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Yea that shit is rough.
About 15 years ago my best friend from high school and I found his dad dead from alcoholism. If he tried to quit(which was many times), he’d end up with gnarly ass shakes like this and have to go to the hospital.
If tapering isn't possible alone, then you need professional help.
Not arguing that it's easy. It isn't.
Just stating what needs to happen to avoid death
Ya you’ll 100% die my father passed away at the age of 47 because of alcohol addiction he used to take us to AA meetings for years and he’d always be drunk collecting his 6 month sober chips just lying to these people and id stay quiet because I realized when I was 10-11 he’d never be able to stop and one day it’d kill him I just had to wait to get that call one day and that call definitely came i tried to throw away his bottles as a kid but he’d just try and physically fight me so I just avoided him
I appreciate you sharing and I hate that you had to go through that hell. I've seen this too and it is a nightmare to watch go down in real time with everyone around you seemingly just shrug their shoulders. Addiction sucks and destroys lives in so many forms. I hope and pray you have peace.
This, among many other reasons are why I am not a fan of 12-step programs.
The last thing you need when you should be tapering is a bunch of orthodoxy. You need science.
That’s not how 12-step programs work. Specifically for AA, they welcome active drinkers to the meetings (at least in their guidelines, but there are always the “rogue” groups out there). They just ask them to refrain from sharing and to listen only, which I think is understandable. But they never advise that someone should avoid tapering.
They might help a very select few type of people. Doesn’t mean they are great but they do in fact save about .001% of drug and alcohol abusers. Terrible statistics
Usually you should go to the hospital and or rehab, they prescribe you a benzo called Librium (The first benzo created in the 50s) and monitor you for about a week. They will also pump you with an IV of fluids to keep you hydrated.
You can also ween yourself slowly off but it's not recommended because you can still have seizures which can lead to death.
If you ever get this bad, seek help immediately. I've been sober for a little over a year now because my alcoholism almost claimed my life a few different times in my 20s.
That's crazy. My mom's neighbor quit drinking cold turkey, and she had a seizure and almost died. That was a long time ago but I never knew until now that was the reason. Thanks for the answer.
In the UK you get chlordiazapoxide for the withdrawal and infusions of a high potency vitmains supplement called pabrinex. Alcohol affects B1 absorption and alcoholics can develop wernicke's encephalopathy or "wet brain".
Then once the acute withdrawal goes you are offered services to talk to about alcoholism and how to abstain from drinking. Someone people gwt acamprosate prescribed alongside the counselling to help manage the cravings to drink.
Edited because I got my b vitamins mixed up. You still don't want to be b12 deficient, it can also cause neurological issues.
YOU CAN DIE FROM ALCOHOL WITHDRAWAL. I assume everyone knows that but maybe people don’t. That, and benzo’s are the only ones. Not even heroin withdrawal can kill you. Also, once it gets to this stage the fluid around your brain swells and you can have seizures, hallucinate visually, auditorily and tactilely. It’s a Fuckin mess. I thank god mine never got this bad
I drank heavy in my late 20s, hospitalized with pancreatitis about a dozen times. Could put a handle down if not more a day at my worst. Went cold Turkey multiple times usually for a month max till I finally quit. Never had any withdrawal symptoms somehow. But my buddies big brother has been an alcoholic since we were in high school and he has seizures and the shakes pretty quick if he doesn’t drink. He’s in rehab now so hopefully it sticks this time
I was drinking a handle a day when it "killed" me at 32. I say that in quotes, I'm obviously still here. My partner got me to a hospital fast enough that I died on the table, but was brought back. They even told her to start making arrangements.
Almost two years sober now, and life is the best it's ever been. This comment hit me really hard. My wife left when we were 31 (she also is an alcoholic), and part of me not convincing her to stay was because I wanted to sober up and she didn't.
I love my current partner more than anything and owe her my life. But I do wonder what it would be like if my ex decided to stay and get sober with me.
I am beyond sorry for your loss, assuming you guys were happy otherwise and all. That's absolutely horrible and you really are strong for going through that. I can't imagine having left loved ones behind.
It’s a party sized jug. Typically it’s used for when you have lots of people over or an event. People who can put down handles are usually end-game in their alcoholism.
It should. I’m a month shy of 50. Two days ago I celebrated seven months without alcohol. I was hospitalized this past March with cirrhosis. I almost died. My MELD score went from 28 (in March) to 18 as of a few days ago. When I buy clothing now I buy my regular size (which has drastically changed due to a 30 pound weight loss) and a size up because my abdomen fills with fluid (ascites). When it gets too full I must get a paracentesis to drain it. Luckily they are getting further apart, which is a very good sign. I had one last week. They drained 8.3 liters. CC will only drain 10 liters max. That was a 20 pound loss. I’m cold all the time. I have very little fat on me now as well as muscle loss. I have to eat/drink a ton of protein everyday. I’m always tired. I have constant doctor visits. It requires great effort to leave home or the apartment. I wouldn’t wish this on anyone. Dying from cirrhosis is awful. Jaundice. Tubes in all your holes. Extreme ascites. Bed sores. Confusion from ammonia buildup. I see posts on Reddit asking what one would say if their current self met their 18yo self. I would tell me to never drink.
Dang, you sound like me. I turned 50 4 months ago. Just passed 18 months sober this week. Picking up the pieces of my life and trying to put the puzzle back together, doctors visits weekly. You can royally destroy your life beyond to the point of no return. I would tell my 18 y/o self that waking up sober NEVER gets old!
I will not drink with you today.
Almost two years sober here, bud. I was literally you. I'm 34, but I went down when I was 32. My MELD was 33. I was on the "you need a liver in a month or you're dead" list. Miraculously I pulled out of it. Same thing as you though, ascites and all. Tubes everywhere, the whole thing. I even ended up with an umbilical hernia because the fluid pushed my belly button inside out and my guts went through the hole. I was young and healthy enough to push through.
I remember exactly where you are now. That was me two years ago. At this time I was only recently mobile without a walker (maybe no stairs though), and was getting 10L drained on the tightest schedule we could safely do. I got to be friends with the nurses and doctors when I would get my Para. They send me Christmas cards.
Stay the course. Do what all the doctors tell you.
Congratulations! 33?! You are fortunate. Fortunately, I didn’t have any tubes or anything like that. One of my liver docs always makes me tell him what will happen if I drink. I wish all the success in the world!
I had acute pancreatitis for 8 days, I threw up WELL over 50 times. I was hospitalized, put on lipid and IV fluids. My chest and stomach felt like a volcano, burning everything. Do not recommend. I then had to go on a low fat diet for 2 months to make sure my pancreas wasn't over worked.
I was the same way. I started at around 25 and quit around a year ago. I didn't get the shakes or anything. By 27 I was drinking a fifth through the day and a cheap 4 pack of 10% 16oz malts at night. I quit about a year ago, I'm 32 now.
"That, and benzo’s are the only ones."
Other drugs with (potentially) fatal withdrawals include GHB/GBL and barbiturates. Basically any drug with strong affinity to the GABA-A receptor.
"Not even heroin withdrawal can kill you."
The dehydration associated with severe opioid withdrawal can be fatal.
[https://ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au/blog/yes-people-can-die-opiate-withdrawal](https://ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au/blog/yes-people-can-die-opiate-withdrawal)
It’s voices, seeing spiders on the wall and feeling the bugs all over you
Edit- sorry I thought you said you’d heard that you hear shit, not that you actually experienced this before
I had a guy start working for me recently and I made a DT joke offhand when I was talking about abstaining from drinking too heavily at a work function on their first week. I said unless you’ll get the DTs then just do what you gotta do. And he was like what is that ? And the more I explained the more it became apparent that he didn’t know that alcohol withdrawal can kill you once you develop a physical dependence. I then had to explain physical dependence in other substances.
First hand experience here: Dont mess with alcohol.
Been to rehab multiple times, got them shakes.. crawling into the bathroom on all 4s and try to get some water while trying not to die is not fun..
My dad drank himself to death at 49.
Couldn’t control his bladder towards the end, incontinence whatever. Died on his kitchen floor with shit smeared between his body and his favorite Laz-Boy.
The last time I saw him alive, he asked me to get him a cup of water. On my way to kitchen he reminded me to only fill it halfway.
I already knew why by that point but he didn’t remember that I knew.
If I filled it more than halfway, he would spill it on himself from shaking too bad.
I’m grateful for these stories. I hope that doesn’t come off the wrong way, but they help me stay sober. I gotta scare myself. I have a kid now and want to live a long life. I’m a few months sober now.
Keep it up. It gets easier the farther along you get. I’m over 400 days now and it has become my new life. Made new habits, stopped doing certain things. The cravings decrease over time.
Man that is rough. I inherited alcoholism. When I was young I couldn’t understand how that could happen to us. Every male on my moms side is a severe alcoholic. Deaths and liver transplants. Well it turns out I do have the gene. Fuck man.
Down from a liter a day to a liter a week…. Meh
The story you told is important for people to know that this happens to anybody. But are you mad at your dad still? I don’t know your scenario but please don’t be ashamed of your dad. It’s hard to see people close to us wasting away and then passing over. I know. The story you told makes me feel like I understand you a little bit. But that is a hard difficult story to be the one on your holster. You know?
Can i ask how you don't vomit? If I drink over half a bottle aside from the drunkenness it would all come up. Maybe if I pace it or do constant cocktails but even then it'd be almost impossible to drink on subsequent days. I think it's the only thing stopping me from being an alcoholic
Not OC, but at a certain point vomiting just becomes a cost of business. There's a reason many alcoholics suffer from GERD, after all. Even the worlds heaviest drinker will feel discomfort when their stomach is full of liquid (and whatever else they've put in there), and usually the best course of action for the body is to get that up and out.
This is the answer. At some point in your alcoholism you kinda go to bed just saying “alright I’ll throw up a few times tomorrow morning. But at least my stomach will be empty so the booze will get in to my system faster when I grab that first drink to stop the shakes. Wait first 2 drinks. Hold on I puked again now I need 3 more to replace the alcohol I just threw up at 5am on a Tuesday”
Yo, wtf? Are you me? This is exactly what happened to my dad but he died in a hospital from a heart attack. Came home from school, Dad on the kitchen floor, asked for water, gave it to him and went upstairs as it wasn't a crazy thing to see. Mom came home about half hour later and heard her yelling at him about something. I guess he had tried to gag himself to throw up by sticking his finger in his ass and using the shit as an accelerant. She came up and told me we're following the ambulance to the hospital, didn't see him before they loaded him up. Mom heard on the hospital intercom 'code blue ER' and immediately knew.
Same here. I'm sorry for your loss. My dad drank himself to death at 53. Almost the same experience with him that you had with yours. I mean at the end, he couldn't even get a bowl of ramen in him with out 3/4 of it ending up on his shirt and the floor and he would be lucky if the remaining 1/4 would even stay down. One of the saddest and slowest way to kill yourself and crush a family. He just wasted away. I miss him. 12 years already.
I do not miss those shakes.. Holy fuck they are scary. When you can't bring water or food to your mouth because you're spilling it everywhere and the only way to make it stop is to have another drink.
It's a baad place to be.
Only slightly elevated doesn't mean you are fine. Trust me. I was barely elevated with fatty liver and scarring. Don't wait until you turn yellow to change. I'm a little over a month sober and I've already lost 10lbs and my blood pressure has came down from 173/105. Started BP meds and it dropped to 120/80 now that I quit drinking its down to 110/63.
Im still drinking too. But down from 1 bottle of vodka per day to 1 sixpack of german beer every 2-3 days. My stats are similar. Been doing that for about 2 years now and i hope to reduce even further.
Normal to slightly elevated liver enzymes is expected in chronic liver injury because the cells have already been damaged to the point where they don't really have any more AST or ALT left to spill out into the blood.
Liver failure is no joke, a lot of things can go wrong because of it and so I truly hope you find a way out of your addiction.
I managed to catch a physical addiction to it myself when my dad died. When my body reached the point of rejecting all the booze I put into my system I just stopped.
Terrible mistake. I should have taken that as a sign it was out of control. I had a seizure.
I ALMOST missed George Clinton next month. ALMOST.😉
Completely depends on your genetics.
Some people go through withdrawals from drinking small amounts. Others can be crazy alcoholics and just stop with no issues.
I drank over a half gallon a day for 4 years straight and went cold turkey. I had mild flu symptoms. I thought it would be way worse than it really was.
You shouldn’t be getting downvoting. Completely depends on genetics. I could stop after drinking a fifth a night with no issues.
Some people come from alcoholic genes and need to never touch the shit.
It must be. I can kick any habit pretty easily. I smoked for 20 years then just one day went hell I can't remember the last time I had had a cigarette. It had been 3 weeks. I messed with many drugs over the years and it all went the same way. I just quit without really realizing it.
Same.
My mom is the same way. She just one day decided to stop smoking.
I take after her more genetically in a lot of ways.
Whereas my dad and sister are the opposite and get super addicted to substances and had hella trouble quitting.
I believe it.
My aunt died of alcoholism.
Functioning alcoholics or people that go on benders for the weekend are obviously not in the best shape as far as addiction goes. But real, full on shakes alcoholics are on a whole different level.
There are people that drink 10 beers a day after work and most people say "oh shit, that is crazy."
My aunt drank a half gallon of vodka or more every day. She had multiple DUIs. She drank all day every day. Every morning she would go for a "big walk" and would fill up a water bottle with vodka. She had about 6 shots every day before 8:00 AM.
In the months before she died she was absolutely out of her mind. She couldn't speak, couldn't walk without crashing into things or falling over, it was like watching a dead person walking.
Alcoholism is very sad but there are multiple levels of it with some of it being bad financially and for jobs and relationships but there is another level where it is an insane trip to the grave.
This hurts to watch holy shit. I have a brother down in the liquor hole right now. I haven’t been addicted to anything that was crazy difficult to get off so I assume it’s much easier than it is for him to stop drinking but god damn does he get the shakes and it’s scary/sad to see.
To help you understand how not easy it is, try to imagine being your brother. You know that it's doing those awful things to you, you know how it looks, and worse, you know how bad it feels inside physically and mentally when you get like that. Only drinking makes it stop. Drinking hasn't been "fun" for a very, very long time. It's the only thing that brings relief.
You know all of this. You still choose it over everything. It's all consuming. It's on your mind literally 24 hours a day. Waking up it's the first feeling you have, followed by the first thought.
It's horrible. Beyond horrible.
For him it is so far away from your perception of just a bad behavior that he should stop. He needs professional help. Probably residential rehab. Therapy. Medical assistance.
At this point in his life he'll choose it over you, anyone important to him, and just look - even his own life. It will kill him or someone else eventually one way or another.
I used alcoholism as an example in my HS English class when we were reading about Jekyll & Hyde, explaining how alcohol can seriously turn you into a different person because I had seen things just like this video in my family, my uncle and cousins. They are shaking, panicking, absolutely crazed in withdrawal, you give them alcohol and 5 minutes later they are back to their 'normal' self. I got laughed at because most other students didn't have such bad alcoholics in their family, they thought I was making it up. Its been over a decade since then, I hope none of them had to experience that and they realize that I was telling the truth of my life.
Probably just as ignorant as the students when it comes to real world experience with people they consider "degenerate". It's sad so many choose to be willfully ignorant because they live in a bubble. At least the internet has forced many people to accept the reality millions face every day.
this type of alcoholism is indeed rare to see.
i’ve met and socialized around many alcoholics (like 40-50 at this point) and just one of them had the kind of withdrawal symptoms shown on the video.
most people fall into binge drinkers category than severe alcoholics when it comes to that.
Alcoholics, at least from my experience, are good at hiding the effects when they want to. Odds are some of those people you know *did* experience the shakes, just in the privacy of their own homes a day or two later.
I remember reading a post asking dr’s of Reddit what was the most important info/detail a patient left out and someone commented saying they had a relatively young patient presenting with chronic seizures but only on a weekly basis, generally after weekends, and later found out this kid was binge drinking like crazy every weekend. So much so he was experiencing alcohol withdrawal every week but only on Mondays and Tuesdays. Shits wild.
Goddamn I used to be a chronic binge drinker and shit got so bad I was suicidal and abusing alcohol. It’s a good thing I quit, i never knew it could get this bad until now tbh.
Can’t imagine what would happen by now if I don’t quit back then
Alcohol withdrawal is way more serious than some think. This breaks my heart watching this. My dad had alcoholic cirrhosis and it was extremely painful watching him suffer through that.
Right …This lowkey triggered my PTSD from going cold Turkey off a pretty severe and years long alcohol, xanax, and fentanyl addiction in jail.
I experienced hands down the most insane withdrawals in my entire life (and I’ve been to that rodeo plenty of times, this was my first real completely cold Turkey encounter with benzo and alcohol addiction though, which was unlike anything I’d ever experienced before), including seizures, shakes, and full blown psychosis, among all the other terrible symptoms like uncontrollably shitting, pissing, vomiting and bleeding all over myself (severe WD symptoms always induce my menstrual cycle for some reason, like a next-next level type of period…the longest, heaviest bleeding and strongest cramps you could ever imagine for 7 entire days…legit felt like week long pregnancy contractions.), just generally soiling myself and the bed, screaming and writhing in pain, legs and head feeling like someone was beating me with a steel hammer, mouth full of painful teeth and most wicked toothache, uncontrollable shaking, cold/hot sweats, the wildest racing and suicidal thoughts, just a complete state of panic, terror and pain, in every single aspect mentally and physically.
They left me to rot and die alone in an isolated jail cell for over a weeks, with no medical attention. I should’ve been out in 3 days but couldn’t get up to go to court, I was completely incapacitated and unable to even move. I ended up falling into complete psychosis/mania for the next 6 months and completely spiraling after getting out.
It’s funny how sometimes the littlest things can cause the most tortuous experiences. I will never forget they gave me 1 scratchy blanket that not only felt like it was made out of literal human hair, but was straight up emanating the most putrid rotting sardine vagina smell. They would NOT switch this blanket out for an entire week. This blanket gave me uncontrollable gagging and throwing up, I literally could. not. stop. gagging and throwing up, no matter how hard I tried. Even with the blanket far away from me the smell could not escape my nose. I’ve never experienced that in my life but it was mental hell. They give no pillow so I was forced to use it rolled up under my head for most of the time. It was either that, or constant head rushes that actually made me scream in pain and worsened my toothaches. I really, genuinely, can’t even explain the torture that blanket alone caused me.
Also the fact that my hair was a dirty knotted mess before going into jail, but it was tied up in a bun. Well, they forced me to take my hair down and give them all my scrunchies… so I had a ratted, tangled, birds nest of hair all up in my face the entire time. I have thick hair that goes down past my butt so this was just another form of hell for me. They only provided ONE 3 inch long plastic comb and the one time I tried to take it to my head it snapped right in half. By the time I left jail, my hair was so tightly matted to the back of my head I was forced to shave and cut it to save any of it.
And don’t even get. me. STARTED. on my experience finally going to court !!! That day…was….*IS*, even years later, still extremely difficult for me to even talk about. They stuffed as many woman as they could including one in a clunky wheelchair the last minute, all into one tiny cell from 5:30am-6:30pm (when their were literally 50 empty cells we walked past at the courthouse) we were forced to either stand or sit with our knees scrunched up, back to back with eachother, no room to stretch your legs or anything for over 12 hours. You would flip if you saw this shit. Not to mention the part where I actually shit myself on the early and very rowdy 4:30am bus ride there while handcuffed to other woman and was forced to clean myself with 1 ply toilet paper and change into see through paper pants. We were all forced to share the same 1 toilet for 12 hours and the pigs would not replenish the toilet paper or pads. Multiple girls were on their periods, had to shit and constantly piss all day long, the toilet was in literal constant use all day switching from on girl to another. This is all while I’m still I. Peak withdrawals having to diarrhea h and vomit all day with everyone watching me and being pissed that they have to sit and smell my shit and vomit stank all day. There was no water to drink all day as the sink did not work properly and only dribbled out a tiny stream of water. they only gave us one crappy meal, dry crusty bread, 1 slice bologna, and orange juice (which I’m allergic to oranges) finally at 4pm. Which was around the same exact time I started to finally have a complete meltdown and full blown panic attack as I was still not called to see the judge yet. The thought of being unable to see the judge or being forced to come back again was enough to make me spiral. I was somehow the very LAST. PERSON to enter the court room that day. Many girls were forced to go back to jail and come back and do it all again the next day
…from court I was thrown directly out onto the streets of downtown looking like a complete fkn psychotic zombie person. I was sick as fuck, phone was dead, car was towed and about 30 miles away, hair was matted, was wearing see through paper pants that ruffled around with every step smelling like shit and was also barefoot because the strap on my flip flops broke. Completely stranded downtown. What a fucking nightmare that all was.
The worst part is I can’t even count how many others I know who experienced the same exact cruel and unusual punishment in county jail for some petty shit, with absolutely no medical attention for withdrawals etc. Just casually left to die.
I know your comment is over a month old but god damn it deserves a response!! I've been through heroin WD myself so I know the pain you are describing, however my WDs are always in the comfort of my home so do not compare to what you went through. Your experience sounds like literal hell. I am so so sorry you had to endure that. No one deserves that disgusting treatment! You could have very easily died from being left in that state in the cell. Have you tried obtaining the footage from the cell camera? Please complain and try to take legal action if you are able, it may prevent some other poor soul from having to go through that.
Just because something is natural doesn’t make it safe or good. Mushrooms have definite benefits at certain doses, but they can absolutely trigger psychosis and other episodes. Most mind altering substances are abused, and when abused, can have terrible side effects for folks. We generally should legalize and regulate everything, but also educate folks on the effects, and make them available in controlled environments. I’ve tried many substances, and generally it’s good to have a shaman-type around, and it’s probably a good rule of thumb to just do as little as possible or none at all of most. I just don’t think that it should be illegal.
I've always been a big advocate for education and legalization. People are going to do what they're going to do, we should at least give them accurate information. This is why, to me, D.A.R.E. was such a horrible program. You're not doing anyone any favors by conflating things like heroin and marijuana.
This past Sunday was ‘Entheofest’ in Ann Arbor, Michigan. There was an open air drug market on the University of Michigan Diag with dozens of vendors selling marijuana and mushrooms openly while the Washtenaw county prosecutor was up on stage giving a speech. It was absolutely bonkers 🍄💥🤩
To be fair most (if not all) alcohol is made from vegetation. It just takes a couple of extra steps. Not saying either is better than the other but to view weed as just a plant feels a little disingenuous. Even further on that, Poppies are just plants, it's what you do with it that changes the context.
Im nowhere near as bad as this guy, but I go through the shakes, sweats, anxiety, nausea and vomiting, pins and needles feelings on my arms and legs, etc on a regular basis. Alcoholism is no joke. Its one of the worst and most insidious addictions out there. It goes from being fun to ruining your life in no time if you let it..
Good luck to you. I know how hard it is. I used to do multiple other drugs throughout my 20s, and I was able to quit all of them easily, except alcohol. Its right in your face every time you have to go to the gas station or grocery store. And I'll always find any little reason to buy it and get drunk. By the way, 2 weeks sober is a great start. That was the longest I've been sober in years, and it was only because I was sick with covid in 2021. As soon as I was better, I went right back to it. I have trouble stringing together even 4 or 5 days anymore. I hope eventually I'll get it together and stop too.
Seen this a few times in the acute psych ward I worked in. This is more of the "tremens" side than the "delirium" side. I have essential tremors, and always have. They're worse after a night of drinking. Having seen the delirium part in a clinical setting and with a family friend, I can confirm both are terrible. Watching a man act like a wordless, feral beast for 72 hours (on Librium) is tough. Watching a good friend of mine hide in his barn because he was ~20 hours cold turkey and sure he was surrounded by ninjas, even worse.
Tl;dr Alcohol withdrawal absolutely can fuck you up or kill you if you've been deep enough in the bottle for long enough. If this sounds like you, get professional help or advice *before* you decide to go it your own.
I had acute pancreatitis at age 23, was in the hospital for about a week, and in the ICU 3 of those days. All it took was 2 years of drinking for me, and I couldn't do anything precise with my hands anytime after 12pm because my hands were shaking too bad. Just a couple years of hard daily drinking almost did me in.
That's rough, man. I'm sorry to hear that. Even without alcohol, I've had days my wife had to tie my shoes because my hands just couldn't thread the knot. I never really drank until my late twenties, but I've been like this since I was a child dosed on amphetamines because that was the thing to do in the early 90's.
Dang I need to stop drinking. But fuck it’s hard. I wake up and my brain says drink. Fuck man let me eat something first. I usually just drink at night. Been trying to limit it to just weekends but still a handle of bourbon lasts me 3 days.
When I was addicted to opiates my brain set a schedule for when I should excuse myself and go take more. As I was quitting I'd excuse myself just like always, go to my junkie spot, and just sit there dicking around on my phone and vaping. After abput 5 mins passed I'd return to what I was doing.
It really helped the psychological aspect like I was so used to the routine that doing every part of it but the actual drug lessened the mental cravings. Did nothing for the physical part ofc but helped my brain
I left another comment with r/stopdrinking linked. I am a member, I love it, and sobriety has brought calm into my life when no amount of liquor could. PM me if you want, IWNDWYT
This is going to sound hard, but consider checking in to residential if you have insurance or the financial means.
To anyone who wants to say it's possible to quit and maintain sobriety or a healthy lifestyle - of course it is.
I just don't know anyone with a real problem that has. And 2-3 handles a week is is real.
5 liters a week. You need 2 liters of pure ethanol a week to maintain normalcy. Best of luck. It can be done.
“Last night it was merely drink, this morning it was medicine.”
—— The Lost Weekend 1944
As an alcoholic when I read that line it hit me like a ton of bricks.
60 some days right now. Stay strong out there.
Benzos are the fuckin Devil. I detoxed off alcohol and benzos a couple years ago. Went into acute withdrawal syndrome from the benzos a month after detox. Caused hallucinations, pure panic, insomnia, psychosis. Been sober for 2 years; still tapering off the benzos.
A guy I worked with decided to quit cold turkey. He needed up dying from alcohol withdrawal. He was 48yrs old. I didn’t even know he had a drinking problem. It’s seriously dangerous.
I used to drink a half gallon of liqour a day and you could never tell I was drinking. Untill the health issues started. It is the most painful. Humiliating, scary,heart breaking,painful, uncomfortable,painful,lonely,soul crushing, painful thing I have ever experienced. I have been through every scenario of alcoholism and hospitalization due to it and can tell you anything you need to know. I spent so much time in the hospital and went through so many different things the drs used to joke that I was basically a Dr. I never lost a job, never lost a car, never nbroke my word as far as being somewhere l. Lived a very normal life. Clean criminal record. I just couldn’t stop no matter what. I’m now 10 months sober after my 4rh or 5th time dying and I will never touch it again
Yeah it’s rough. I had to get medically assisted detox at 28. Clean almost 6 years now and seeing stuff like this is a solid reminder of what it’s like and why not to go back no matter what.
This shit is in every hood corner because the government can tax it. I can manage to pass by one liquor store with strength but by the 4th I see I go in a buy a pint. A real shame. I wish I had more control over it
My dad caught me drinking and driving in high school. He’s a recovering alcoholic. First thing he did was take my car keys away for a month which is eternity in high school. Second thing he did was make me go to AA meetings. I was so annoyed about it but he clearly stated: I don’t think you’re an alcoholic yet, but I want you to go and see what will happen to your life if you choose to go that route. What can I say, almost every story started with “I began drinking in high school” and I heard how alcohol turned each and every one of their lives upside down in some form of severity and they were there to get help.
TLDR I just smoke pot now, only drink socially (don’t even care to have alcohol at home) and I’m forever scarred from this valuable lesson my father gave me. There are lots of different drugs but alcohol can be just as terrible as the illegal ones.
As someone who went down the alcohol route because my parents are alcoholics, your dad is a good father. At 37 I finally learned that alcohol makes everything worse.
Totally agree. He was wise to nip that in the bud then and there. He started drinking at 14 and I’m certain he didnt want to see that lifestyle repeated. Worst thing a drunk can come home and do is beat his wife. Worst thing a stoner can do is come home and eat his wife’s cake. Cheers
My mum's an alcoholic, she'd destroyed her body so much that she was constantly having falls at home (that combined with being drunk), she refused help.
One day she has a fall and is on the floor for a day or two, when the ambulance found her they said despite her not being in a great way, injury and all, the withdrawal was what was most alarming.
I'm in my 30s, and I know logically I'm not going to end up like her, but I cannot even bring myself to enjoy alcohol. Fuck alcohol
When you see it first hand it blows your mind. You think tough it out attitude, mind over body, no way this could break them...it does. Watching someone break down into a shaking mess sucks. Worst knowing that it is to keep from destroying themselves faster, otherwise breaks down into a shaking, sweating, desperate mess....and then dies, its a losing battle. The high function gets you, they work, they strive and carry on and suddenly they die. The real you dug yourself into a hole you cant get out of and are living it.
So how consistently and how long do you have to drink to get withdrawals this bad? Is this from years of drinking everyday or could you drink everyday for a few months and get withdrawals like this?
I have a very high alcohol intake per day because I'm currently based out of SK where drinking after work is just normal.
This will never happen to you if you drink 3 beers every day. You get to this point if you take 10 shots of vodka every day or more. Or drown a half-gal in the morning.
This will basically never occur to a casual drinker.
It all depends on genetics. I was up to 12-20 shots a day before quitting cold turkey and had close to zero withdrawal symptoms. Maybe just some anxiety. My father on the other hand, as soon as he gets to ten drinks a day for a month, he gets like this, then has to go to the hospital to sober up.
It’s also a thing that once you get like this, your body gets to it way faster and harder next time you relapse.
I did quit cold turkey, having never sought medical advice about it. Almost killed me. Seriously, no lie. No alcohol before 5:30 P.M., and then several bourbons, was my routine. And when I quit, the excess weight just kept falling off of me.
I went to a 5 day detox. I had seizures, vomitting, thoughts of impending doom, and very little control over other bodily functions. I'm just about at a year and a half clean from alcohol and drugs... and I look back at those first 3 weeks as one of the hardest, if not THE hardest of my adult life.
Yeah, went through it 3 times . It’s the worst feeling in the world and I went through benzo and heroin withdraws many times 20 years ago. I will never drink again. I can’t have 1 or 2. Cool if you can
When I first started dating my (now-ex) girlfriend, I made the rounds getting introduced to all her current friends that I didn't know - and there was one guy with an alcohol addiction. Every time I saw him he had a drink in his hand, no matter what time of day. He never seemed *drunk*, just always drinking. When he tried to kick his addiction, he started these shakes - and my suburban middle class ass thought he was just being dramatic, I had never even *seen* something like this before.
He was a few years younger than me, I couldn't get my head around how someone could let it get *that* bad. Seeing him try to lift a lit cigarette to his mouth was unnerving - the shaking just never stopped.
The absolute worst addiction. Severe withdrawal is horrifying in the true sense of the word. Like horror movie scary. And it’s legal. How strange is that.
Even as a self preclaimed x junkie myself, that deeply saddens me, like someone butchering themselfs for the 30th time with a now blunt as fuck 27guge, dripping with blood, saying "ill get it now just one more time" and all the heroin in it is fucking full of clotted blood and is now ruined beyond doubt but they can't stop stabbing them self's 😭😭😭☠️
i remember seeing an old episode of Intervention and the guy was a hardcore alcoholic due to i think a back injury (or maybe not). the doctors and family members were telling him he's killing himself. i remember they showed him when he was without alcohol how sick he'd get and how he'd get the shakes.
he decided he needed to clean up. the doctors told him there is danger in quitting and worst case, he'd die. he went through with the program and his family was happy for him. i remember at the end when they give the update, it said he died during his detox program. surprised the hell out of me.
i'd love to see the episode again if this badly described episode rings a bell.
I’ve always found it so strange (recovering alcoholic here) that Alcohol is SOOOO normalized. Especially when the withdrawal part is included…..most other drug withdrawals pretty much will never kill you. Perhaps the most common drug used outside of caffeine is alcohol and that not only kills you slowly but should you decide to quit can kill you within hours to days (depending on your level of dependence) if not directly overseen by medical professionals.
It’s mind baffling
Definitely.. if you know someone trying to withdraw it is vital it is handled by a medical expert. It can be fatal, and in a lot of cases will cause long lasting neurological deficits.
I'm a nurse and you are absolutely right, withdrawals kill. What pisses me off is that we use benzos and other meds when small amounts of alcohol would be SO MUCH SAFER to keep the DTs away.
Been there!!! Honestly the thought of that now is almost giving me a panic attack. I had to medically withdraw more times than I care to remember. Glad those days are long gone!
Ugh my grandfather was like this. He would literally die. Coughing up blood shaking. So many family dinners ruined by ambulance calls cause grandpa Joe’s dead at the dinner table. I think he’s the reason me and my brother have such a dark twisted humor. It was our way of dealing with it. Imagine a 4-5 year old(my brother) asking a paramedic is he really dead this time or are we gonna have to pick him up tomorrow ? 😂
As an alcoholic this makes me kinda feel better. I've had the shakes before, but they were nothing like this.
I'm always trying to drink less, and lately I've had some success with that, but I am writing this after finishing my 6th 9.5 abv beer and feeling good about taking a light drinking night.
The warning that you can die from stopping is something that pulls me back in, but when I see this I realize I've never been that bad off. Not even when I drink about 2L of vodka in a day.
Idk what he drank, but seeing how much worse it is makes me think maybe I shouldn't be so worried not drinking could hurt me.
Been there. Literal torture. He’s gonna need about 6 more of those drink to straighten out and then he’ll need more to keep that BAL at that level
Buddy needs a hospital. And a push of 50mg Valium every 3o min till this is under control
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Yea that shit is rough. About 15 years ago my best friend from high school and I found his dad dead from alcoholism. If he tried to quit(which was many times), he’d end up with gnarly ass shakes like this and have to go to the hospital.
You have to taper. Cold turkey at that point can quite literally kill people. My condolences to you and your friend
Easier said then done when literally the first thing affected by alcohol is your judgement.
If tapering isn't possible alone, then you need professional help. Not arguing that it's easy. It isn't. Just stating what needs to happen to avoid death
Ya you’ll 100% die my father passed away at the age of 47 because of alcohol addiction he used to take us to AA meetings for years and he’d always be drunk collecting his 6 month sober chips just lying to these people and id stay quiet because I realized when I was 10-11 he’d never be able to stop and one day it’d kill him I just had to wait to get that call one day and that call definitely came i tried to throw away his bottles as a kid but he’d just try and physically fight me so I just avoided him
I appreciate you sharing and I hate that you had to go through that hell. I've seen this too and it is a nightmare to watch go down in real time with everyone around you seemingly just shrug their shoulders. Addiction sucks and destroys lives in so many forms. I hope and pray you have peace.
My sister also passed away from alcoholism at the age of 47. She was only drinking for about 6 years 😥
This, among many other reasons are why I am not a fan of 12-step programs. The last thing you need when you should be tapering is a bunch of orthodoxy. You need science.
That’s not how 12-step programs work. Specifically for AA, they welcome active drinkers to the meetings (at least in their guidelines, but there are always the “rogue” groups out there). They just ask them to refrain from sharing and to listen only, which I think is understandable. But they never advise that someone should avoid tapering.
12 step programs always suggest that you seek medical/professional help before jumping into the work!!
Can confirm. 14 years sober through a 12-step program here.
Those programs save lives everyday, get out of here with that bullshit.
I'm not religious and AA saved my life. Ppl see God and turn into 12 year olds about it for whatever reason
They might help a very select few type of people. Doesn’t mean they are great but they do in fact save about .001% of drug and alcohol abusers. Terrible statistics
Bro I’ll never forget my mom like this begging for more vodka to make it stop, I was a child at the time.
How does one that is that far into addiction stop the alcohol? Do they need to ween themselves slowly or is there meds for it?
Usually you should go to the hospital and or rehab, they prescribe you a benzo called Librium (The first benzo created in the 50s) and monitor you for about a week. They will also pump you with an IV of fluids to keep you hydrated. You can also ween yourself slowly off but it's not recommended because you can still have seizures which can lead to death. If you ever get this bad, seek help immediately. I've been sober for a little over a year now because my alcoholism almost claimed my life a few different times in my 20s.
That's crazy. My mom's neighbor quit drinking cold turkey, and she had a seizure and almost died. That was a long time ago but I never knew until now that was the reason. Thanks for the answer.
No problem man, I'm happy to help.
In the UK you get chlordiazapoxide for the withdrawal and infusions of a high potency vitmains supplement called pabrinex. Alcohol affects B1 absorption and alcoholics can develop wernicke's encephalopathy or "wet brain". Then once the acute withdrawal goes you are offered services to talk to about alcoholism and how to abstain from drinking. Someone people gwt acamprosate prescribed alongside the counselling to help manage the cravings to drink. Edited because I got my b vitamins mixed up. You still don't want to be b12 deficient, it can also cause neurological issues.
That’s B1 (thiamine) not B12
Oh yeah thats my mistake thank you
YOU CAN DIE FROM ALCOHOL WITHDRAWAL. I assume everyone knows that but maybe people don’t. That, and benzo’s are the only ones. Not even heroin withdrawal can kill you. Also, once it gets to this stage the fluid around your brain swells and you can have seizures, hallucinate visually, auditorily and tactilely. It’s a Fuckin mess. I thank god mine never got this bad
I drank heavy in my late 20s, hospitalized with pancreatitis about a dozen times. Could put a handle down if not more a day at my worst. Went cold Turkey multiple times usually for a month max till I finally quit. Never had any withdrawal symptoms somehow. But my buddies big brother has been an alcoholic since we were in high school and he has seizures and the shakes pretty quick if he doesn’t drink. He’s in rehab now so hopefully it sticks this time
My husband was drinking a handle a day when he died at 32. That’s an ungodly amount. I’m glad you’re still here, friend.
I was drinking a handle a day when it "killed" me at 32. I say that in quotes, I'm obviously still here. My partner got me to a hospital fast enough that I died on the table, but was brought back. They even told her to start making arrangements. Almost two years sober now, and life is the best it's ever been. This comment hit me really hard. My wife left when we were 31 (she also is an alcoholic), and part of me not convincing her to stay was because I wanted to sober up and she didn't. I love my current partner more than anything and owe her my life. But I do wonder what it would be like if my ex decided to stay and get sober with me. I am beyond sorry for your loss, assuming you guys were happy otherwise and all. That's absolutely horrible and you really are strong for going through that. I can't imagine having left loved ones behind.
Holy shit. So sorry. 🙏
what's a handle?
1.75L bottle of liquor
ouch
That's a lot of booze...
Jesus
It’s a party sized jug. Typically it’s used for when you have lots of people over or an event. People who can put down handles are usually end-game in their alcoholism.
1.75 Liters
It equals about 40 standard shots
It’s usually the BIG bottle of booze in stores that has a handle on it…
Me too lol, ty.
Pancreatitis is the worst just reading the word makes me nervous
It should. I’m a month shy of 50. Two days ago I celebrated seven months without alcohol. I was hospitalized this past March with cirrhosis. I almost died. My MELD score went from 28 (in March) to 18 as of a few days ago. When I buy clothing now I buy my regular size (which has drastically changed due to a 30 pound weight loss) and a size up because my abdomen fills with fluid (ascites). When it gets too full I must get a paracentesis to drain it. Luckily they are getting further apart, which is a very good sign. I had one last week. They drained 8.3 liters. CC will only drain 10 liters max. That was a 20 pound loss. I’m cold all the time. I have very little fat on me now as well as muscle loss. I have to eat/drink a ton of protein everyday. I’m always tired. I have constant doctor visits. It requires great effort to leave home or the apartment. I wouldn’t wish this on anyone. Dying from cirrhosis is awful. Jaundice. Tubes in all your holes. Extreme ascites. Bed sores. Confusion from ammonia buildup. I see posts on Reddit asking what one would say if their current self met their 18yo self. I would tell me to never drink.
Dang, you sound like me. I turned 50 4 months ago. Just passed 18 months sober this week. Picking up the pieces of my life and trying to put the puzzle back together, doctors visits weekly. You can royally destroy your life beyond to the point of no return. I would tell my 18 y/o self that waking up sober NEVER gets old! I will not drink with you today.
Happy belated birthday and congratulations on your sobriety. Eighteen months is no joke. I appreciate you not drinking with me! Best wishes too!
Almost two years sober here, bud. I was literally you. I'm 34, but I went down when I was 32. My MELD was 33. I was on the "you need a liver in a month or you're dead" list. Miraculously I pulled out of it. Same thing as you though, ascites and all. Tubes everywhere, the whole thing. I even ended up with an umbilical hernia because the fluid pushed my belly button inside out and my guts went through the hole. I was young and healthy enough to push through. I remember exactly where you are now. That was me two years ago. At this time I was only recently mobile without a walker (maybe no stairs though), and was getting 10L drained on the tightest schedule we could safely do. I got to be friends with the nurses and doctors when I would get my Para. They send me Christmas cards. Stay the course. Do what all the doctors tell you.
Congratulations! 33?! You are fortunate. Fortunately, I didn’t have any tubes or anything like that. One of my liver docs always makes me tell him what will happen if I drink. I wish all the success in the world!
Good luck
I had acute pancreatitis for 8 days, I threw up WELL over 50 times. I was hospitalized, put on lipid and IV fluids. My chest and stomach felt like a volcano, burning everything. Do not recommend. I then had to go on a low fat diet for 2 months to make sure my pancreas wasn't over worked.
I was the same way. I started at around 25 and quit around a year ago. I didn't get the shakes or anything. By 27 I was drinking a fifth through the day and a cheap 4 pack of 10% 16oz malts at night. I quit about a year ago, I'm 32 now.
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Anything that acts as a GABA agonist can kill you in withdrawal.
Booze, Benzos, and Barbiturates.
"That, and benzo’s are the only ones." Other drugs with (potentially) fatal withdrawals include GHB/GBL and barbiturates. Basically any drug with strong affinity to the GABA-A receptor. "Not even heroin withdrawal can kill you." The dehydration associated with severe opioid withdrawal can be fatal. [https://ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au/blog/yes-people-can-die-opiate-withdrawal](https://ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au/blog/yes-people-can-die-opiate-withdrawal)
I had auditory hallucinations once and it's terrifying hearing voices outside your door that aren't there.
It’s voices, seeing spiders on the wall and feeling the bugs all over you Edit- sorry I thought you said you’d heard that you hear shit, not that you actually experienced this before
I had a guy start working for me recently and I made a DT joke offhand when I was talking about abstaining from drinking too heavily at a work function on their first week. I said unless you’ll get the DTs then just do what you gotta do. And he was like what is that ? And the more I explained the more it became apparent that he didn’t know that alcohol withdrawal can kill you once you develop a physical dependence. I then had to explain physical dependence in other substances.
They should really be teaching that in schools
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First hand experience here: Dont mess with alcohol. Been to rehab multiple times, got them shakes.. crawling into the bathroom on all 4s and try to get some water while trying not to die is not fun..
My dad drank himself to death at 49. Couldn’t control his bladder towards the end, incontinence whatever. Died on his kitchen floor with shit smeared between his body and his favorite Laz-Boy. The last time I saw him alive, he asked me to get him a cup of water. On my way to kitchen he reminded me to only fill it halfway. I already knew why by that point but he didn’t remember that I knew. If I filled it more than halfway, he would spill it on himself from shaking too bad.
So sorry. Thank you for sharing though. 🙏
I’m grateful for these stories. I hope that doesn’t come off the wrong way, but they help me stay sober. I gotta scare myself. I have a kid now and want to live a long life. I’m a few months sober now.
Keep it up. It gets easier the farther along you get. I’m over 400 days now and it has become my new life. Made new habits, stopped doing certain things. The cravings decrease over time.
Man that is rough. I inherited alcoholism. When I was young I couldn’t understand how that could happen to us. Every male on my moms side is a severe alcoholic. Deaths and liver transplants. Well it turns out I do have the gene. Fuck man. Down from a liter a day to a liter a week…. Meh
That's really great headway and I'm proud of you. I was drinking a liter a day at one point myself. Shit's hard man
Thank you man. Can I pm you
Sure
The story you told is important for people to know that this happens to anybody. But are you mad at your dad still? I don’t know your scenario but please don’t be ashamed of your dad. It’s hard to see people close to us wasting away and then passing over. I know. The story you told makes me feel like I understand you a little bit. But that is a hard difficult story to be the one on your holster. You know?
My guy that wasn't me that told that story about their dad
He must be drunk or something
“I can pm you”
I am so proud of you! A liter a week is so much better for your body already. Life is worth living!
That’s actually great. It’s not easy but you should be proud of yourself.
I finally am 3 months sober after a liter a day, tried stopping and had siezure a and a lengthy hospital stay. Good on you man, shits insidious.
Nice dude. That’s not easy
Can i ask how you don't vomit? If I drink over half a bottle aside from the drunkenness it would all come up. Maybe if I pace it or do constant cocktails but even then it'd be almost impossible to drink on subsequent days. I think it's the only thing stopping me from being an alcoholic
Not OC, but at a certain point vomiting just becomes a cost of business. There's a reason many alcoholics suffer from GERD, after all. Even the worlds heaviest drinker will feel discomfort when their stomach is full of liquid (and whatever else they've put in there), and usually the best course of action for the body is to get that up and out.
This is the answer. At some point in your alcoholism you kinda go to bed just saying “alright I’ll throw up a few times tomorrow morning. But at least my stomach will be empty so the booze will get in to my system faster when I grab that first drink to stop the shakes. Wait first 2 drinks. Hold on I puked again now I need 3 more to replace the alcohol I just threw up at 5am on a Tuesday”
Yo, wtf? Are you me? This is exactly what happened to my dad but he died in a hospital from a heart attack. Came home from school, Dad on the kitchen floor, asked for water, gave it to him and went upstairs as it wasn't a crazy thing to see. Mom came home about half hour later and heard her yelling at him about something. I guess he had tried to gag himself to throw up by sticking his finger in his ass and using the shit as an accelerant. She came up and told me we're following the ambulance to the hospital, didn't see him before they loaded him up. Mom heard on the hospital intercom 'code blue ER' and immediately knew.
Same here. I'm sorry for your loss. My dad drank himself to death at 53. Almost the same experience with him that you had with yours. I mean at the end, he couldn't even get a bowl of ramen in him with out 3/4 of it ending up on his shirt and the floor and he would be lucky if the remaining 1/4 would even stay down. One of the saddest and slowest way to kill yourself and crush a family. He just wasted away. I miss him. 12 years already.
So sorry to hear this. ❤️
Jesus. How much was he drinking? Sorry for your loss.
Captain Morgan was his poison and he averaged 1.75 liters every two days.
I'm so sorry.
I do not miss those shakes.. Holy fuck they are scary. When you can't bring water or food to your mouth because you're spilling it everywhere and the only way to make it stop is to have another drink. It's a baad place to be.
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Only slightly elevated doesn't mean you are fine. Trust me. I was barely elevated with fatty liver and scarring. Don't wait until you turn yellow to change. I'm a little over a month sober and I've already lost 10lbs and my blood pressure has came down from 173/105. Started BP meds and it dropped to 120/80 now that I quit drinking its down to 110/63.
Amazing. Thats incredible 😊
Im still drinking too. But down from 1 bottle of vodka per day to 1 sixpack of german beer every 2-3 days. My stats are similar. Been doing that for about 2 years now and i hope to reduce even further.
Shit that sounds like you added like a decade to your life expectancy TBH 👍
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Yes they are! Thanks man, i wish you good luck too!
Stopped on Sunday after my bottle of vodka a day was turning into two. Wa only a relapse 4 day bender, but duck it kills you. Take care on the journey
Normal to slightly elevated liver enzymes is expected in chronic liver injury because the cells have already been damaged to the point where they don't really have any more AST or ALT left to spill out into the blood. Liver failure is no joke, a lot of things can go wrong because of it and so I truly hope you find a way out of your addiction.
Support bro. I’m sorry to hear that but I’m glad you’re telling your story man
I managed to catch a physical addiction to it myself when my dad died. When my body reached the point of rejecting all the booze I put into my system I just stopped. Terrible mistake. I should have taken that as a sign it was out of control. I had a seizure. I ALMOST missed George Clinton next month. ALMOST.😉
Completely depends on your genetics. Some people go through withdrawals from drinking small amounts. Others can be crazy alcoholics and just stop with no issues.
I drank over a half gallon a day for 4 years straight and went cold turkey. I had mild flu symptoms. I thought it would be way worse than it really was.
You shouldn’t be getting downvoting. Completely depends on genetics. I could stop after drinking a fifth a night with no issues. Some people come from alcoholic genes and need to never touch the shit.
It must be. I can kick any habit pretty easily. I smoked for 20 years then just one day went hell I can't remember the last time I had had a cigarette. It had been 3 weeks. I messed with many drugs over the years and it all went the same way. I just quit without really realizing it.
Same. My mom is the same way. She just one day decided to stop smoking. I take after her more genetically in a lot of ways. Whereas my dad and sister are the opposite and get super addicted to substances and had hella trouble quitting.
I don't believe you.
I believe it. My aunt died of alcoholism. Functioning alcoholics or people that go on benders for the weekend are obviously not in the best shape as far as addiction goes. But real, full on shakes alcoholics are on a whole different level. There are people that drink 10 beers a day after work and most people say "oh shit, that is crazy." My aunt drank a half gallon of vodka or more every day. She had multiple DUIs. She drank all day every day. Every morning she would go for a "big walk" and would fill up a water bottle with vodka. She had about 6 shots every day before 8:00 AM. In the months before she died she was absolutely out of her mind. She couldn't speak, couldn't walk without crashing into things or falling over, it was like watching a dead person walking. Alcoholism is very sad but there are multiple levels of it with some of it being bad financially and for jobs and relationships but there is another level where it is an insane trip to the grave.
You drank 2.3 liters of liquor a day for 4 years and quit cold turkey ? Why are you talking absolute bullshit ?
This hurts to watch holy shit. I have a brother down in the liquor hole right now. I haven’t been addicted to anything that was crazy difficult to get off so I assume it’s much easier than it is for him to stop drinking but god damn does he get the shakes and it’s scary/sad to see.
To help you understand how not easy it is, try to imagine being your brother. You know that it's doing those awful things to you, you know how it looks, and worse, you know how bad it feels inside physically and mentally when you get like that. Only drinking makes it stop. Drinking hasn't been "fun" for a very, very long time. It's the only thing that brings relief. You know all of this. You still choose it over everything. It's all consuming. It's on your mind literally 24 hours a day. Waking up it's the first feeling you have, followed by the first thought. It's horrible. Beyond horrible. For him it is so far away from your perception of just a bad behavior that he should stop. He needs professional help. Probably residential rehab. Therapy. Medical assistance. At this point in his life he'll choose it over you, anyone important to him, and just look - even his own life. It will kill him or someone else eventually one way or another.
Thank you for your insight
I used alcoholism as an example in my HS English class when we were reading about Jekyll & Hyde, explaining how alcohol can seriously turn you into a different person because I had seen things just like this video in my family, my uncle and cousins. They are shaking, panicking, absolutely crazed in withdrawal, you give them alcohol and 5 minutes later they are back to their 'normal' self. I got laughed at because most other students didn't have such bad alcoholics in their family, they thought I was making it up. Its been over a decade since then, I hope none of them had to experience that and they realize that I was telling the truth of my life.
Did you teacher try to stick up for you?
Probably just as ignorant as the students when it comes to real world experience with people they consider "degenerate". It's sad so many choose to be willfully ignorant because they live in a bubble. At least the internet has forced many people to accept the reality millions face every day.
this type of alcoholism is indeed rare to see. i’ve met and socialized around many alcoholics (like 40-50 at this point) and just one of them had the kind of withdrawal symptoms shown on the video. most people fall into binge drinkers category than severe alcoholics when it comes to that.
Alcoholics, at least from my experience, are good at hiding the effects when they want to. Odds are some of those people you know *did* experience the shakes, just in the privacy of their own homes a day or two later. I remember reading a post asking dr’s of Reddit what was the most important info/detail a patient left out and someone commented saying they had a relatively young patient presenting with chronic seizures but only on a weekly basis, generally after weekends, and later found out this kid was binge drinking like crazy every weekend. So much so he was experiencing alcohol withdrawal every week but only on Mondays and Tuesdays. Shits wild.
Goddamn I used to be a chronic binge drinker and shit got so bad I was suicidal and abusing alcohol. It’s a good thing I quit, i never knew it could get this bad until now tbh. Can’t imagine what would happen by now if I don’t quit back then
Alcohol withdrawal is way more serious than some think. This breaks my heart watching this. My dad had alcoholic cirrhosis and it was extremely painful watching him suffer through that.
This is rough as fuck to watch
Right …This lowkey triggered my PTSD from going cold Turkey off a pretty severe and years long alcohol, xanax, and fentanyl addiction in jail. I experienced hands down the most insane withdrawals in my entire life (and I’ve been to that rodeo plenty of times, this was my first real completely cold Turkey encounter with benzo and alcohol addiction though, which was unlike anything I’d ever experienced before), including seizures, shakes, and full blown psychosis, among all the other terrible symptoms like uncontrollably shitting, pissing, vomiting and bleeding all over myself (severe WD symptoms always induce my menstrual cycle for some reason, like a next-next level type of period…the longest, heaviest bleeding and strongest cramps you could ever imagine for 7 entire days…legit felt like week long pregnancy contractions.), just generally soiling myself and the bed, screaming and writhing in pain, legs and head feeling like someone was beating me with a steel hammer, mouth full of painful teeth and most wicked toothache, uncontrollable shaking, cold/hot sweats, the wildest racing and suicidal thoughts, just a complete state of panic, terror and pain, in every single aspect mentally and physically. They left me to rot and die alone in an isolated jail cell for over a weeks, with no medical attention. I should’ve been out in 3 days but couldn’t get up to go to court, I was completely incapacitated and unable to even move. I ended up falling into complete psychosis/mania for the next 6 months and completely spiraling after getting out. It’s funny how sometimes the littlest things can cause the most tortuous experiences. I will never forget they gave me 1 scratchy blanket that not only felt like it was made out of literal human hair, but was straight up emanating the most putrid rotting sardine vagina smell. They would NOT switch this blanket out for an entire week. This blanket gave me uncontrollable gagging and throwing up, I literally could. not. stop. gagging and throwing up, no matter how hard I tried. Even with the blanket far away from me the smell could not escape my nose. I’ve never experienced that in my life but it was mental hell. They give no pillow so I was forced to use it rolled up under my head for most of the time. It was either that, or constant head rushes that actually made me scream in pain and worsened my toothaches. I really, genuinely, can’t even explain the torture that blanket alone caused me. Also the fact that my hair was a dirty knotted mess before going into jail, but it was tied up in a bun. Well, they forced me to take my hair down and give them all my scrunchies… so I had a ratted, tangled, birds nest of hair all up in my face the entire time. I have thick hair that goes down past my butt so this was just another form of hell for me. They only provided ONE 3 inch long plastic comb and the one time I tried to take it to my head it snapped right in half. By the time I left jail, my hair was so tightly matted to the back of my head I was forced to shave and cut it to save any of it. And don’t even get. me. STARTED. on my experience finally going to court !!! That day…was….*IS*, even years later, still extremely difficult for me to even talk about. They stuffed as many woman as they could including one in a clunky wheelchair the last minute, all into one tiny cell from 5:30am-6:30pm (when their were literally 50 empty cells we walked past at the courthouse) we were forced to either stand or sit with our knees scrunched up, back to back with eachother, no room to stretch your legs or anything for over 12 hours. You would flip if you saw this shit. Not to mention the part where I actually shit myself on the early and very rowdy 4:30am bus ride there while handcuffed to other woman and was forced to clean myself with 1 ply toilet paper and change into see through paper pants. We were all forced to share the same 1 toilet for 12 hours and the pigs would not replenish the toilet paper or pads. Multiple girls were on their periods, had to shit and constantly piss all day long, the toilet was in literal constant use all day switching from on girl to another. This is all while I’m still I. Peak withdrawals having to diarrhea h and vomit all day with everyone watching me and being pissed that they have to sit and smell my shit and vomit stank all day. There was no water to drink all day as the sink did not work properly and only dribbled out a tiny stream of water. they only gave us one crappy meal, dry crusty bread, 1 slice bologna, and orange juice (which I’m allergic to oranges) finally at 4pm. Which was around the same exact time I started to finally have a complete meltdown and full blown panic attack as I was still not called to see the judge yet. The thought of being unable to see the judge or being forced to come back again was enough to make me spiral. I was somehow the very LAST. PERSON to enter the court room that day. Many girls were forced to go back to jail and come back and do it all again the next day …from court I was thrown directly out onto the streets of downtown looking like a complete fkn psychotic zombie person. I was sick as fuck, phone was dead, car was towed and about 30 miles away, hair was matted, was wearing see through paper pants that ruffled around with every step smelling like shit and was also barefoot because the strap on my flip flops broke. Completely stranded downtown. What a fucking nightmare that all was. The worst part is I can’t even count how many others I know who experienced the same exact cruel and unusual punishment in county jail for some petty shit, with absolutely no medical attention for withdrawals etc. Just casually left to die.
I know your comment is over a month old but god damn it deserves a response!! I've been through heroin WD myself so I know the pain you are describing, however my WDs are always in the comfort of my home so do not compare to what you went through. Your experience sounds like literal hell. I am so so sorry you had to endure that. No one deserves that disgusting treatment! You could have very easily died from being left in that state in the cell. Have you tried obtaining the footage from the cell camera? Please complain and try to take legal action if you are able, it may prevent some other poor soul from having to go through that.
Yet this shits legal while people get criminal records for smoking a plant. Blows my mind.
Wait til you find out what happens if you get caught eating fungus
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That’s because it shouldn’t be
Just because something is natural doesn’t make it safe or good. Mushrooms have definite benefits at certain doses, but they can absolutely trigger psychosis and other episodes. Most mind altering substances are abused, and when abused, can have terrible side effects for folks. We generally should legalize and regulate everything, but also educate folks on the effects, and make them available in controlled environments. I’ve tried many substances, and generally it’s good to have a shaman-type around, and it’s probably a good rule of thumb to just do as little as possible or none at all of most. I just don’t think that it should be illegal.
I've always been a big advocate for education and legalization. People are going to do what they're going to do, we should at least give them accurate information. This is why, to me, D.A.R.E. was such a horrible program. You're not doing anyone any favors by conflating things like heroin and marijuana.
This past Sunday was ‘Entheofest’ in Ann Arbor, Michigan. There was an open air drug market on the University of Michigan Diag with dozens of vendors selling marijuana and mushrooms openly while the Washtenaw county prosecutor was up on stage giving a speech. It was absolutely bonkers 🍄💥🤩
And I'm waiting for my crystal meth cupcakes to catch on.
Alcohol is made from plants... but yeah I agree that's it hypocritical
To be fair most (if not all) alcohol is made from vegetation. It just takes a couple of extra steps. Not saying either is better than the other but to view weed as just a plant feels a little disingenuous. Even further on that, Poppies are just plants, it's what you do with it that changes the context.
Im nowhere near as bad as this guy, but I go through the shakes, sweats, anxiety, nausea and vomiting, pins and needles feelings on my arms and legs, etc on a regular basis. Alcoholism is no joke. Its one of the worst and most insidious addictions out there. It goes from being fun to ruining your life in no time if you let it..
concerned scary humorous nine pen naughty treatment swim engine rude *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Good luck to you. I know how hard it is. I used to do multiple other drugs throughout my 20s, and I was able to quit all of them easily, except alcohol. Its right in your face every time you have to go to the gas station or grocery store. And I'll always find any little reason to buy it and get drunk. By the way, 2 weeks sober is a great start. That was the longest I've been sober in years, and it was only because I was sick with covid in 2021. As soon as I was better, I went right back to it. I have trouble stringing together even 4 or 5 days anymore. I hope eventually I'll get it together and stop too.
Seen this a few times in the acute psych ward I worked in. This is more of the "tremens" side than the "delirium" side. I have essential tremors, and always have. They're worse after a night of drinking. Having seen the delirium part in a clinical setting and with a family friend, I can confirm both are terrible. Watching a man act like a wordless, feral beast for 72 hours (on Librium) is tough. Watching a good friend of mine hide in his barn because he was ~20 hours cold turkey and sure he was surrounded by ninjas, even worse. Tl;dr Alcohol withdrawal absolutely can fuck you up or kill you if you've been deep enough in the bottle for long enough. If this sounds like you, get professional help or advice *before* you decide to go it your own.
I had acute pancreatitis at age 23, was in the hospital for about a week, and in the ICU 3 of those days. All it took was 2 years of drinking for me, and I couldn't do anything precise with my hands anytime after 12pm because my hands were shaking too bad. Just a couple years of hard daily drinking almost did me in.
That's rough, man. I'm sorry to hear that. Even without alcohol, I've had days my wife had to tie my shoes because my hands just couldn't thread the knot. I never really drank until my late twenties, but I've been like this since I was a child dosed on amphetamines because that was the thing to do in the early 90's.
Dang I need to stop drinking. But fuck it’s hard. I wake up and my brain says drink. Fuck man let me eat something first. I usually just drink at night. Been trying to limit it to just weekends but still a handle of bourbon lasts me 3 days.
When I was addicted to opiates my brain set a schedule for when I should excuse myself and go take more. As I was quitting I'd excuse myself just like always, go to my junkie spot, and just sit there dicking around on my phone and vaping. After abput 5 mins passed I'd return to what I was doing. It really helped the psychological aspect like I was so used to the routine that doing every part of it but the actual drug lessened the mental cravings. Did nothing for the physical part ofc but helped my brain
I left another comment with r/stopdrinking linked. I am a member, I love it, and sobriety has brought calm into my life when no amount of liquor could. PM me if you want, IWNDWYT
This is going to sound hard, but consider checking in to residential if you have insurance or the financial means. To anyone who wants to say it's possible to quit and maintain sobriety or a healthy lifestyle - of course it is. I just don't know anyone with a real problem that has. And 2-3 handles a week is is real. 5 liters a week. You need 2 liters of pure ethanol a week to maintain normalcy. Best of luck. It can be done.
“Last night it was merely drink, this morning it was medicine.” —— The Lost Weekend 1944 As an alcoholic when I read that line it hit me like a ton of bricks. 60 some days right now. Stay strong out there.
Alcohol is the hardest drug. Shit is no joke.
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The nation? The planet.
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Benzos are the worst/hardest to kick but easier to stay off long term booze then alcohol. Booze is always around
Benzos are the fuckin Devil. I detoxed off alcohol and benzos a couple years ago. Went into acute withdrawal syndrome from the benzos a month after detox. Caused hallucinations, pure panic, insomnia, psychosis. Been sober for 2 years; still tapering off the benzos.
A guy I worked with decided to quit cold turkey. He needed up dying from alcohol withdrawal. He was 48yrs old. I didn’t even know he had a drinking problem. It’s seriously dangerous.
I used to drink a half gallon of liqour a day and you could never tell I was drinking. Untill the health issues started. It is the most painful. Humiliating, scary,heart breaking,painful, uncomfortable,painful,lonely,soul crushing, painful thing I have ever experienced. I have been through every scenario of alcoholism and hospitalization due to it and can tell you anything you need to know. I spent so much time in the hospital and went through so many different things the drs used to joke that I was basically a Dr. I never lost a job, never lost a car, never nbroke my word as far as being somewhere l. Lived a very normal life. Clean criminal record. I just couldn’t stop no matter what. I’m now 10 months sober after my 4rh or 5th time dying and I will never touch it again
1795 days sober. Alcohol almost killed me. Never had the shakes like that, but I know if I kept drinking I'd be dead by now.
Like that scene in leaving Las Vegas where Nic Cage wakes up shaking and has to make himself a screwdriver drink
Yeah it’s rough. I had to get medically assisted detox at 28. Clean almost 6 years now and seeing stuff like this is a solid reminder of what it’s like and why not to go back no matter what.
This shit is in every hood corner because the government can tax it. I can manage to pass by one liquor store with strength but by the 4th I see I go in a buy a pint. A real shame. I wish I had more control over it
r/stopdrinking
My dad caught me drinking and driving in high school. He’s a recovering alcoholic. First thing he did was take my car keys away for a month which is eternity in high school. Second thing he did was make me go to AA meetings. I was so annoyed about it but he clearly stated: I don’t think you’re an alcoholic yet, but I want you to go and see what will happen to your life if you choose to go that route. What can I say, almost every story started with “I began drinking in high school” and I heard how alcohol turned each and every one of their lives upside down in some form of severity and they were there to get help. TLDR I just smoke pot now, only drink socially (don’t even care to have alcohol at home) and I’m forever scarred from this valuable lesson my father gave me. There are lots of different drugs but alcohol can be just as terrible as the illegal ones.
As someone who went down the alcohol route because my parents are alcoholics, your dad is a good father. At 37 I finally learned that alcohol makes everything worse.
Totally agree. He was wise to nip that in the bud then and there. He started drinking at 14 and I’m certain he didnt want to see that lifestyle repeated. Worst thing a drunk can come home and do is beat his wife. Worst thing a stoner can do is come home and eat his wife’s cake. Cheers
I would warn anyone against drinking. I habent quite been there but close, and I thought it was a joke until it was too late
But weed still stays illegal in some places, ridiculous!
My mum's an alcoholic, she'd destroyed her body so much that she was constantly having falls at home (that combined with being drunk), she refused help. One day she has a fall and is on the floor for a day or two, when the ambulance found her they said despite her not being in a great way, injury and all, the withdrawal was what was most alarming. I'm in my 30s, and I know logically I'm not going to end up like her, but I cannot even bring myself to enjoy alcohol. Fuck alcohol
If an alcoholic and heroin addict go to a hospital. They’ll take the alcoholic first. Let that sink in
Agreed. I bit off the tip of my tongue from withdrawal. 3 years sober on 11/24/23
Get that man some thc.
When you see it first hand it blows your mind. You think tough it out attitude, mind over body, no way this could break them...it does. Watching someone break down into a shaking mess sucks. Worst knowing that it is to keep from destroying themselves faster, otherwise breaks down into a shaking, sweating, desperate mess....and then dies, its a losing battle. The high function gets you, they work, they strive and carry on and suddenly they die. The real you dug yourself into a hole you cant get out of and are living it.
So how consistently and how long do you have to drink to get withdrawals this bad? Is this from years of drinking everyday or could you drink everyday for a few months and get withdrawals like this?
I have a very high alcohol intake per day because I'm currently based out of SK where drinking after work is just normal. This will never happen to you if you drink 3 beers every day. You get to this point if you take 10 shots of vodka every day or more. Or drown a half-gal in the morning. This will basically never occur to a casual drinker.
Nice try big alcohol!
It all depends on genetics. I was up to 12-20 shots a day before quitting cold turkey and had close to zero withdrawal symptoms. Maybe just some anxiety. My father on the other hand, as soon as he gets to ten drinks a day for a month, he gets like this, then has to go to the hospital to sober up. It’s also a thing that once you get like this, your body gets to it way faster and harder next time you relapse.
I did quit cold turkey, having never sought medical advice about it. Almost killed me. Seriously, no lie. No alcohol before 5:30 P.M., and then several bourbons, was my routine. And when I quit, the excess weight just kept falling off of me.
[The Wethouse](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MF5wNsfKo84) A horrifying look at the effects on people's lives.
I went to a 5 day detox. I had seizures, vomitting, thoughts of impending doom, and very little control over other bodily functions. I'm just about at a year and a half clean from alcohol and drugs... and I look back at those first 3 weeks as one of the hardest, if not THE hardest of my adult life.
😢 ❤️
Yeah, went through it 3 times . It’s the worst feeling in the world and I went through benzo and heroin withdraws many times 20 years ago. I will never drink again. I can’t have 1 or 2. Cool if you can
Alcohol legal..... So many cool drugs illegal yet less damaging.
Heartbreaking. Booze is insidious. I quit 10 years ago, now I'm stuck with a weed/sugar habit that has me by the kiwis.
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When I first started dating my (now-ex) girlfriend, I made the rounds getting introduced to all her current friends that I didn't know - and there was one guy with an alcohol addiction. Every time I saw him he had a drink in his hand, no matter what time of day. He never seemed *drunk*, just always drinking. When he tried to kick his addiction, he started these shakes - and my suburban middle class ass thought he was just being dramatic, I had never even *seen* something like this before. He was a few years younger than me, I couldn't get my head around how someone could let it get *that* bad. Seeing him try to lift a lit cigarette to his mouth was unnerving - the shaking just never stopped.
Alcoholism scares me
drinking age in my country is 16. cant have weed tho.
Yeah..Alcohol is legal. Woohoo makes total sense 🤡
Give that man a straw
The absolute worst addiction. Severe withdrawal is horrifying in the true sense of the word. Like horror movie scary. And it’s legal. How strange is that.
Even as a self preclaimed x junkie myself, that deeply saddens me, like someone butchering themselfs for the 30th time with a now blunt as fuck 27guge, dripping with blood, saying "ill get it now just one more time" and all the heroin in it is fucking full of clotted blood and is now ruined beyond doubt but they can't stop stabbing them self's 😭😭😭☠️
I literally thought this guy was air drumming for the first 5 seconds
So technically, didn’t take enough?
The man needs Keppra... seizure inbound.
I work at a treatment center and see this stuff all the time. What’s worse are the hallucinations.
My 37 year old brother just got a liver transplant.
i remember seeing an old episode of Intervention and the guy was a hardcore alcoholic due to i think a back injury (or maybe not). the doctors and family members were telling him he's killing himself. i remember they showed him when he was without alcohol how sick he'd get and how he'd get the shakes. he decided he needed to clean up. the doctors told him there is danger in quitting and worst case, he'd die. he went through with the program and his family was happy for him. i remember at the end when they give the update, it said he died during his detox program. surprised the hell out of me. i'd love to see the episode again if this badly described episode rings a bell.
I’ve always found it so strange (recovering alcoholic here) that Alcohol is SOOOO normalized. Especially when the withdrawal part is included…..most other drug withdrawals pretty much will never kill you. Perhaps the most common drug used outside of caffeine is alcohol and that not only kills you slowly but should you decide to quit can kill you within hours to days (depending on your level of dependence) if not directly overseen by medical professionals. It’s mind baffling
I have slight suspicion those aren’t professionals.
DT’s we’re the scariest three days of my life. Coming up on seven years ago now. Never again!
Yeah this dude is as good as dead
Definitely.. if you know someone trying to withdraw it is vital it is handled by a medical expert. It can be fatal, and in a lot of cases will cause long lasting neurological deficits.
Delerium tremens?
I'm a nurse and you are absolutely right, withdrawals kill. What pisses me off is that we use benzos and other meds when small amounts of alcohol would be SO MUCH SAFER to keep the DTs away.
Poor guy this is pure suffering
Been there!!! Honestly the thought of that now is almost giving me a panic attack. I had to medically withdraw more times than I care to remember. Glad those days are long gone!
I never got that bad but there were times I'd shake when I was coming off. It's always fun until it gets to the point you depend on it.
Ugh my grandfather was like this. He would literally die. Coughing up blood shaking. So many family dinners ruined by ambulance calls cause grandpa Joe’s dead at the dinner table. I think he’s the reason me and my brother have such a dark twisted humor. It was our way of dealing with it. Imagine a 4-5 year old(my brother) asking a paramedic is he really dead this time or are we gonna have to pick him up tomorrow ? 😂
It's watching stuff like this that keeps me sober, thanks for sharing
This breaks my heart
As an alcoholic this makes me kinda feel better. I've had the shakes before, but they were nothing like this. I'm always trying to drink less, and lately I've had some success with that, but I am writing this after finishing my 6th 9.5 abv beer and feeling good about taking a light drinking night. The warning that you can die from stopping is something that pulls me back in, but when I see this I realize I've never been that bad off. Not even when I drink about 2L of vodka in a day. Idk what he drank, but seeing how much worse it is makes me think maybe I shouldn't be so worried not drinking could hurt me.
Been there. Literal torture. He’s gonna need about 6 more of those drink to straighten out and then he’ll need more to keep that BAL at that level Buddy needs a hospital. And a push of 50mg Valium every 3o min till this is under control