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Drinking Alcohol

HQ
over 1 year ago

Hi,

This is first thing I've written here, please be gentle.

I have used alcohol to cope with my somewhat tumultuous life since I was 25. I'm now in my 30s. 

I have never entertained the thought that I might be on the spectrum until recently (the past year) when, not only my friends suggested it, but also when I tentatively mentioned it and my own brother didn't bat an eye and said "yeah maybe".  

I'm a little shocked and intrigued. I've since spoken to a specialist who just happened to be a friend of my friend - the conversation I had with her felt so relaxed and like a relief. She even said she'd gone through a period of drinking before she was diagnosed.

I'd really be interested to hear if anyone else has had issues with alcohol

It's not really about wanting to drink per se - it's the focus that it gives, and the relief from all the thoughts and feeling uncomfortable. 

To level out this post, I'll also add that I'm a grown woman with values and good cognitive reasoning - I've also achieved good things in my life - but not as many as I intended!!

H x

Parents
  • over 1 year ago

    Hi, I use to drink, before I was diagnosed. Not a lot, but every day after work I'd have 1 or 2 somethings! I was diagnosed just over a year ago, at 46.

    I've always analysed the *** out of everything, but post diagnosis I really focused that on me. I used the forum for a lot of my musings too. This then led me to assess my use of alcohol and caffeine. Neither of which I drink now.

    For me I realised that I would get that initial surge of relief and false confidence from alcohol, but the following day I would be "tired" and irritable (depressed). This would lead me to coffee to perk myself up, because that's what everyone else in the office did! However, caffeine would spike my anxiety and the slightest thing would put me on the verge of a panic episode. So I'd go home at the end of the day and drink alcohol to relax!

    Round and round and round we go! Thinking back now I did this routine for a good 10 or 15 years. Now I have cut them out though I feel so much more level. No mood spike, anxiety is at ASD normal, my head is clearer. It was definitely part of my masking behaviour.

    Good luck.

Reply
  • over 1 year ago

    Hi, I use to drink, before I was diagnosed. Not a lot, but every day after work I'd have 1 or 2 somethings! I was diagnosed just over a year ago, at 46.

    I've always analysed the *** out of everything, but post diagnosis I really focused that on me. I used the forum for a lot of my musings too. This then led me to assess my use of alcohol and caffeine. Neither of which I drink now.

    For me I realised that I would get that initial surge of relief and false confidence from alcohol, but the following day I would be "tired" and irritable (depressed). This would lead me to coffee to perk myself up, because that's what everyone else in the office did! However, caffeine would spike my anxiety and the slightest thing would put me on the verge of a panic episode. So I'd go home at the end of the day and drink alcohol to relax!

    Round and round and round we go! Thinking back now I did this routine for a good 10 or 15 years. Now I have cut them out though I feel so much more level. No mood spike, anxiety is at ASD normal, my head is clearer. It was definitely part of my masking behaviour.

    Good luck.

Children
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