Coming down off alcohol and starting to have really bad anxiety. Any suggestions on how to navigate this? 
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Get to bed sober tonight and tomorrow won’t be as bad. In the meantime, hit a meeting and talk about it.
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I agree with Michael. Talking about it in meetings really helped me
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I agree with Michael, good medicine.
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While I know it is not for everyone but may i suggest trying some mindfulness practices to help with your anxiety...listening to meditation, trying some simple yoga and/or doing some type of activity..art, cooking, baking, exercise...i have found this has helped me keep the thoughts about the want to drink and they anxiety decrease
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Just takes time! Hydration, make sure you’re eating. CBD helps me a little bit. Sleep. Licorice Root tea. Best thing I ever did was put myself in a really good detox
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I remember this feeling all too well!! Drink lots of water (and electrolytes) and try deep breaths/listening to guided meditation. Be careful with coming down from alcohol on your own. I had a seizure the last time I detoxed on my own at home. I also recommend writing down how you’re feeling right now to look back on the next time you feel like drinking! It will pass..it just feels like you’re stuck in it! Thinking about you, you’ve got this❤️
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Whatever is causing your anxiety is not going to go away with a drink. Grind through the first few days with as many meetings as possible. Tell someone there what’s going on. You don’t ever have to feel like this again. So worth it.
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Do you have anxiety disorder or normal situational anxiety? Is one of the reasons you drink to ease your anxiety? Just wondering bc lots of our drinking in an attempt to self-medicate. And if this is the case, alcoholism is just a symptom of a more fundamental psychological dysfunction.
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Keep sharing about how you are doing. I tell my sponsees that if they feel like using to quell the anxiety to call me or a fellow AAer first. I’ve found that just discussing it all openly and honestly takes the edge off to help decide what further course of action might need to take.
Try sleeping tonight like Michael said then just go to meetings all day tomorrow if you need to and make your tired and then go to sleep again sober and after a couple days it should ease up for you,and then if you feel like drinking call someone and talk or go to more meetings,I will pray for you tonight that you make through sober,so stay strong and keep your head up,if you go to church or believe in God at all pray for help,much love,your friend ronald....
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The thing I would say is feel it and understand it. Understand that this is a battle and you will win because you're making the first set in the winning over the alcohol. The anxiety will pass. I remember I had to pace for hours until I wore myself out but I was what I needed to do at the time.
Exactly what I was wondering. I suffer from panic disorder and PTSD and is why I self medicated. Once I got help from a doctor for my psychological issues it got much easier to stay clean.
Also, to the OP, how much are you drinking?? You may need a low-dose benzodiazapine like librium to wean off prescribed from your doctor. It can sometimes be dangerous to go cold turkey with heavy, long-term drinkers.
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Put together a program of sobriety and run it
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Thanks for articulating this.
Pace?
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Stay proud. It's time for you to shine!
I can drink a handle of vodka in 2 days. So now I’m cold turkey yes.
It will be gone in about 3 days but if you think you are really having medical problems you should go to the ER. We don’t know how to deal with emotions so until you do your going to have anxiety. It’s part of the addiction and learning to live without alcohol. Everything has been numbed.
I’m not sure if your anxiety is due to withdrawals but if it is, I just went through this not too long ago. I found that getting in the shower helped me tremendously. It got to the point I wasn’t even showering I was just standing under the hot hot water for however long it took to calm my nervous system down. It’s not a magical fix but it gave me much temporary relief. I did this multiple times a day. At first I waited to feel like I was entering panic attack mode to get in, eventually I started becoming more aware of when I was starting to have the anxiety/shakes again and I’d get in before it got too bad. Always with super hot water. This helped me a lot. Hope it helps you as well. Sending much love your way. You CAN do this. And this too shall pass. Hang in there.
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