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I never realized how much I crave alcohol (hexbear.net)

submitted 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) by Assian_Candor@hexbear.net to c/chat@hexbear.net

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I drank a lot in my 20s and got into some bad situations but luckily nothing life altering. Ive now reached unc status and I didn't get drunk that often with kids and all, maybe 4 or 5 times a year and usually when traveling. Though I had been traveling for work a lot and drinking too much, and I was starting to drink like 4 a night which felt like too much even if I wasn't getting hangovers or whatever.

Decided to take a pause, not like a 12 step thing or anything but just to... not drink. It's been a couple weeks now. I have a bunch of NA beers that for the most part fulfill the ritual but I'll be damned if I wouldn't like a real beer or a glass of bourbon right now. I could just have one like it's not a big deal but also like, can I not? The craving is as strong as it is for cigarettes from back when I smoked socially

Brain need chemical

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[–] Assian_Candor@hexbear.net 5 points 9 months ago (1 children)

I would not have described myself as addicted prior to this sober stint, it is eye opening

[–] Awoo@hexbear.net 4 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Interesting, are there withdrawal symptoms? I get killer headaches if I do not appease my caffeine addiction with ritual coffee

[–] insurgentrat@hexbear.net 4 points 9 months ago

Mild alcohol withdrawal is anxiety and irritability but as part of what it acts on is GABA receptors severe withdrawal is nuts.

GABA and glutamate work to regulate excitation (how much signal and how much they spread roughly) in the brain. A sudden deficiency in gaba and neurons are too active. You get shakes, hallucinations, and eventually neurons die in a process called excitotoxicity.

It's one of the rare drugs where withdrawal can actually kill you. Fortunately that required being pretty high on it chronically. Most alcoholics will just experience restless anxiety and dysphoria.