want to give advice in haste. Are you currently using other drugs right now?

can't go to the doc and report any type of substance abuse because round and round i go when dealing with the insurance
i was lucky to get klonopin

drinking habits 2 yrs in total i did go into detox a yr ago but 2 weeks later i went back to drinking due to personal issues involving a family member
i average about 2 to 4 beers a night before bed time(near the end of last year i was consuming 4 to 6 night) and have been doing ever since with no days sober
i dont consume anything else well i take benadryl every once and a while for allergies
i have the klonopin but ive never taken it due to its long half life
i did have xanax but was switched, which i did take but i never abused it i would go weeks often months without taking it i would only take it when i felt like crawling out of my skin

no history of seizure nor benzo abuse

im sure it is psych based as well lol
but its scary to think about having a seizure as its uncertain
many people ive talked to would argue yes ill go through WD and the other half saying the same as you

what i wonder if i due in fact have an anxiety disorder i had it before but it often went away and i was able to shake it while sober
but now that ive been drinking i cant seem to shake it like before
also wonder if this is alcohol induced anxiety or i should say is this really anxiety or a bad hangover and the alcohol is taking its toll on my body already

 

[Moreaux]

Anxiety is definately hard on the body and mind, and I do think alcohol can increase the levels of anxiety. I think if possible, you should see a therapist and look into cognitive behavioral therapy. That did wonders for me and noemi have much more control over my anxiety. In my experience, treating the underlying issues is the first step toward getting sober. In the past I would get clean only to relapse in time of stress. Once I began treating my mental health issues I was able to just quit substance. I've been sober from alcohol for two years and don't miss it or have cravings. I wish you luck with you anxiety, I know how tough it is to live with.

 

[deos68]

Anxiety is definately hard on the body and mind, and I do think alcohol can increase the levels of anxiety. I think if possible, you should see a therapist and look into cognitive behavioral therapy. That did wonders for me and noemi have much more control over my anxiety. In my experience, treating the underlying issues is the first step toward getting sober. In the past I would get clean only to relapse in time of stress. Once I began treating my mental health issues I was able to just quit substance. I've been sober from alcohol for two years and don't miss it or have cravings. I wish you luck with you anxiety, I know how tough it is to live with.

thanks man i appreciate the time and effort you put into responding to me
i'm currently doing psycho therapy which is almost the same as CBT but more agressive...(did CBT before it didnt help..PT is more aggressive..maybe its my therapist?)

gonna taper off and see what happens if not i'm going to the ER and just say i dont have insurance not sure how that'll work out but ehh it's better than nothing

 

[Cosmic Trigger]

Next to nausea I think anxiety is the worst. My heart goes out to any who struggle with this horrible condition.

 

[Moreaux]

thanks man i appreciate the time and effort you put into responding to me
i'm currently doing psycho therapy which is almost the same as CBT but more agressive...(did CBT before it didnt help..PT is more aggressive..maybe its my therapist?)

gonna taper off and see what happens if not i'm going to the ER and just say i dont have insurance not sure how that'll work out but ehh it's better than nothing

If your in the US you'll have to give them your social and their know you have insurance. I used to write billing software for medical insurance for mental health and substance abuse (go figure lol). I don't understand how your insurance can drop you. I understand them refusing to cover, but not dismiss you as a client. I'm not disputing what you say, laws vary by state.

Is there anyway you can do a cash visit to get the generic naltrexone pill? I think they also script it to help control weight, so if you're over weight you can use that angle and it's not a substance abuse code.

Good luck!

 

[deos68]

If your in the US you'll have to give them your social and their know you have insurance. I used to write billing software for medical insurance for mental health and substance abuse (go figure lol). I don't understand how your insurance can drop you. I understand them refusing to cover, but not dismiss you as a client. I'm not disputing what you say, laws vary by state.

Is there anyway you can do a cash visit to get the generic naltrexone pill? I think they also script it to help control weight, so if you're over weight you can use that angle and it's not a substance abuse code.

Good luck!

im in TX yeah i agree the rules they have against substance abuse etc is weird
and the reason i know they act like assholes is because
i actually talked to my doc about my alcohol "abuse" a year ago and i got a call not to long afterwards asking me 101 questions
and that they could potentially drop me...as they dont condone substance/alcohol abuse

then the second occurrence is when i got the klonopin prescribed, the insurance they didnt pay for it until they talked to me...ven asked how i was doing with my alcohol issue
maybe there is politics i dont understand that happens behind the scenes when it comes to insurance companies

and again i dont know how all that insurance stuff works but the last time i went to the ER i gave my social but i had forgot my insurance card
so they ended up sending me a bill and when i called i was told to send paperwork to the insurance for them to cover it

gonna continue to taper i drank 3 beers last night today im going for 2.5 or 2
i didnt feel much anxiety just intense craving but i ended up falling asleep also bit of disturbance nothing to bad no where near how i felt when i tried to go CT