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Alcoholism and Autism

Mnjesse

Looking for advice. I'm in treatment for alcoholism but the tools are not really helping. My pattern is that I don't have cravings normally. its like stress building up in the background that i dont notice then its like a switch is flipped and i lose all control and just drink and end up binging alot. The cognitive tools don't work because I have no control. I dont think anything its llike im outside my mind and my body is just doing things. I feel panic. Was wondering if anyone has a similar experience or advice.

  • It is related to stress.Alcohol has some unique properties. It triggers the release of two things in your brain:

    1. Dopamine, reward
    2. GABA, calmness

    Stress reduces dopamine so you don't get much reward from other things. You are struggling and coping but not feeling good. You drink something and you feel reward with a few minutes.

    GABA calms your brain, so it takes away the feeling of being stressed.

    These are highly desirable and addictive feelings. I effectively self medicated for the last 40 years using it to manage stress. You brain learn things that help without you necessarily being aware.

    If some is good, more is better, right? So you binge a d drink more. It also slows your brain down, my biggest issue when young, it allows you to talk, it helps you sleep.

    Except there is a price. I only masks the problem, so the stress is still there in your body, it stops deep sleep so you can't process stuff, it causes a crash in dopamine and GABA the next day when the body realises it has too much, so you want another drink.

    Now I know this, I am trying to drink nothing for 6 months to get back to a normal baseline. I didn't drink much, but it is the reason not the amount that is psychological.

    You need to reduce stress, or find other ways to moderate it. I do 50 mins a day on the rowing machine in the evening to burn off the adrenaline and cortisol from the day. It regulates my thoughts and emotions and makes me calm. I also reduced caffeine to one cup a day in the morning and gave herbal tea.

    For me, this has been the change. I associated alcohol with coping, but it was masking. If you can see it that way, it may help. It is a change in mindset and stress management, not an increase in willpower that is needed.

    It is hard to stop completely. You can allow yourself some, but be aware what you are doing. Decide in advance how many drinks, although I find that very hard to stick to. Age naturally reduces your tolerance.