Alcohol Do I have PAWS? Please help

[Tree of Life]

I drank last Christmas and was OK. I then start drinking again pretty much each weekend. The symptoms I had been experiencing over the past year largely disappeared, making me think it was all really just anxiety after all. I was drinking less than before and not exceeding the limits I set, and only drinking at weekends. However, I went out to a couple of friends birthday parties in recent months/weeks which involved starting drinking earlier (therefore more alcohol), and the tension issues seemed to get worse after then. One week recently I was finding that from afternoon until exercising at night, I was feeling really tense and pretty uncomfortable. Then I'd do some exercise and feel a lot better. I haven't drunk in the last two weeks and was better this week, though this weekend I've quite tense and uncomfortable at times.

I've tried breathing techniques (diaphragmatic, 4-7-8 etc) and meditating but it doesn't help. Generally, when I feel bad two things help: eating a big meal or doing a lot of exercise. I don't really feel anxious as such, my symptoms are more just feeling very jittery and tense with tightness on my neck and chest. I'm hoping this isn't alcohol withdrawals. I feel like my gabaergic past is making me extremely susceptible to withdrawals but my doctor just thinks it's an anxiety issue.

I wish I could establish once and for all if it's alcohol withdrawals and PAWS I have experienced in recent times or if it's something like GAD.

 

[Tree of Life]

Showers seem to make me feel better too.