Alcohol micro-dosing alcohol

[burn out]

Has anyone tried this? I have been experimenting with microdosing alcohol as a mood enhancer and socialization strengthener.

Essentially what I will do is take tiny sips of wine (sometimes I dilute it with water) throughout the day. I am not talking about getting any sort of buzz or high from it, it takes me hours just to consume the equivalent of one glass. However, what I do notice is a slight enhancement of mood and a slight reduction of social anxiety and social apathy (I often simply lack a desire to talk to people).

Can alcohol actually be used this way as a sort of antidepressant/anti anxiety agent? I am not worried about addiction because I used to be an alocohlic and have no desire to return to that. In addition, I was also a severe benzo addict and ever since coming off benzos I have been unable to tolerate larger amounts of alcohol. Even 2 beers is way too much for me. But I do wonder will the therapeutic effects last or will tolerance develop?

 

[PriestTheyCalledHim]

I've done this before while at parties or times when I was feeling shy and socially awkward, and not really in the mood for talking and it would have looked odd had I not drank any alcohol when I was with friends. I never got a tolerance to it as you're not really drinking enough to get a tolerance.

Since you are an alcoholic and benzo addict be very careful ingesting alcohol this way and keep in mind that you may start to drink more, get drunk, or start drinking like you once did.

 

[burn out]

I will keep that in mind, but I highly doubt it just because like I said since coming off benzos I cant tolerate large amounts of alcohol anymore. I get horrendous hangovers and I just dont enjoy being drunk anymore.

 

[iridescentblack]

Huh... I watched a video on microdosing not too long ago.

I may as well come out and say it (just for my own sake): my days with using illegal drugs are over... but then again... microdosing something like pot wouldn't be too bad every now and again. Since I mainly used it as a performance enhancer the last few times I smoked it - to get me motivated to do tai chi and qi gong - that would be pretty interesting to try. Weed's so fucking overloaded with THC these days anyway.

Thanks for the post. It's got me thinking.

 

[spacejunk]

I'm one of those people that believes drug addicts and alcoholics can get better (ie not "once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic") and to me this idea of 'microdosing' alcohol sounds a bit like 'responsible consumption of alcohol', as opposed to 'drinking to get drunk'.
Please correct me if i'm way off the mark with that...

 

[Fire&Water]

One of the more 'responsible' posts ive seen on here...goforit!

 

[iridescentblack]

I'm one of those people that believes drug addicts and alcoholics can get better (ie not "once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic") and to me this idea of 'microdosing' alcohol sounds a bit like 'responsible consumption of alcohol', as opposed to 'drinking to get drunk'.
Please correct me if i'm way off the mark with that...

My brother came back from California one summer after being "kicked out" of the Coast Guard (for showing up to training hungover). He said one of the people who spoke to him when he was in rehab (before he came home) told him, "You don't go from being a pickle to being a cucumber." I remember the look on my brother's face, his tone... it was like they brainwashed him with that information and he felt he was doomed to spend the rest of his life in a "preserved" state. He's doing better with alcohol consumption.
No, you're not out of line/off your mark. Although, switching from drinking heavily to micro-dosing isn't exactly like weening off. I think of it the same as acupuncture. You're giving someone a very minute amount of something the body craves but rejects when it's inside. Have you ever heard someone say the things you crave the most are probably things you're allergic to? Scientists are becoming more and more perplexed about things that our bodies do (ailments like arthritis and nerve pain) to us, making it systematically mind-blowing that a sugar pill can treat depression or how a "faked surgery" can yield more positive results - for someone with joint pain - than actual surgery.

Shamanic Psychology teaches that almost every single ailment that the body has can be traced back to the mind.

 

[SKL]

As a confirmed alcoholic, microdoses might sound appealing, but this isn't really sustainable. I can have a shot (nip) or two of liquor and it will temporarily relieve some anxiety, but I'll need another within 1-3 hours, and eventually it'll wind up being too much, I'll smell of it if I'm at work, and the hangover will become unbearable in the morning necessitating the "hair of the dog" and a truly nasty cycle.

 

[manboychef]

I am with SKL. If I tried doing this, I would end up drinking way too much. For me, once the ball is rolling its hard to stop it.

 

[bobby1978]

Has anyone tried this? I have been experimenting with microdosing alcohol as a mood enhancer and socialization strengthener.

Essentially what I will do is take tiny sips of wine (sometimes I dilute it with water) throughout the day. I am not talking about getting any sort of buzz or high from it, it takes me hours just to consume the equivalent of one glass. However, what I do notice is a slight enhancement of mood and a slight reduction of social anxiety and social apathy (I often simply lack a desire to talk to people).

Can alcohol actually be used this way as a sort of antidepressant/anti anxiety agent? I am not worried about addiction because I used to be an alocohlic and have no desire to return to that. In addition, I was also a severe benzo addict and ever since coming off benzos I have been unable to tolerate larger amounts of alcohol. Even 2 beers is way too much for me. But I do wonder will the therapeutic effects last or will tolerance develop?

But if you used to have a drinking problem, how are these doses having any effect whatsoever? I ask because I'm an alcoholic, and it's something I've thought about honestly (small doses) but given my past tolerance I'm assuming I'd have to drink, say, a couple glasses of wine to get any effect, and at that point I'm already in a danger zone that sends me into a spiral.

I mean, that's my take anyway. As to your question about tolerance, I really don't know at those small doses. I'd be more worried about a re-ignition so to speak of the addiction facet. One of the reasons being that I would assume you'd eventually develop a tolerance to the small doses anyway, even if it did have time to go down since you last drank previously.

If you can do it and you're happy with the effects, that's great. I personally wouldn't go down that road. I know too many people (myself included) who had it under control for awhile and it inevitably seems to go back to a bad place in my experience. But I think there's a distinction between a "problem drinker" and an "alcoholic" and my statements apply to the latter. It's not black and white, but yeah, I think there's a line.

 

[bernax]

imho if you're an ex alcoholic micro dosing sounds more like trying to find an excuse to drink again

 

[szuko000]

I think this is an interesting idea I would have to wonder though if it is majorly just a placebo effect as I am not sure what the lowest threshold for alcohol is. I understand the idea of microdosing and the real effects it can have as when i was coming off subs that last 500 micro grams every 36 hours was rough to kick but again i cant help but wonder if that was just a placebo effect.

I would imagine it is not "bad" for you in the traditional sense as your body should be able to process a low dose of alcohol with ease and if it is truly that low of a dose there will be no build up as it were and no extended "poisoning" so your liver and organs should be fine. I would think it is also possible to start trying to psych yourself into getting the feeling that micro dosing alcohol gives you through will power. I think when there is a blurred line of placebo vs actual effect its a good place to "train yourself" as you cant be sure if its the alcohol or not.