Posted by erik98225 on May 15, 2004, at 5:01:07
I have social phobia and have always had a heck of a time getting to sleep. It takes a long time to fall asleep, but once I am asleep I sleep like a baby.
A few months back I discovered that 3-4 beers in the evening makes me fall asleep fast and gives me a feeling of peace like nothing else can.
I was stupid enough to discuss this with my doctor, so now I have alcohol dependence in my medical records.
While drinking I gained 30 pounds, hated the hangovers, and decided last week that this needs to stop.
I am now two days into the horror that is alcohol withdrawal.
I have been awake for 37 hours.
Alcohol withdrawal will make your worst case of the flu feel like an orgasm.
I know I deserve it -- it's my punishment for beating up my liver -- and I know it passes, but the thing is, I drank alcohol because it worked.
I am convinced that I have the "overactive brain" component of alcohol dependence (I don't have a link, but I know I read about it on this board... I drank alcohol in an attempt to calm down the brain to a more normal state.)
Benzos are alcohol pills, and alcohol is a liquid benzo.
I have mentioned this to my doctor many, many times, and told him that the drinking was a desperate attempt to self-medicate, but he simply WILL NOT write a prescription for benzos "because they are addictive".
Yes, they are addictive. Big deal. Would you deny morphine to a terminally ill cancer patient just because he might get addicted to it? And isn't it better to be addicted to benzos than addicted to alcohol?
I take Paxil 20mg. It was effective for the social phobia until the drinking rendered it useless, but it never did anything for me in terms of helping me fall asleep.
Can anyone knowledgeable give me some information I can discuss with my psychiatrist
to convince him that a benzo is right for me? Anyone have any suggestions for a psychiatrist who is willing to prescribe benzos? (I'm in the Bellingham, Washington area)Any comments, suggestions, or information would be greatly appreciated. I'm at my wit's end here.
poster:erik98225
thread:347048
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040515/msgs/347048.html