every hour or two I need some or I start feeling sick...

 

From the comments section earlier this week:

I was wondering... I want to get sober but for many reasons treatment is not an option right now. I drink so heavily (every hour or two I need a some or I start feeling sick) that I'm afraid I may have a seizure if I quit cold turkey or too fast. Do you know if there's any way I can safely detox on my own? Do you have any tips for that?

Anonymous

 

Dear Anonymous,

You are right.  You likely will have a seizure and/or suffer other dangerous, potentially life-threatening symptoms if, as you describe, you drink every hour or two and you cold-turkey it on your own.  (A level of alcohol intake which is perfectly plausible to someone like me, by the way.)

All I can offer you are these few thoughts:

With that level of alcohol intake you must have a medically supervised detox.  Your life is at stake.  So whatever "many reasons" there may be right now, what you are saying is that those reasons are more important than you continuing to live.  Your imminent death is second to whatever reasons are preventing you from seeking out some sort of medically supervised detox.

I urge you to consider that no matter what those reasons are, they are not more important than your life. 

Also, please consider that because you are drinking as much as you are your ability to assess how important those reasons are may be badly out of whack.

If the "reasons" are primarily financial, then perhaps this link will help:

 

http://www.ncadd.org/ 

 

That is the web site for the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence.

On their site you will see, on the top left, in purple, a "Get Help" clickable section tab.  Within it are ways to find local resources, and good advice (including, which might be right for you, the suggestion to go to a hospital emergency room).  I have very little direct experience with the NCADD, just one good interaction when I was very, very newly sober, but they might be a way to find a low or no-cost medically supervised detox if the barrier to treatment is a financial one.

And if the barrier is not financial... then whatever other reasons you may have which prevent you from seeking a treatment facility where you can be safely detoxed are illusions:  Ego, fear, pride, alcoholism -- and/or the chemically altered state of your brain -- working in concert to prevent you from making a healthy decision.

Alcohol in the body of an alcoholic triggers the phenomenon of craving, which keeps us drinking.  Thus it is very, very long odds for a real alcoholic to be able, on their own, to wean themselves off of alcohol.  It is also very dangerous for someone who is drinking to try and use any other medications -- or drugs in general -- on their own, to buffer or blunt the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal.  To speak plainly, bong hits and valium in your own living room is not a safe or smart detox plan.  (Never mind that it's a bit like, as they used to say when I got sober, changing deck chairs on the Titanic.)

You know you are in trouble and you know you need help.  That is clear from the fact that you asked the question you did.

But I'm afraid this is the bottom line: "Safely" and "detox on your own" do not line up together.  To safely detox from intense alcohol intake you need some kind of medical supervision.  It doesn't have to be some grand, weeks long in-patient thing, but for the initial period of separation you need some hands on help.

God will have a hand in this if you ask for spiritual guidance, but to paraphrase what the Big Book says, God filled this world with Doctors and medical practitioners for us to use.

So use them.

 

Good luck, and please, do not delay.

 

 

Comments

[Gay-in-AA]

Very timely advice. Many people get sober this time of year. Kiddies this is no joke. I tried this myself and went through hell.

[A "Would Not" who Did]

I can always count on you, my friend. How cool it is to see such consistent, insightful advice (yes, advice!) when it is so sorely needed. I also marvel at how you avoid giving advice when it's not needed. God bless you for the help you have provided for so many—and for so long.