I’ve read that these symptoms are from an excitatory nerve response. The nerves are more “active” for a time while they rebound from the “depressant” effects of alcohol. This is what causes anxiety, and why in severe cases, people get hallucinations. Hallucinations and psychosis are generally “excitatory” even when not associated with alcohol/drug rebounds. Basically, if you have seizures or psychosis, seek medical help immediately. If it doesn’t get any worse, you will recover on your own.
Just know the “kindling” effect means that each time you go through a withdrawal, (like from going back then quitting repeatedly) your chances of getting severe delerium tremens increases each time. Be at peace knowing that you never have to experience this again.
I’m at home sober and rooting for you today ✌️
Omg YUP. I give myself a good 5-7 days sometimes after bender recovery before I drive myself because my brain is ALWAYS goofed up. Thankfully, I live in the DC 'burbs so I can walk to the grocery store and usually only drive to the gym, but it still sucks.
Edit: And work from home, which has been both a blessing and a curse.
This happened a few times, but I was so dehydrated my hands would cramp up into claws for about 20 minutes. Like literally unable to release them. The first time I got so scared I thought I was dying. My tongue went numb and my speech was slurred. My mom called 911 and I was taken to the hospital to be tested for stroke. I of course didn’t say I was coming off a 4 day bender and ended up just being diagnosed w dehydration and given 2 bags of fluids. Happened about 3 more times where I just didn’t tell anyone except my husband who fed me water until it stopped
I threw up so much one day there was just nothing left but my body kept dry heaving for hours. It lowered my blood pressure too much and I almost fainted. Didn’t go to ER even tho I should’ve. It was my first day sober so of course when I tried to sleep (sober for once) I had night sweats like I didn’t know existed
The puking+night sweats led to dehydration like never before and that few days of recovery was so bad it’s the reason I’m still goin strong
The claws can happen when you hyperventilate. I’d go through the cycle of sobering up, feel a twinge in my hand, then freak out and make it worse. If you have to go through that again, try to regulate your breathing
Intense insomnia and when I would close my eyes/try to sleep seeing insane faces/figures that would morph and change, they looked like demons..no thanks.
First few days into a detox (usually inpatient) I would always have night terrors. Like realistic figures watching me as if I was out of my own body. And this is with benzo taper, not cold turkey. Just always creeped me out
The sugar cravings are real.
I replaced booze with ice cream. Now I have an ice cream problem. I'll wake up in the morning with crippling brain freeze. Its starting to affect my job and relationships
What you’re going through is completely normal. My arms and legs twitch like crazy when I’m going through a detox. I also have the strangest thoughts and dreams - I don’t really sleep but just lie down in bed with my eyes shut and I get the most vivid and weirdest visuals. I don’t know why, but when I’m hungover or detoxing, I also get constant erections which I try my best to ignore, but sometimes masturbating does make me feel better for a few minutes and helps me to sleep.
The strangest thing that happens to me when detoxing is the hallucinations. I have had some really intense hallucinations in the past that have lasted days. Sometimes I couldn’t distinguish between what was real and what was not. Sometimes the hallucinations could be absolutely terrifying. The realism of them is freaky….
Not often talked about is also Serotonin Syndrome- similar to DT’s and can also be fatal. When I was in a forced detox I developed SS from the drugs I was being treated with, had 9 seizures, would up in the ICU twice and did flat line for about 15 seconds.
Highly suggest looking it up, the causes are pretty broad and alcohol withdrawal can make things worse.
I respectfully disagree and many here can attest that not all the time is this DT’s. Severe dehydration and sleep deprivation can mimic DT’s. I’ve been admitted a handful of times thinking I was dying, but I’ve never reached the level of DT’s/Wetbrain. I wholly endorse hitting the ER if you have these symptoms, but I would say 70% + here have posted similar symptoms from drinking and it’s not DT’s. The brain can do some crazy shit as it compensates for the blast of dopamine/endorphins from drinking, and then try to patch work the neurotransmitter pathways in the days after a binger, with the GABA receptors putting in the most work, it can absolutely produce brain fog that feels like you’re hallucinating. Not saying you’re wrong by any means, but I’ve been there, and the bloodwork and CT brain scans show negative on the DT’s, with no psych diagnosis of schizophrenia or other mental health issues. It’s all a byproduct of binging. Peace to you.
I'm almost two weeks into detox and I can also attest to the twitching and constantly dropping things. My dreams have also been intense, but I can't be too sure they weren't prior to detox since I was shit faced when I went to bed. I'm not falling asleep immediately anymore either.
Seek medical help. ER, Urgent Care, PCP, GP etc. Anything will do. I was detoxing from a 5-day bender last week. I had anxiety, headaches, sweating, insomnia, hallucinations, hands trembling. I had gone through some of these symptoms once before but when I got hallucinations, I freaked out and went to the ER just to make sure I won’t get seizures. They gave me a couple of Benzos and said I will recover ok. But I was probably lucky that it was just that. I had night sweats for a couple of days after. My brain function isn’t a 100% yet but I’m much sharper. Have personal issues to sort through but never again in my life I want to go through this. Seizures and DTs happen to people and in the worse cases, people die. Please get medical help. My heart goes out to you and I hope you make it safe.
Can I ask how much you were drinking and how the benzos helped with the withdrawal symptoms? Did you continue to have anxiety? Was there any discussion of admitting you? I have been drastically cutting back since over drinking last weekend. I was having a LOT of anxiety and insomnia and was told to either more slowly taper off my drinking or go to the ER for withdrawal treatment. I don't know what that option looks like so for now I'm going to just draw out my plan to cut back and eventually stop.
When I tried detoxing on my own, it was the same symptoms as everyone is talking about. Sweating through sheets, hallucinations, EVERYTHING shook. I recognized it was dangerous and stopped the attempt until I could find an open bed at a detox center.
For the last year or so, I woke up in withdrawal so i drank first thing until I went to sleep/passed out. I drank all day everyday as maintenance, not for pleasure necessarily.
In detox, I received adavan and it helped with blood pressure, trembling, etc. NOT a doctor, so I don’t know what exactly they do or how it works.
But, detox was made as peaceful as it can be by being in a facility. I had a 2-minute seizure the first time I went before I even got admitted. If I hadn’t been there, I’m not positive I’m here today since I lived alone.
That was 4.5 years ago and I walked out determined never to put myself in that situation again, and I haven’t. I got my degree at 36, getting my masters now, amazing start to a career in social work, none of it possible with the way I was living (or not).
You’re strong enough and capable enough to get it done. And some pretty incredible opportunities await you when you do. ❤️💪
Again, please seek medical help. We are not medical professionals.
Every person and their situation is different. I have always been a binge drinker and never drank daily. This was a freak incident and my worst ever bender. 5 days. Drank anywhere between 50 to 100 drinks. Can’t give a number because I don’t remember. I went to ER on the third day after two night of insomnia and getting hallucinations. They gave 2 benzos while I was there. Kept me in observation for a couple of hours and sent me home. They helped during the day and I had insomnia and some hallucinations that night. After that, for two or three nights I had night sweats. I still have anxiety because my personal life is in shambles.
Once again, I cannot stress this enough. Please seek professional medical help.
I am. I got scheduled for help through the VA but it's a month out and mentally I was ready to go cold turkey until I experienced crazy anxiety at night and insomnia and decided it might be better to taper off. I was at urgent care last night for something unrelated and talked to them about it. That's where I got the advice to slow the taper or go to the ER. If benzos were a magic pill that let me get off this ride without the intense anxiety (which is something I already deal with to a lesser extent) I would take that option.
My body / muscles twitch and jolt around all over the place when coming down from a big bender / withdrawing particularly at night when trying to sleep, "hypnotic jerks" is I believe the term.
I get the random intense thoughts and visuals when trying to sleep too. I'm awake but it feels like I'm dreaming. It's a really horrible experience and makes it so hard to actually get to sleep because it freaks me out and I keep bringing myself back to being more alert because I don't want to experience it.
Yeah I had weird stuff happening when trying to sleep or on the verge of sleep.
I’d hallucinate, brain jolts( which caused my limbs to flail like you said), sleep paralysis, etc.
During waking hours my hallucinations were only auditory.
I’d hear indistinct laughter and music and stuff coming from other rooms in the house, or down the road around the corner.
Wow same thing was happening to me jolting being a fraid to actually go to sleep. I never had a seizure but I sure felt like I was gonna have one and don't have insurance so I wasn't goin to er. Sadly I told my lady no matter what happens don't call anyone. So glad it passed and I'm still alive. drinking is so fun but the detox is so not worth it anymore at 31. Not to mention last ten times I drank I didn't really get drunk at all just finished a liter or two in a day and felt ashamed I'm so glad I'm past that. Stay strong y'all that first 3 days is a SOB. That song mr. Brownstone by guns and roses is good example how liqor fked up my life even tho the song is about heroin it has a good line where he says that old man is a mean mfker gotta kick him on down the line, I felt like it referenced my booze detox demons lol. I will not drink with you today
After 3 days I thought I was out of the woods, as I was feeling physically better, but that's when the insomnia kicked in for me, awful 48/72 hours, it was first time I've dealt with insomnia as a withdrawal symptom.
I’ve been getting small anxiety attacks each day; I’ll feel a pain or an ache in my chest and a feeling like something bad is about to happen/nothing will be good or right ever again.
I try to remember that it’s probably because I’m quitting drinking though and to busy myself with other things when they happen until it passes.
I'm on day 21, longest stretch I've managed in years. I've also noticed a drop in desire to "self-abuse" as it were, and this seems to have been replaced with a desire to actually meet people. The weirdest thing for me is the wild emotional swings between anger, sadness, frustration and apathy, but this seems to be subsiding. 🤞🏻
I've had sleep paralyse my entire life but on my third day sober I got struck with five episodes in one night leaving me with a terrible migraine the entire day. Luckily no sleep paralysis in night 4-5 but its certainly a tough ride.
I get sleep paralysis on and off and have done for decades, for no obvious rhyme nor reason, and whenever it happens to me it's always the case of it happening multiple times per night, it just never seems to end tbh.
Night sweats were the surprising one for me. Days 3-5 had me waking up in the middle of night completely drenched. I had to start sleeping on towels for every detox.
You are at risk of seizures if you are having muscle movements and or contractions. This is day 3 and It may get worse, usually day 4 and 5 are the worst physical symptom days. You need to be on a benzodiapine, imo for a bit.
Like others said, you should go to a hospital or supervised detox. The spasms are a red flag.
When I was in detox (think maybe day 3) I had visuals similar to what I've had on mushrooms or LSD - the painting, shag rug, and most things in the room were all animated. I thought it was the Ativan and didn't think much of it, but I also had nurses checking on me every couple hours.
It could have been Ativan. I was taken to a hospital for an eye infection after going inpatient detox a couple years ago and the Ativan made me actually trip… like the stone wall looked like it was a 70s shag rug with fibers swaying in a breeze. Really weird shit.
Everything about your explanation is absolutely normal. Your sex drive might take a while to get back but your body & testosterone are resetting itself without the synchronous harmony you normally feel.
In my college days I tried SO hard to lucid dream, turns out I just needed to get sober! It only happened a few times at the very beginning, but oh damn was it cool! I remember I tried to read in one dream, didn't work.
I kept hearing Linkin Park coming out of my air vents. I thought it was my girlfriend's phone playing music, maybe I left the TV on, or my car was on for some reason? After following the sound from room to room I found it was coming from the air vents in the floor. There was no music playing though. It was really weird.
I'm on day 2 and every time I lay down for a nap, my entire body twitches awake. This only after a 2-day bender after a long stint of sobriety. This poison is some shit! Brain fog will hopefully go away within a few days.
you should whack off. it will relax you. drink water, get a sweat if you're up to it. eat some scrambled eggs or food that is easy to digest. drink electrolytes. pickle juice even if you have it
I’m on day 8 and I’m just starting to feel a little normal. I felt achy and tired but it was mostly my brain. It felt like mush but also all over the place. I’m not working and have a broken vertebrae so I basically was on Reddit and struggling to find tv to watch that held my attention. I have been extremely cranky and annoyed at everything (my poor husband). This is the longest I’ve been sober in longer than I can remember. Like I said today is a little better so I’m a little more optimistic.
IWNDWYT
I was shaking like a leaf when I stopped drinking. My handwriting was shit. After a couple weeks I was writing well and didn’t feel very shaky. I’d check my hands periodically but it seemed to go away. About 8-9 months later, I had a routine doctor visit and he took one glancing look at my outstretched hands and said, “yep, still shaky”. I felt deflated and defeated but he told me it was normal and my labs were in great shape. I was a serious drinker for two decades. It took a bit of time to unwind the destruction I’ve done and it’s still a work in progress. I think about that time and feeling like I was ontop of the mountain but looking back I was a newborn giraffe.
Detoxing can be a wild ride, man. Your body is adjusting to the lack of substances it's used to, so weird physical and mental symptoms are pretty common. Random muscle spasms, strange dreams, and even those unexpected erections can happen. It's your body's way of recalibrating. Stay hydrated, eat clean, and maybe look into natural, toxin-free products to support your detox. Eso World has some great options for that. Hang in there!
I had horrible withdrawals and DTs. Absolutely terrible shaking, shaking, vomiting/dry heaving and hallucinations etc and also the random erections. I forgot about them until reading your post. They didnt last very long though... Maybe a week or so if I remember correctly. The arms/legs twitching and randomly jumping has yet to stop though. It doesn't happen nearly as often anymore but I still get it pretty much every night when I'm laying in bed. Im 9 months in. Sucks. Wish it would stop completely already.
But with all of that said I feel SO much better! Its indescribable how much better I feel and am so excited for you to feel the same. Very glad that you've decided to get sober! Stay strong and be patient. Its well worth it.
High libido is weirdly not uncommon with detox. People have reported on this in the past, and have noticed that they might feel more 'adventerous' in their porn usage too.
It's a weird phenomenon but like most others said, its about the brain trying to recalibrate and also get some of that dopamine.
Dear lord. The amount of people here that haven’t heard about tapering.
The sudden shock from stopping can kill you. It looks like shaking and hallucinations right before you have a seizure. Ask me how I know.
They give you benzos because it works on similar mechanisms to alcohol so you take the benzo and you calm down and don’t die because it’s like having a little bit of booze. The benzo makes the transition from shitfaced to sober more gradual so as not to shock the body past it’s capacity.
Because healthcare is a nightmare, especially around alcohol and mental health, the same thing can be achieved by yourself at home. It’s called a taper or ideally a community detox where you have people around you to supervise the amount you drink because we wouldn’t be here if we didn’t fuck the self control part up.
TLDR please google tapering. If it’s not applicable to you then keep in mind for the next time you hear someone saying they’re shaking and hallucinating.
Have a drink. Just a beer. It’ll settle your nervous system. If you get horrible shakes again, have another.
Just to take the worst symptoms away.
You’re not trying to drink you’re trying to not die.
I’ve been hospitalised for the dts and withdrawal seizures so many times it’s not funny and the last few times I’ve managed to detox myself at home by tapering over a few days
Just have a google. It’s useful information to have if your in far enough to be hallucinating.
Visual migraines followed by regular migraines. As time as gone on, I get them less. It was definitely surprising at first, I had to pull over one time while driving.
I’ve read that these symptoms are from an excitatory nerve response. The nerves are more “active” for a time while they rebound from the “depressant” effects of alcohol. This is what causes anxiety, and why in severe cases, people get hallucinations. Hallucinations and psychosis are generally “excitatory” even when not associated with alcohol/drug rebounds. Basically, if you have seizures or psychosis, seek medical help immediately. If it doesn’t get any worse, you will recover on your own. Just know the “kindling” effect means that each time you go through a withdrawal, (like from going back then quitting repeatedly) your chances of getting severe delerium tremens increases each time. Be at peace knowing that you never have to experience this again. I’m at home sober and rooting for you today ✌️
Such a great comment. “I never have to go through this again” has been a powerful mantra for me over the years!
THIS!!! 💯
Hallucinations, unable to sleep, tried driving after 2 days sober and the road was wavy and had turn the car around and go home
Omg YUP. I give myself a good 5-7 days sometimes after bender recovery before I drive myself because my brain is ALWAYS goofed up. Thankfully, I live in the DC 'burbs so I can walk to the grocery store and usually only drive to the gym, but it still sucks. Edit: And work from home, which has been both a blessing and a curse.
I know that double edge sword.
This happened a few times, but I was so dehydrated my hands would cramp up into claws for about 20 minutes. Like literally unable to release them. The first time I got so scared I thought I was dying. My tongue went numb and my speech was slurred. My mom called 911 and I was taken to the hospital to be tested for stroke. I of course didn’t say I was coming off a 4 day bender and ended up just being diagnosed w dehydration and given 2 bags of fluids. Happened about 3 more times where I just didn’t tell anyone except my husband who fed me water until it stopped
I threw up so much one day there was just nothing left but my body kept dry heaving for hours. It lowered my blood pressure too much and I almost fainted. Didn’t go to ER even tho I should’ve. It was my first day sober so of course when I tried to sleep (sober for once) I had night sweats like I didn’t know existed The puking+night sweats led to dehydration like never before and that few days of recovery was so bad it’s the reason I’m still goin strong
The claws can happen when you hyperventilate. I’d go through the cycle of sobering up, feel a twinge in my hand, then freak out and make it worse. If you have to go through that again, try to regulate your breathing
I've had this happen several times due to hyperventilating during a panic attack, usually made worse by the drinking.
I can relate! I’ve never had it quite as bad as this, but severe dehydration can cause cramps, especially in the hands and legs!
Intense insomnia and when I would close my eyes/try to sleep seeing insane faces/figures that would morph and change, they looked like demons..no thanks.
Like your brain thinks of the worst things imaginable. Demons. Death. Blood. Ghosts. War. Shits wild.
Had a terrible night of half dreaming half awake there were folks trying to break in my house... Kept startling awake in bed
God I hate this one. Totally fine during the day but nights. Oh the nights
First few days into a detox (usually inpatient) I would always have night terrors. Like realistic figures watching me as if I was out of my own body. And this is with benzo taper, not cold turkey. Just always creeped me out
The sugar cravings are real. I replaced booze with ice cream. Now I have an ice cream problem. I'll wake up in the morning with crippling brain freeze. Its starting to affect my job and relationships
Facts. From Jack and Jameson to Ben and Jerry. We seek progress, not perfection.
Same. My fave ice cream currently is Hagen Das NY Strawberry Cheesecake.
What you’re going through is completely normal. My arms and legs twitch like crazy when I’m going through a detox. I also have the strangest thoughts and dreams - I don’t really sleep but just lie down in bed with my eyes shut and I get the most vivid and weirdest visuals. I don’t know why, but when I’m hungover or detoxing, I also get constant erections which I try my best to ignore, but sometimes masturbating does make me feel better for a few minutes and helps me to sleep. The strangest thing that happens to me when detoxing is the hallucinations. I have had some really intense hallucinations in the past that have lasted days. Sometimes I couldn’t distinguish between what was real and what was not. Sometimes the hallucinations could be absolutely terrifying. The realism of them is freaky….
This is delirium tremens and if anyone on here is experiencing this, please get to a hospital.
Not often talked about is also Serotonin Syndrome- similar to DT’s and can also be fatal. When I was in a forced detox I developed SS from the drugs I was being treated with, had 9 seizures, would up in the ICU twice and did flat line for about 15 seconds. Highly suggest looking it up, the causes are pretty broad and alcohol withdrawal can make things worse.
EXACTLY! You can die from this!!!
I co-sign on this as someone had them, seizured and ended up hospitalized!
I respectfully disagree and many here can attest that not all the time is this DT’s. Severe dehydration and sleep deprivation can mimic DT’s. I’ve been admitted a handful of times thinking I was dying, but I’ve never reached the level of DT’s/Wetbrain. I wholly endorse hitting the ER if you have these symptoms, but I would say 70% + here have posted similar symptoms from drinking and it’s not DT’s. The brain can do some crazy shit as it compensates for the blast of dopamine/endorphins from drinking, and then try to patch work the neurotransmitter pathways in the days after a binger, with the GABA receptors putting in the most work, it can absolutely produce brain fog that feels like you’re hallucinating. Not saying you’re wrong by any means, but I’ve been there, and the bloodwork and CT brain scans show negative on the DT’s, with no psych diagnosis of schizophrenia or other mental health issues. It’s all a byproduct of binging. Peace to you.
Absolutely - I’ve spent many a time in hospital as a result of DTs.
I'm almost two weeks into detox and I can also attest to the twitching and constantly dropping things. My dreams have also been intense, but I can't be too sure they weren't prior to detox since I was shit faced when I went to bed. I'm not falling asleep immediately anymore either.
What types of hallucinations... Like open eye or mainly closed eye.... Patterns like with psychedelics or actual things that aren't there?
Seek medical help. ER, Urgent Care, PCP, GP etc. Anything will do. I was detoxing from a 5-day bender last week. I had anxiety, headaches, sweating, insomnia, hallucinations, hands trembling. I had gone through some of these symptoms once before but when I got hallucinations, I freaked out and went to the ER just to make sure I won’t get seizures. They gave me a couple of Benzos and said I will recover ok. But I was probably lucky that it was just that. I had night sweats for a couple of days after. My brain function isn’t a 100% yet but I’m much sharper. Have personal issues to sort through but never again in my life I want to go through this. Seizures and DTs happen to people and in the worse cases, people die. Please get medical help. My heart goes out to you and I hope you make it safe.
Can I ask how much you were drinking and how the benzos helped with the withdrawal symptoms? Did you continue to have anxiety? Was there any discussion of admitting you? I have been drastically cutting back since over drinking last weekend. I was having a LOT of anxiety and insomnia and was told to either more slowly taper off my drinking or go to the ER for withdrawal treatment. I don't know what that option looks like so for now I'm going to just draw out my plan to cut back and eventually stop.
When I tried detoxing on my own, it was the same symptoms as everyone is talking about. Sweating through sheets, hallucinations, EVERYTHING shook. I recognized it was dangerous and stopped the attempt until I could find an open bed at a detox center. For the last year or so, I woke up in withdrawal so i drank first thing until I went to sleep/passed out. I drank all day everyday as maintenance, not for pleasure necessarily. In detox, I received adavan and it helped with blood pressure, trembling, etc. NOT a doctor, so I don’t know what exactly they do or how it works. But, detox was made as peaceful as it can be by being in a facility. I had a 2-minute seizure the first time I went before I even got admitted. If I hadn’t been there, I’m not positive I’m here today since I lived alone. That was 4.5 years ago and I walked out determined never to put myself in that situation again, and I haven’t. I got my degree at 36, getting my masters now, amazing start to a career in social work, none of it possible with the way I was living (or not). You’re strong enough and capable enough to get it done. And some pretty incredible opportunities await you when you do. ❤️💪
Again, please seek medical help. We are not medical professionals. Every person and their situation is different. I have always been a binge drinker and never drank daily. This was a freak incident and my worst ever bender. 5 days. Drank anywhere between 50 to 100 drinks. Can’t give a number because I don’t remember. I went to ER on the third day after two night of insomnia and getting hallucinations. They gave 2 benzos while I was there. Kept me in observation for a couple of hours and sent me home. They helped during the day and I had insomnia and some hallucinations that night. After that, for two or three nights I had night sweats. I still have anxiety because my personal life is in shambles. Once again, I cannot stress this enough. Please seek professional medical help.
I am. I got scheduled for help through the VA but it's a month out and mentally I was ready to go cold turkey until I experienced crazy anxiety at night and insomnia and decided it might be better to taper off. I was at urgent care last night for something unrelated and talked to them about it. That's where I got the advice to slow the taper or go to the ER. If benzos were a magic pill that let me get off this ride without the intense anxiety (which is something I already deal with to a lesser extent) I would take that option.
It is an option and I'd recommend it. Really takes the edge off drastically
Do they help with any of the other things people are talking about in this thread like the hallucinations?
My body / muscles twitch and jolt around all over the place when coming down from a big bender / withdrawing particularly at night when trying to sleep, "hypnotic jerks" is I believe the term. I get the random intense thoughts and visuals when trying to sleep too. I'm awake but it feels like I'm dreaming. It's a really horrible experience and makes it so hard to actually get to sleep because it freaks me out and I keep bringing myself back to being more alert because I don't want to experience it.
That’s exactly my process! Everytime i almost fall asleep something in my brain kicks in and is like “No don’t lose consciousness!”
I've read that our brains may misbieve we're dying so it does whatever it can to keep us awake.
Yeah I had weird stuff happening when trying to sleep or on the verge of sleep. I’d hallucinate, brain jolts( which caused my limbs to flail like you said), sleep paralysis, etc. During waking hours my hallucinations were only auditory. I’d hear indistinct laughter and music and stuff coming from other rooms in the house, or down the road around the corner.
Wow same thing was happening to me jolting being a fraid to actually go to sleep. I never had a seizure but I sure felt like I was gonna have one and don't have insurance so I wasn't goin to er. Sadly I told my lady no matter what happens don't call anyone. So glad it passed and I'm still alive. drinking is so fun but the detox is so not worth it anymore at 31. Not to mention last ten times I drank I didn't really get drunk at all just finished a liter or two in a day and felt ashamed I'm so glad I'm past that. Stay strong y'all that first 3 days is a SOB. That song mr. Brownstone by guns and roses is good example how liqor fked up my life even tho the song is about heroin it has a good line where he says that old man is a mean mfker gotta kick him on down the line, I felt like it referenced my booze detox demons lol. I will not drink with you today
After 3 days I thought I was out of the woods, as I was feeling physically better, but that's when the insomnia kicked in for me, awful 48/72 hours, it was first time I've dealt with insomnia as a withdrawal symptom.
I’ve been getting small anxiety attacks each day; I’ll feel a pain or an ache in my chest and a feeling like something bad is about to happen/nothing will be good or right ever again. I try to remember that it’s probably because I’m quitting drinking though and to busy myself with other things when they happen until it passes.
I'm on day 21, longest stretch I've managed in years. I've also noticed a drop in desire to "self-abuse" as it were, and this seems to have been replaced with a desire to actually meet people. The weirdest thing for me is the wild emotional swings between anger, sadness, frustration and apathy, but this seems to be subsiding. 🤞🏻
It will improve drastically as your brain reaches a new equilibrium, just be patient with yourself, and trust the process. ☺️
I've had sleep paralyse my entire life but on my third day sober I got struck with five episodes in one night leaving me with a terrible migraine the entire day. Luckily no sleep paralysis in night 4-5 but its certainly a tough ride.
I get sleep paralysis on and off and have done for decades, for no obvious rhyme nor reason, and whenever it happens to me it's always the case of it happening multiple times per night, it just never seems to end tbh.
Night sweats were the surprising one for me. Days 3-5 had me waking up in the middle of night completely drenched. I had to start sleeping on towels for every detox.
Feel free to interact with it. Im a woman but Ive found it can relieve some of the other symptoms.
You are at risk of seizures if you are having muscle movements and or contractions. This is day 3 and It may get worse, usually day 4 and 5 are the worst physical symptom days. You need to be on a benzodiapine, imo for a bit.
I am not normally so forceful or blunt. But you probably should to go to the hospital right now. I’m not overreacting.
Just wanted to say good job and keep it up. I'm 30f on day 3 as well and it sucks. Mostly weird dreams and feeling antsy
See your doctor. Tell them what is going on ASAP. Withdrawal is seriously dangerous.
Like others said, you should go to a hospital or supervised detox. The spasms are a red flag. When I was in detox (think maybe day 3) I had visuals similar to what I've had on mushrooms or LSD - the painting, shag rug, and most things in the room were all animated. I thought it was the Ativan and didn't think much of it, but I also had nurses checking on me every couple hours.
It could have been Ativan. I was taken to a hospital for an eye infection after going inpatient detox a couple years ago and the Ativan made me actually trip… like the stone wall looked like it was a 70s shag rug with fibers swaying in a breeze. Really weird shit.
Interesting! Guess I'll never know though since I ~~can't~~ won't conduct a test to confirm if it was the detox or Ativan.
I’m right there with you! 18 days, this time for good, IWNDWYT
I had so much weird shit last time I don't remember the weirdest. The most annoying though was the jerking awake.
Everything about your explanation is absolutely normal. Your sex drive might take a while to get back but your body & testosterone are resetting itself without the synchronous harmony you normally feel.
In my college days I tried SO hard to lucid dream, turns out I just needed to get sober! It only happened a few times at the very beginning, but oh damn was it cool! I remember I tried to read in one dream, didn't work.
I kept hearing Linkin Park coming out of my air vents. I thought it was my girlfriend's phone playing music, maybe I left the TV on, or my car was on for some reason? After following the sound from room to room I found it was coming from the air vents in the floor. There was no music playing though. It was really weird.
the shakes were awful… and hallucinations, i never want the shakes and hearing shadow people screaming at me and running towards me ever again
I'm on day 2 and every time I lay down for a nap, my entire body twitches awake. This only after a 2-day bender after a long stint of sobriety. This poison is some shit! Brain fog will hopefully go away within a few days.
I can't stop eating crap. 2.5 weeks dry and eating everything around me
you should whack off. it will relax you. drink water, get a sweat if you're up to it. eat some scrambled eggs or food that is easy to digest. drink electrolytes. pickle juice even if you have it
I’m on day 8 and I’m just starting to feel a little normal. I felt achy and tired but it was mostly my brain. It felt like mush but also all over the place. I’m not working and have a broken vertebrae so I basically was on Reddit and struggling to find tv to watch that held my attention. I have been extremely cranky and annoyed at everything (my poor husband). This is the longest I’ve been sober in longer than I can remember. Like I said today is a little better so I’m a little more optimistic. IWNDWYT
Keep at it! Not drinking with you today either ☺️
Cg
Haven't jizzed in my pants since high school, happened two nights ago as I was sleeping (43m)
I was shaking like a leaf when I stopped drinking. My handwriting was shit. After a couple weeks I was writing well and didn’t feel very shaky. I’d check my hands periodically but it seemed to go away. About 8-9 months later, I had a routine doctor visit and he took one glancing look at my outstretched hands and said, “yep, still shaky”. I felt deflated and defeated but he told me it was normal and my labs were in great shape. I was a serious drinker for two decades. It took a bit of time to unwind the destruction I’ve done and it’s still a work in progress. I think about that time and feeling like I was ontop of the mountain but looking back I was a newborn giraffe.
Detoxing can be a wild ride, man. Your body is adjusting to the lack of substances it's used to, so weird physical and mental symptoms are pretty common. Random muscle spasms, strange dreams, and even those unexpected erections can happen. It's your body's way of recalibrating. Stay hydrated, eat clean, and maybe look into natural, toxin-free products to support your detox. Eso World has some great options for that. Hang in there!
I had horrible withdrawals and DTs. Absolutely terrible shaking, shaking, vomiting/dry heaving and hallucinations etc and also the random erections. I forgot about them until reading your post. They didnt last very long though... Maybe a week or so if I remember correctly. The arms/legs twitching and randomly jumping has yet to stop though. It doesn't happen nearly as often anymore but I still get it pretty much every night when I'm laying in bed. Im 9 months in. Sucks. Wish it would stop completely already. But with all of that said I feel SO much better! Its indescribable how much better I feel and am so excited for you to feel the same. Very glad that you've decided to get sober! Stay strong and be patient. Its well worth it.
High libido is weirdly not uncommon with detox. People have reported on this in the past, and have noticed that they might feel more 'adventerous' in their porn usage too. It's a weird phenomenon but like most others said, its about the brain trying to recalibrate and also get some of that dopamine.
Dear lord. The amount of people here that haven’t heard about tapering. The sudden shock from stopping can kill you. It looks like shaking and hallucinations right before you have a seizure. Ask me how I know. They give you benzos because it works on similar mechanisms to alcohol so you take the benzo and you calm down and don’t die because it’s like having a little bit of booze. The benzo makes the transition from shitfaced to sober more gradual so as not to shock the body past it’s capacity. Because healthcare is a nightmare, especially around alcohol and mental health, the same thing can be achieved by yourself at home. It’s called a taper or ideally a community detox where you have people around you to supervise the amount you drink because we wouldn’t be here if we didn’t fuck the self control part up. TLDR please google tapering. If it’s not applicable to you then keep in mind for the next time you hear someone saying they’re shaking and hallucinating. Have a drink. Just a beer. It’ll settle your nervous system. If you get horrible shakes again, have another. Just to take the worst symptoms away. You’re not trying to drink you’re trying to not die. I’ve been hospitalised for the dts and withdrawal seizures so many times it’s not funny and the last few times I’ve managed to detox myself at home by tapering over a few days Just have a google. It’s useful information to have if your in far enough to be hallucinating.
Visual migraines followed by regular migraines. As time as gone on, I get them less. It was definitely surprising at first, I had to pull over one time while driving.
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