PLEASE DON'T DRINK ALCOHOL WHEN YOU FEEL RECOVERED

I just feel it's so important to offer this warning in a strong way to folks here on BB.  I was finally recovered at 37 months off.  I went on a holiday to a tropical island to celebrate.  Towards the end of a two week vacation I had 2 1/2 drinks of alcohol.  That was a huge mistake and I've been in a terrible setback ever since ... 8 months later and still quite sick.

 

I know of this happening to a few others as well.  When you get feeling good again and are happy and enjoying life please don't sabotage it by having a drink.  I totally understand why people do it, you're feeling free and a part of normal life again finally after such a long and horrific illness.

 

Please remember this warning when you recover, which you will, in time.

I wonder why this happened....Have you found out?

Do you mean do I know the science behind it?  I can only hazard a guess that alcohol works on the same receptors as benzo's do.  I suppose taking a drink was the same as taking a few benzo's.  I have heard it said that benzo's are alcohol in pill form.  I only know my own experience for sure.

thanks for the information.

even after 37 months off you could still be effected. this is crazy. this means that other things like caffeine, msg ,and etc could be same way. very frustrating to know this.

by the way, i do not drink alcohol. in the past, i only sipped small amount occationally.

I am glad I quit drinking.  I can at least give benzos credit for that.

thanks for the information.

even after 37 months off you could still be effected. this is crazy. this means that other things like caffeine, msg ,and etc could be same way. very frustrating to know this.

by the way, i do not drink alcohol. in the past, i only sipped small amount occationally.

 

You're welcome, I thought it important to get this message out there.  I definitely can't do MSG either, that is for sure but when I do mistakenly ingest some the after effects only last a day or two.  Drinking alcohol is another story as the after effects have lasted much, much longer.  Although you may start to feel normal after recovery, in no way is that true on the inside, our CNS has been severely compromised.  I was not a drinker during the 20 year benzo phase of my life as I suspect now that the benzo's were a replacement for alcohol which I indulged in rather heavily before the drugs came on the scene.

 

If you only took a sip now again, this warning may not apply to you but I'm sure there are people out there who do need to hear it.

 

I wish you a quick recovery.  Once you get there, guard it with all you've got. 

I wonder if we ever get to a point where we CAN Do these things? Will we forever have a sensitive cns?

I wonder if we ever get to a point where we CAN Do these things? Will we forever have a sensitive cns?

 

Hi Jane ... I don't know if it's forever but it's certainly not worth the risk of this kind of setback just to have a stupid drink of alcohol.  I'm glad you got the message though, that's all I can do is give this warning.  May you recover quickly, never to return to this terrible state of mind and body.

I wonder if we ever get to a point where we CAN Do these things? Will we forever have a sensitive cns?

 

my point exactly.

i never craved for caffeine, soda, sugar, or alcohol in the past. but occationally, had some of these.

cannot imagine myself not exposing to all of those for the rest of my life.sigh... :'(

I am glad I quit drinking.  I can at least give benzos credit for that.

 

I'm glad you quit too, please don't ever go back.  Benzo's have replaced the alcohol, once you are benzo free, you'll need to be super alert.

Whoopsie.. I think your heading is alittle misleading. I am sorry you are dealing with not feeling well after having a few drinks after 36 months off of benzos, however I don't think this is the norm.  Not everyone has the same chemical make up. I am dealing with my own withdrawal right now. I am not trying to bash you in anyway and I do wish you luck and I hope you recover, but your heading is alittle misleading. Some people can handle alcohol after withdrawaling from benzo's others can't. Cheers!

Whoopsie.. I think your heading is alittle misleading. I am sorry you are dealing with not feeling well after having a few drinks after 36 months off of benzos, however I don't think this is the norm.  Not everyone has the same chemical make up. I am dealing with my own withdrawal right now. I am not trying to bash you in anyway and I do wish you luck and I hope you recover, but your heading is alittle misleading. Some people can handle alcohol after withdrawaling from benzo's others can't. Cheers!

 

You may have to be one of the ones who discovers it for yourself.  Don't say you didn't receive fair warning.  I know I didn't.

This really makes me sad.

 

I love trying different craft beers. I was not a drinker but I did love a good beer. I will be very sad if I can never have another one.

No, I appreciate the warning but I had friends who withdrew from benzo's and are fine with drinking. I guess to each his own:)

I don't think that this is really the way to phrase it.  If someone said, "please don't exercise- I exercised and it really jacked up all of my symptoms and I was a wreck!" you would probably recognize it as something that happened to that one person and as something that can happen to other people, but that it isn't something that happens to everyone who exercises every time. 

 

Alcohol is no different.  Some people can tolerate moderate drinking, especially that far out, just fine.  Some people can tolerate moderate drinking way before that point in their recovery.  Some people cannot tolerate alcohol at all.  But treating your own experience like it is everyone else's inevitable future is I am sure well intended but not very accurate.

 

I am sorry that you are feeling badly and hope that you feel better very soon.

 

Best wishes.

 

No, I appreciate the warning but I had friends who withdrew from benzo's and are fine with drinking. I guess to each his own:)

 

I suppose it's the same as warning people not to take benzo's, not everyone is badly affected by them.  Once you've been burned so badly by them you want to spread the word of the danger.  I'm spreading the same warning about alcohol, you do so at risk of further harm.  For me it was far from harmless to do that.  I understand that this may not happen to everyone.

Whoopsie.. I think your heading is alittle misleading. I am sorry you are dealing with not feeling well after having a few drinks after 36 months off of benzos, however I don't think this is the norm.  Not everyone has the same chemical make up. I am dealing with my own withdrawal right now. I am not trying to bash you in anyway and I do wish you luck and I hope you recover, but your heading is alittle misleading. Some people can handle alcohol after withdrawaling from benzo's others can't. Cheers!

 

You may have to be one of the ones who discovers it for yourself.  Don't say you didn't receive fair warning.  I know I didn't.

 

There are plenty of people here, myself included, who can drink moderately without ill consequences.  I am aware that not everyone is in the same place with the same makeup, so just as it would be misleading for me to tell everyone to go ahead and drink because it was fine for me so what's the problem, it's no more universal a thing when you tell everyone not to do it because it didn't work well for you.

I don't think that this is really the way to phrase it.  If someone said, "please don't exercise- I exercised and it really jacked up all of my symptoms and I was a wreck!" you would probably recognize it as something that happened to that one person and as something that can happen to other people, but that it isn't something that happens to everyone who exercises every time. 

 

Alcohol is no different.  Some people can tolerate moderate drinking, especially that far out, just fine.  Some people can tolerate moderate drinking way before that point in their recovery.  Some people cannot tolerate alcohol at all.  But treating your own experience like it is everyone else's inevitable future is I am sure well intended but not very accurate.

 

I am sorry that you are feeling badly and hope that you feel better very soon.

 

Best wishes.

 

 

Thank you for criticizing the way in which I have chosen to spread the message.  No one warned me or at least I didn't pay attention to any warning.  That's all I'm doing is warning.  Take it or leave it.  I had no idea what could happen if I went that route.  Is it worth the risk is what you have to ask yourself.

I had alcohol many times in wd already. Not sure if its smart lol. I felt a bit revved up for a couple days after but I have read that some do get in months and months of waves after. Alcohol doesn't even feel the same after benzos. Idk how to explain it but it isn't even enjoyable.. I would reccommend everyone to just listen to your body. I you know you are a more sensitive type like me it's probably a good idea to stay away for ahwhile you don't want to risk it. I don't get month long waves but it isn't enjoyable. Plus u never know how your body will react. I haven't done tried the drinking in over two months and I feel like real healing is taking place. Plus I'm 10 weeks pregnant. I'd say to wait guys. I think it makes sense we will be a bit more sensitive a couple years after stopping benzos and you just meet know how your body will react.

Never*

I went thru benzo withdrawal for 1.5 years plus...at around 10 months to a year I drank again, I didn't have a bad reaction, the trick is moderation...and lets just say fear plays a big part in this too don't be afraid to try new things slowly as u start to feel better.the fear response prior to the alcohol might be the reason for the flare up....remember benzodiazepines are mainly used to regulate anxiety...thats the reason most of use are here...just take a sip in moderation one sip should be enough to let u know how bad it can be...im not recommending newly withdrawn buddies to engage in alcohol consumption....but for those who are starting a new journey of their recovery its ok to relax and Live in the present.

Also I think I was sensitive to alcohol before benzos.. It's still no different. Hangovers for me would be day long. For this fact the only way I could drink would be one or two days out o a month and never on a work night. My point is you know your body more than anyone else. If you feel healed and have felt healed for at least 3 months I think it's "safe" to try a drink or two. If you react badly you know not to do it again for ahwhile! I think it's something that we all learn on our own, part of the process.

Just wanted to say that when I was 28 months out I had a 1/2 a beer and it was not pretty.  My arms tingled, the fear went crazy, the anxiety was thru the roof, I cried for 2 hours and I mean sobbed.  All my fiance could do was hold me it even scared him. This lasted about 5 hours so becareful if you choose to drink even if you feel healed.  I have now chosen never to drink again even when I'm well.

Hugs

 

Hey All,

A couple of true facts shared with me ,the 1st was  a story provided to me by a retired mental health researcher Phd. who counseled benzo withdrawal folks before the internet.

He had a client went thru long withdrawal 2 years I think.fully recovered 5 years later she had a glass of champagne at a wedding she went back into really harsh withdrawals for weeks after.

 

Second a well respected Naturopath Dr.I met with years ago when this started for me told me with Neurological Dysregulation regardless of cause full recovery takes 3-5 years after symptoms have abated.Meaning when symptoms are gone consider it a remission of sorts,many of us may need more time to become fully pre-benzo neurologicaly speaking.

 

Good Advice here on this thread.

Hey All,

A couple of true facts shared with me ,the 1st was  a story provided to me by a retired mental health researcher Phd. who counseled benzo withdrawal folks before the internet.

He had a client went thru long withdrawal 2 years I think.fully recovered 5 years later she had a glass of champagne at a wedding she went back into really harsh withdrawals for weeks after.

 

Second a well respected Naturopath Dr.I met with years ago when this started for me told me with Neurological Dysregulation regardless of cause full recovery takes 3-5 years after symptoms have abated.Meaning when symptoms are gone consider it a remission of sorts,many of us may need more time to become fully pre-benzo neurologicaly speaking.

 

Good Advice here on this thread.

 

thank you so much for the informations.

3~5 years is a very long time. sigh. do not even know whether i could live that long.  :'(