Depression Learning

Alcohol!

Question:

** Dear Group I sent this privately to another member today; on reflection in might be of use to anybody else that thinks they may have a drink problem: Alcohol is  a depressant of the central nervous system which acts as a de-inhibitor; we lose our inhibitions and we feel good – but only temporarily. The down-side is that when the affects wear off we are left feeling depressed, which causes an un-natural release of adrenalin and we start to feel anxious again. So we have another drink!! If we are taking medication like benzos then both enhance each other and we get a double affect – including ‘double depression!! I was using alcohol to cope with the symptoms, which steadily got worse – for the reasons stated – so I had to drink more to chase them away and so I went into the ‘downward spiral’. IMHO you need to reconsider whether the ‘booze’ is really helping. If it is then drink away and enjoy my friend. If it’s not then the cure is in your hands. Personally I have never felt better once I stopped drinking. I discovered I just didn’t need it and I am a very social animal and still enjoy myself. Having stopped drinking I was then able to tackle the prescribed drugs problem, and begin a successful taper – I’m sure you could too – if you want to and if it is appropriate. Don’t be in a hurry, assess the situation and then do things slowly and deliberately. Let me know how you get on. If I can help do let me know. I exercise 3 days a week and it helps. Kind regards, John **

Response:

Thanks John I didnt realise about the adrenalin bit but I suspected as much to be honest as the rush the next day is unbearable, hence I cut it down to virtually nothing plus the money and health benefits. Thanks — Ray Carol and Ray Blackmoore Stressed depressed? http://roads.to/panic

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – ** Dear Group I sent this privately to another member today; on reflection in might be of use to anybody else that thinks they may have a drink problem: Alcohol is  a depressant of the central nervous system which acts as a de-inhibitor; we lose our inhibitions and we feel good – but only temporarily. The down-side is that when the affects wear off we are left feeling depressed, which causes an un-natural release of adrenalin and we start to feel anxious again. So we have another drink!! If we are taking medication like benzos then both enhance each other and we get a double affect – including ‘double depression!! I was using alcohol to cope with the symptoms, which steadily got worse – for the reasons stated – so I had to drink more to chase them away and so I went into the ‘downward spiral’. IMHO you need to reconsider whether the ‘booze’ is really helping. If it is then drink away and enjoy my friend. If it’s not then the cure is in your hands. Personally I have never felt better once I stopped drinking. I discovered I just didn’t need it and I am a very social animal and still enjoy myself. Having stopped drinking I was then able to tackle the prescribed drugs problem, and begin a successful taper – I’m sure you could too – if you want to and if it is appropriate. Don’t be in a hurry, assess the situation and then do things slowly and deliberately. Let me know how you get on. If I can help do let me know. I exercise 3 days a week and it helps. Kind regards, John **

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – ** Dear Group I sent this privately to another member today; on reflection in might be of use to anybody else that thinks they may have a drink problem: Alcohol is  a depressant of the central nervous system which acts as a de-inhibitor; we lose our inhibitions and we feel good – but only temporarily. The down-side is that when the affects wear off we are left feeling depressed, which causes an un-natural release of adrenalin and we start to feel anxious again. So we have another drink!! If we are taking medication like benzos then both enhance each other and we get a double affect – including ‘double depression!! I was using alcohol to cope with the symptoms, which steadily got worse – for the reasons stated – so I had to drink more to chase them away and so I went into the ‘downward spiral’. IMHO you need to reconsider whether the ‘booze’ is really helping. If it is then drink away and enjoy my friend. If it’s not then the cure is in your hands. Personally I have never felt better once I stopped drinking. I discovered I just didn’t need it and I am a very social animal and still enjoy myself. Having stopped drinking I was then able to tackle the prescribed drugs problem, and begin a successful taper – I’m sure you could too – if you want to and if it is appropriate. Don’t be in a hurry, assess the situation and then do things slowly and deliberately. Let me know how you get on. If I can help do let me know. I exercise 3 days a week and it helps. Kind regards, John

John, alcohol is even worse than you’ve suggested here. It tends to have a tag-team effect with the anxiety disorders. I’m separately reposting something that explains why. Take care Ian Interesting/useless fact: About 4 billion years after the big bang, some 10 billion, billion,billion litres of ethanol (alcohol) was synthezised in interstellar space. However,  olives didn’t arrive until much, much later!

Response:

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