How Bad Is Alcohol Withdrawal?
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 10 фев 2025
- Check my site for all my social links and more sobriety stuff: www.batcountry...
Following up from my previous video about hallucinations, here I talk in general terms about how bad alcohol withdrawal can get, and what the risks can be.
Keep staying sober.
Buy my book, Just Crazy Enough To Work: www.batcountry...
Email me: stu@batcountry.co
Bat Country site: www.batcountry...
Bat Country on Instagram: / batcountryyt
Bat Country on Twitter: / batcountryyt
Bat Country on TikTok : / welcometobatcountry
#alcoholfree #alcoholrecovery #sober #soberlife #sobriety #alcoholism
Man i was dry for a month and bought 12 beers last night .... I thought ah ill be fine . Never have i felt such panic and anxiety today . I always come back to your videos wen going through this . The anxiety from the "withdrawal" or kindling . Its just undescribable. Its like a constand burning dread in the chest . Unbelievable.
U can do it
Dont just go for any alcohol you need the top shelf organic wine, they arent as toxic and hardly give a hangover unless you drink like 2 bottles then obviously
These videos help me a lot in the same way. When i find myself awoken buried alive in that terror it helps remind me im not alone.
I have first-hand experience with delirium tremens and alcoholic halucinosis; I was hospitalized for four days. I trip recreationally and have had "bad" trips but this was no hallucination. I was lying in bed when Ihad a sense that there was something there in the darkness. It was darker than the darkness around it, and when I realized I was looking straight at it I nearly jumped out the window in terror. It was a being of pure dread, and when I got to the hospitals even my hallucinations were glad to get away from it. They said they were surprised I hadn't gone blind.
I'm sorry you had to experience that, but wow that is a very very good description, that does a good job of explaining how deeply psychological these experiences are.
I had two horrible bouts with alcoholic hallucinosis. So when somebody describes their experience I believe every word they say.
I’ve never said this out loud honestly because I felt so ashamed… 2021 was awful for me. My dad died from stage 4 cancer not even a year after my mom died. The last couple months he was on hospice at home and it really messed me up. I’m an Applications Developer so I was working from home. It was super bad towards the end. I had to act like everything was ok at work, even though they had no idea I was watching my strong and stoic father die in front me, I was tending to his seizures from his stage 4 lung cancer that spread to his brain, bones, everything.
I started drinking heavily everyday all day. I don’t know how I was able to be functioning during the day. It really messed me up because it was so gruesome watching and vodka numbed everything.
Well, I tried stopping cold turkey and I ended up withdrawing hard, eventually called 911 at 2am because I thought I was dying. My blood pressure was so high the paramedics thought it was wrong. When Ingot to the hospital they kept me there for 5 days and I remember the 2nd say there, filling up a water cup with hand sanitizer from the wall mounted dispenser just to stop shaking, hallucinating, hearing voices , everything. I saw people dancing and singing in Romanian, Spanish, English
and the wild thing is I still remember the songs and every song rhymes perfect and transitioned from one language to another. I speak Romanian fluently and Spanish enough to hold a convo but I still don’t know how my brain was able to hallucinate something so impressive in various languages.
By the grace of God when I got home, after seeing how much I let down my daughter I was able to push through and I haven’t had a drink since.
Sorry this is such a long comment but I’ve never heard myself speak about this. I was raised to believe asking for help is a huge weakness.
I love you all and reading through the comments makes me understand that I really was never alone. ❤❤❤
Bless you
Hi Stu, i had to self admit yesterday to the hospital. My father drove me there as i couldn't get an ambulance to pick me up. This withdrawal is nothing like the last one. I think the 3 months i was sober really helped me. I still can't sleep though and the weird thing is that i had a vivid dream and you were in it. Nothing bad. It was quite pleasant actually. I 'm tapering at the moment and the British medical system doesn't like to give you librium or Diazepam for more than the time your admitted. Im back home now and tapering my alcohol intake. I'm doing better than last time. Thanks for your honesty and videos. They really help me to understand my addiction. Than you.
The fact that different people with completely different influences see very similar things during alcohol withdrawal induced delirium tremens is interesting. The psychoanalyst Jerry Marzinsky noted these same patterns in schizophrenics and active meth addicts. The hallucinations all bear a striking resemblance to each other, even in detail. Perhaps these experiences open doors to places and things that know our mind and feed on fear. In the words of H.P., ""We live on a placid island of ignorance in the midst of black seas of infinity, and it was not meant that we should voyage far."
Very profound, and I much agree.
Yes into the satanic realm
trioxin correct
I actually got the DTs, cops were called on no one that was there. Most horrible shit I ever ŵent through. I don't want that for any one. Terrifying beyond words hearing women chat but you don't know what they are saying on top of the physical garbage. Total nightmare.
Absolutely. Sorry you had to go through it, and I hope you're doing better today.
good job on getting out bro
i know what it's like
Awesome to see you do another video!!! 🙌🙌🙌. You are Always the best at describing withdrawals!
Thanks! I really appreciate that. Plenty more to come....
@@_BatCountry awesome, can't wait!!!
Another great video !
Thanks Gary, I really appreciate the support!
I'm someone who, by your definition, was a moderate drinker. Had some drama and issues arise on Christmas eve and it opened my eyes to how pathetic I felt the day after drinking. I have ceased all drinking and have gone mostly through the withdrawals. Obvioisly not as bad as heavy drinkers but man, this sucked. Probably won't be drinking ever again. Was never a drinker as it was but pos 2019, I definitely upped my intake. Became an every day thing. "It's just two beers!" turned into "it's just one whole bottle of wine" and knew enough is enough. My mother suffered all her life with addiction so I'm well versed with its consequences. Never again.
If anyone out there is still struggling, you're not alone and you've got this.
2X bottles of liquor per day is crazy crazy.
I lifted 🏋 yesterday, drink 10 ➕ 🍻 every night. My baby brother drank like you. He's five years sober. I'm jealous. 😢
my drinking got out of control the last year. I was consuming upwards of 12-18 drinks daily. Beer, shots, wine. It didn't matter. I did this everyday for a full year. I stopped cold turkey and felt like absolute shit. I decided I need to slowly cut down over a course of a week and that seemed to really help with intense withdrawals. The anxiety from it is insane. Shaking, sweating, fear. I didn't have hallucinations but I was very agitated and on edge even while cutting down. 6 beers to an average person would get them pretty drunk. That was a slight buzz for me. Anyway I was able to taper down successfully and I will never consume that much again. Ive had a bunch of dry days now and don't even have the slightest craving for alcohol. I probably will drink again but it will never be daily. I once heard someone say never drink everyday.You need abstinence from it or eventually you will need it to function. It like coffee, you start out one cup here and there and then its every morning. Anyone who's going through alcoohol withdrawal shouldn't beat them selves up. Any person who drinks can go through it. You can even go through alcohol withdrawal from drinking heavily for a few days straight like most people do on vacation. Unfortunately booze is the answer to the withdrawal and that becomes a slippery slope and eventually you cant stop because of withdrawals. Better off just drinking in moderation if your gonna do so.
Man i just saw this comment . The anxiety omg theres nothing like it .....i can take sweating, shaking etc but that constant burning sensation of complete dread is just unbearable. Its so hard to even describe it . Its not a normal nervous feeling its just a really intense dread that doesn't stop until the withdrawal ends .
@@garylennon5115 oh I know the feeling. The nervousystem get jacked up since you no longer have a depressant in you. This is why the safest way to do this is cutting down day by day. If you try and go cold Turkey after a bender your going to feel like your gonna die. Alcohol can cause panic attacks the next day even if your not drinking “that heavily”. I used to littetly drive to the liquor store and be shaking and sweating after getting bombed the night before because I knew it was the only thing to stop that feeling. It freaking sucks dude. Booze is the worst drug known to man. Once I quit this shit for good I don’t think I’m ever going back on this train. It’s truly a demon. There is something evil behind alcohol once you get to the point of no return. Even a 6 pack a day is gonna cause withdrawal the next day. It’s a viscous cycle of actually just stopping withdrawals at one point. After 6 drinks I feel normal. That is scary. 6 drinks is enough to make the average person pretty drunk. For me, at one that would steady me out so I wasn’t trembling and feeling like I was going to die
@@garylennon5115 if you can get Xanax it will help the withdrawl as well
I never had DTs but the dream I had were enough for me . I was asleep but walking around the house , everything was strange and looked off . Something would scare me but I couldn’t wake up . Just the worst thing I’ve ever experienced
You've had a sample, then. Now imagine that happening while you're awake. I'm glad you got scared off before that happened though, obviously. Thanks for the comment!
Experienced all of these before sobriety, but this is a horrible frightening detouring video for those who have not gotten sober yet. Maybe lead with, but YOU will get through this.
Thanks for watching, and for your thoughtful comment! And congratulations on your own sobriety :D
Ween off to lessen or eradicate bad side effects and switch to weed to help with pain boredom etc
I'd like to add about benzos: Different than alcohol, the potential for seizures can be measured. With benzos, the potency as a muscle-relaxans is the key. It isn't about how strong it is in general, it is about how much potential it has a muscle-relaxans. Like Lorazepam is seen as low-potent benzo, but the muscle-relaxans potency is very high, it's used as a med against epilepsy. In withdrawal, it will have the exact opposite effect, it will cause seizures instead of prevent these. Just what i wanted to add, unfortunately, next to alcohol, benzos can kill you too in cold withdrawal. Avoid this at all costs and like with alcohol, go to a medical detox for benzos.
Baclofen too, I'm tapering off - it's been a week... not as bad as alc withdrawal but much more prolonged it seems.
That thing you stated about the benzo's and the seizures is absolutely right. I white-knuckled too many times, during years of (ab)use and didn't ever knew or fully understood the risks. If I did, I would have gone to the hospital. I had five seizures in total. They all lasted up to 12 minutes. I used lot of the docs dope, but in these occasions Diazepam, Lorazepam and Alprazolam were in play.
The more I learn about this the more I realise I am only lucky to have survived and to be alive. It still feels so dark when I think about it.
This and the rest of my war with psychopharmaca, took 15 years. The last and ultimate down-taper was done over 3 months. This time using 40 - 1 mg./24hrs Diazepam after a switch from 10mg. Lorazepam so the risk of seizures would be extra decreased.
All under strict suprvision, whilst being in a psychiatric hospital 24/7. It worked out just perfect.
And me and the alcohol is a storm too. Hence my presence in Bat Country. What a wonderful channel and maker, I am very inspired. And I need that. 😐🫡 But that's not for now.
The thing about the benzo's and the seizures triggered a first response though (ghe...). It really is extremely dangerous! You do not want to wake up in an ambulance or ICU, not even remembering 'falling asleep', it ruins you.
ALWAYS TAPER DOWN, spread it over months.
I am so happy to be just over 5 years pill-free now.
Really, this is also is really nasty stuff...
Be safe and be your best 🤙
'Cheers' from Holland and keep up this channel, it's a gem. Like a rare vintage quality lense 😉
@@w2tb36 Glad you made it!!
If you are in the UK and you are not a seizure/DT risk, DO NOT go to the ER for withdrawal. You will wait 12-24 hours, your vitals will be checked and then you will be sent home and told to keep drinking. NHS ER's are aggressively triaging due to limited resourses and Alcoholics are at the bottom. Dedicated detox centres do exist but the waiting time's to get in are measured in months and just to get on that list will take months also. You will also be labled "Alcohol dependant" for life with all the negative connotations that brings.
If you are an Alcoholic the NHS does not wan't to know. It's either sip and suffer or face the horrors of full on withdrawal head on. Ever wonder why there are so many more crazy drunk homeless people on the streets where you live? This is probably the main reason. Services that help the homeless often demand sobriety (for good reason) but the NHS is telling them to keep drinking so they potentially wont die. Impossible catch 22 ontop of the already shit situation of being fucking homeless.
i'd also add that as an alcoholic they almost definitely wont give you any antipsychotics to stop hallucinations either. I think i've got a chronic form of alcohol induced psychosis as i've been sober for 8 weeks now and still hallucinating but they wont give me anything to help outside of the librium they gave me in the initial 5 day period when i started hallucinating. I thought if i stayed sober for long enough they would at least be willing to help get the hallucinations to go away completely but i've had no luck yet. They honestly dont seem to care how much you're suffering aslong as you're not a danger to anyone else,
By the way, I loved listening to you the music behind you was pleasant and really great information. I do not have a drinking problem but I came across your videos and it’s always intrigued me because both of my parents were alcoholics so that drove me not to drink but I do try to understand why how and how they must’ve felt so thank you your observations and what you shared was deeply moving
Thank you so much! It's a fascinating subject whether you have direct personal experience or not. I really appreciate your supportive comments, and I'm glad you enjoyed it - and I'm particularly happy you noticed the music: I slowed it down slightly to make it feel a bit unsettling!
@@_BatCountry I’m honestly saying out of all the videos I’ve watched and I’ve watched plenty of them. Yours were the most fascinating. You’re a great storyteller, my friend.
Musix Reminds me of my audio hallucinations
@tommcdonald1770 yes me too. Music you can almost hear but can't quite identify or its source. I've chased from room to room before seeking it out during withdrawal. But of course it's not really there at all.
1. How in the F did your body survive this?
2. How did you afford the booze? You couldn't have been working while consuming that much ethanol.
3. As a fellow addict, asking these questions.
1. I was very fit before it happened
2. I was being kept in a retaining contact, I was getting a salary without having to do much work
3. I appreciate the questions mate!
I was consuming 16 drinks a day. You pour vodka in your mountain dew and sip it at work and pop a tic tac every minute.
Does anyone know WHY we hallucinate from alcohol withdrawal? I've looked everywhere and can't see an answer. Is it the brain going into protection mode? Or is it certain parts of the brain being overstimulated where they were previously numbed by alcohol? Why do most people see animals, insects/spiders, shadow people? I want to know why the brain goes into hallucinations when alcohol is taken away from the brain.
Hey Josh, thanks for the comment! As with so much information on this subject, we don't know why we hallucinate. We don't even understand the mechanism of alcohol in the first place. I have my own theories, but they're not academic and I don't have the language to explain it. I'm the same as you: i'd love to know why hallucinations occur in the first place, and I'd REALLY love to know why they so often have shared characteristics - insects and stuff. If I found any clear information, I'll come back here and share it with you.
Because you aren’t really sleeping when drinking yourself to sleep every night. True REM dream sleep is some sort of mandatory biological process. Whatever dreams are, your brain needs them.
After cessation of drinking, the dream state comes back with a vengeance. Months or years of suppression is unleashed. You begin dreaming even when not fully asleep. And because you aren’t fully asleep, and because every chemical in your brain is completely jacked up, you end up with nightmares.
The hallucinations are nightmares that you suffer while you are awake as your broken brain tries to reset itself back into a normal state.
@@mortyrosenstein4211 Great explanation. I agree, it's complete 'real' sleep deprivation. The brain forms our reality so no wonder it looks so real.
The GABA GLUTIMATE seasaw balance is out of wack, so now your brain is in an excititory state. Neurons are firing. Thats why you have tremors, hallucinations, shakes, anxiety, panic.
It has zero to do with REM sleep.
Two year sober…and I’m terrified
Benzo withdrawal can kill as well.
As can barbituates, although they aren't really prescribed anymore. Butalbital might be prescribed for people with migraine headaches or phenobarbital for people prone to seizures.
not as likily to
I ended up having a couple of bad seizures . They really fckd me up for months. All my muscles were weak and my head would spin . 7 years clean now . Never ever wasn't the tremins again . Fck that . Terrible stuff .
Congrats on your sober time mate, long may it continue.
GHB comes close too. I had a stint of a GHB abuse that I luckily quit before my use got extremely high, but even with the not that scary doses I took, it was real bad. Unsurpringly, it's closely related to alcohol and benzo's in how it works.
3:48 caffene withdrawl is a massive headache a loss of muscle strength paranoia, random bouts of crying . ... but my caffene consumption gets out of fuckimg hand lmao
phizzhead do not be silly
Been there.
Sharp pain all around my body from withdraws, freezing hands. Some of the more abnormal symptoms I had
The closest I've been to death was when I got the flu and i couldn't keep alcohol down. It's too much to comment, but I felt closer to death then, than when I was having alcohol seizures.
That sounds like a terrible experience, I'm glad you're doing better today.
Attilla The Hun died of bursting too.
There's a striking depiction of alcohol withdrawal in The Last Samurai (2003). It is very brief, but memorable nonetheless.
Oh REALLY!? I've seen that movie and don't remember that, I'll have to go check it out because I'd like to talk about that in another video. Thanks for the tip Harry!
I agree the main difference is alcohol withdrawal can possibly kill you, while opiate/opioid rarely does - people have died from secondary problems from opiate/opioid withdrawal. I have read reports of death happening from dehydration from vomiting and diarrhea. Was this withdrawal in that ward you spoke of or was this cold turkey somewhere?
yes you are right..i was a regular drinker..beer mostly..6 to ten a day and i wasnt even really drunk..but when you take it away..yes i have had withdrawal..mostly mild..but its not really mild..lethargy..dont want to eat..cant sleep well or at all for two days..after about 3 days it would subside..but yes i did hear things that were not there..saw things that were not there..horrifying really..but i thought i am just drinking beer..well that can do it too..
Mild, but not really mild. That's very well put.
Herion and methadone withdrawal can does kill. The blood pressure goes up so so rapidly and so much you can stroke out. Happens all the time
That's not true...
@@davedennison7386 yes it is. Especially in the us
@@mashton6631
You are wrong and why especially in the US??...it may happen rarely, though Ive nwver come across it but not in general..
@@davedennison7386 because the USA has expensive healthcare likely to marginalise someone that turns up in an emergency room stroking out from a methadone withdrawal. Since the death would present as ‘natural causes’ you’re sort of right
What a joy
Did you also had the shaking?
He did he went through it all extremely except seizures
@WyzszaKalibracjaPerspektyw also the problem of a body stuck in fight flight? How did he managed to recover
@@EdwinHeijmans-rn6fb Watch his videos
EdwinHeijmans-rn6fb the shaking is noting its only the mild start of the process its the least of the concerns one of the outher least concerns wich i do find to be bad is the prickling felling under the skin witch often is the hands hen there is the hot and cold flushes the ichy eyes the runny noise i have never had vomiting or headache the racing thoughts and not being able to keep still or concentrate the heart palpitaitions the craving the panic rushers and the smells od demons and negitivity and that is only the starter then there is the insominia but not a peacfuil one a fast and frantic none where you can not keep still for more then 10 secnds then the bones start to hurt if you do get to sleep its ighterrers and sleep apnia then that is still only the starters then there are the delerium tremens voices in the head then visiuil ones then one thinks there real most people who die of Alcohol withdrwol die by running into traffic before the delusions and terrer give them a stroke or heart attack i would rather be burnt at the stake then die of Alcohol withdrwol but Valium saves one's life from it
Never been scared for braindamage stu?
You’re right, it's a fact that quitting booze not only makes your world a better place to be in, good things start to “magically” happen and the energy is insane! Steffon Barkload's stuff, that’s the best shortcut I go’ogled that took less than a week to work without suffering withdrawal.
kellyG-u8p do not b silly
I dropped my beer listen to this 😮😮
The only withdraw worst then alcohol is benzodiazepines and one most people don’t know about is psych drugs, psychotropics/ssri ets
Yeah I've heard that too. Something I don't want to experience for myself.