Posts in category: Dating Tips, Guide and Advice

If you’ve decided to quit drinking, there’s a chance you may experience alcohol withdrawal. In fact, unless you go through a very gradual tapering process, usually under medical supervision, withdrawal symptoms are a normal and expected part of coming off alcohol and drugs. Getting sober is great for your health and well-being, but you may encounter some unpleasant withdrawal symptoms along the way, including nausea.

Two common withdrawal symptoms? Nausea (a feeling of sickness in the stomach) and vomiting. Nausea can be super annoying and uncomfortable, but there are several things you can do to care for yourself and find relief.

Withdrawal-Induced Nausea at a Glance

Deciding you want to quit drinking is an important step, but withdrawal is something you’ll need to get through first. And for many people, withdrawal means at least *some* nausea. If you’ve been using alcohol heavily, ask your doctor to supervise your detox to avoid potentially serious complications.

For many people, however, you can relieve some of these symptoms by staying hydrated, replacing electrolytes, eating a bland diet, and using OTC medications. If you experience symptoms of severe alcohol withdrawal (think delirium, fever, changes in blood pressure, and hallucinations), seek medical attention immediately.

Understanding Nausea During Alcohol Withdrawal

Withdrawal nausea and vomiting are uncomfortable and unpleasant symptoms that occur among people who have been addicted to some drugs, particularly alcohol and opiates, or after developing a dependence after a period of intense substance use. Symptoms may range from mild to severe.

The timeline for the onset of nausea and vomiting due to drug withdrawal depends on the type of drug used. For instance, nausea and vomiting associated with withdrawal from short-acting opioids occur about 8 to 24 hours after the last use of the drug. (Heroin is an example of a short-acting opioid.) For long-acting opioids such as methadone, nausea and vomiting occur 12 to 48 hours after last use.

Withdrawal symptoms from short-acting benzodiazepines, such as oxazepam and alprazolam, begin 1 to 2 days after the last dose. The onset is 2 to 7 days for long-acting benzodiazepines, such as diazepam. Withdrawal symptoms from stimulants such as cocaine begin about 24 hours after the last dose.

Tips for Coping With Nausea from Alcohol Withdrawal

The following strategies can help control nausea and vomiting during the withdrawal process:

Hydrate

One of the main risks with vomiting is dehydration, so get plenty of water or other clear drinks. If you’re throwing up liquids, try taking smaller sips of water.

Replace Electrolytes

Fluid loss is not the only problem with dehydration; you also risk the loss of electrolytes, particularly if you also have diarrhea. Drinking rehydration fluid, which is available from drug stores, can help you avoid this. You can also add 1 teaspoon of sugar and 1 teaspoon of salt to 2 liters of water to make your own inexpensive rehydration fluid.

Try the BRAT Diet

You may prefer to avoid food until the initial acute withdrawal phase has passed. However, for some drugs (such as opiates), the acute phase may last several days to a week. When you feel able to eat, try following BRAT diet. BRAT is an acronym that stands for bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast. Also, avoid fatty, salty, or spicy foods.

Use Over-the-Counter Medication

Over-the-counter (OTC) medications like Pepto-Bismol (bismuth subsalicylate) may help ease your nausea and vomiting. You can also talk to a doctor or pharmacist for other OTC recommendations.

Create a Calm Environment

You’ll want to control your environment as best as you can. Make sure there are limited interruptions so you can focus on resting. If you can, take time off of work so you can fully recover from your withdrawal symptoms.

Try dimming the lights and avoiding any loud music or noises. Avoid strong smells if you can, as these can trigger nausea.

Try Acupuncture

Acupuncture has been shown to provide some relief for opiate withdrawal. It is sometimes used to help with nausea and vomiting in people undergoing chemotherapy as well.

If you can’t get to an acupuncturist, you can stimulate the point associated with relieving nausea by pressing or gently massaging the area on your wrist about 2 inches down from the crease at the base of your hand, just between the tendons.

Use Natural Remedies

Studies demonstrate that the active components of ginger can stop nausea and vomiting, and it’s for this reason that it is recommended to pregnant people and people undergoing chemotherapy. Try adding a teaspoon of dried ginger root or a few slices of fresh ginger to hot water to make a simple ginger tea.

Lemons, cinnamon, and cumin extract have all been shown to reduce nausea and vomiting symptoms. For aromatherapy benefits, you can cut open a lemon and deeply inhale it, or you can add lemon juice to water. You can also try adding cinnamon or a few drops of cumin extract to tea or food.

Get Intravenous Fluids If Needed

In the case of severe vomiting, it may be necessary to get intravenous (IV) fluids administered by a doctor so that you don’t become dehydrated.

When to Seek Medical Help

Remember, although nausea and vomiting are a normal part of withdrawal, if these symptoms continue, they could indicate another underlying condition such as pregnancy, food poisoning, migraine headaches, or peptic ulcer.

The wear and tear caused by repeated vomiting may result in vomiting blood. But blood in your vomit could also indicate a very serious medical condition. If you see any blood in your vomit at any time, you should seek medical attention immediately.

You should also seek medical attention if other symptoms of alcohol withdrawal are intolerable. There are medications such as benzodiazepines that are used in some cases of alcohol withdrawal to help manage symptoms. Talk to a doctor about your options. Benzodiazepines come with a risk of dependence as well, so their use should be monitored carefully.

Other Symptoms of Alcohol Withdrawal

In addition to nausea and vomiting, people with alcohol withdrawal syndrome may also experience other symptoms, including:

As with nausea and vomiting, if these symptoms don’t go away after you have stopped using alcohol or drugs for a week or so, they could indicate another medical condition, and you should see a doctor. Ongoing feelings of depression or anxiety, or severe, uncontrollable mood swings may indicate that you have another medical condition that may require treatment.

Severe Alcohol Withdrawal

Particularly if alcohol use has been severe and prolonged, a more severe, and potentially deadly, form of alcohol withdrawal called delirium tremens (DT) can occur. Symptoms usually start 48 to 96 hours after the last drink and may include:

Research has indicated that the percentage of Americans who are stressed at work is high—and it’s only getting higher. According to Pew Research Center, a little more than half of adults find that their job is stressful some of the time. However, 29% say that their job is stressful most of the time, with 19% suggest that this stress is overwhelming.

Work stress has significant health consequences that range from relatively benign (like getting more colds and flus) to potentially serious (such as heart disease and metabolic syndrome).

While stress at work is common, finding a low-stress job is hard (if not impossible). A more realistic approach is to adopt effective coping strategies to reduce stress at your current job.

Let’s take a closer look at some of the steps to manage work stress, like sticking to a positive morning routine, getting clear on requirements at work, and adopting smarter time management techniques.

Create a Pre-Work Ritual

After scrambling to get the kids fed and off to school, dodging traffic and combating road rage, and gulping down coffee in lieu of a healthy breakfast, many people arrive to work already stressed. This makes them more reactive to stress in the workplace.

Evidence suggests that having some type of routine can be a great way combat the negative effects of stress. Plus, consistency helps you feel more in control and able to know what to expect.

You might be surprised by how affected by workplace stress you are when you have a stressful morning. When you start off the day with planning, good nutrition, and a positive attitude, you might find that the stress of your job rolls off your back more easily.

Get Clear on Your Expectations for the Day

A factor known to contribute to job burnout is unclear requirements for employees. If you don’t know exactly what is expected of you, or if the requirements for your role keep changing with little notice, you might become extremely stressed.

Not understanding your role in the workplace can be a source of stress. Trying to figure out and meet expectations can be exhausting. Plus, it’s tough to feel good about your work when you’re not sure whether you are meeting or exceeding expectations.

If you find yourself never knowing if what you are doing is enough, it may help to have a talk with your supervisor. You can take the time to go over expectations and discuss strategies for meeting them. This can relieve stress for both of you!

Avoid or Reduce Conflict With Colleagues

Interpersonal conflict takes a toll on your physical and emotional health. Conflict among co-workers can be difficult to escape, so it’s a good idea to avoid conflict at work as much as you can.

When possible, try to avoid people who don’t work well with others. If conflict finds you anyway, make sure you know how to handle it appropriately. Developing some effective conflict resolution skills can help you prevent minor disputes from becoming major headaches.

Plan Ahead to Stay Organized

Even if you’re naturally disorganized, planning ahead to stay organized can greatly decrease your stress at work. Being organized with your time means less rushing in the morning to avoid being late and less hustling to get out at the end of the day.

Keeping yourself organized can also mean avoiding the negative effects of clutter, and being more efficient with your work.

Create a Comfortable Work Environment

Another surprising stressor at work is physical discomfort, often related to where you perform most of your daily tasks (such as your desk).

Even small things like office noise can be distracting and cause feelings of low-grade frustration. Do what you can to create a quiet, comfortable, and soothing workspace.

Choose Chunking Over Multitasking

Multitasking was once heralded as a fantastic way to maximize one’s time and get more done in a day. However, people eventually began to realize that if they had a phone to their ear and were making calculations at the same time, their speed and accuracy (not to mention sanity) often suffered.

There is a certain “frazzled” feeling that comes from splitting your focus and it doesn’t work well for most people. Instead of multitasking to stay on top of your tasks, try another cognitive strategy like chunking.

Walk at Lunch

Many people feel the ill effects of leading a sedentary lifestyle. You can combat the physical and mental effects of work stress by getting some exercise on your lunch break.

If your schedule allows for it, you might try taking short exercise breaks throughout the day. This can help you blow off steam, lift your mood, and get into better shape.

Do Your Best and Reward Yourself

Being a high achiever might make you feel good about yourself and help you excel at work, but being a perfectionist can create problems for you (and those around you).

You might not be able to do everything perfectly every time, especially in a busy, fast-paced job. A good strategy to avoid the perfectionism trap is always striving to do your best and making time to congratulate yourself on your efforts. You may find that your results are better, and you’ll be much less stressed at work.

Listen to Music on the Drive Home

Music has many psychological benefits, including helping to relieve feelings of stress. Research has found that listening to music can help lessen the stress response. High-frequency music, in particular, has been shown to increase oxytocin and lower cortisol.

Listening to music offers many benefits and can effectively relieve stress before, during, and after work. Playing an uplifting song while you make breakfast can help you start the day off feeling better prepared to interact with the people in your life. Likewise, combating the stress of a long day with your favorite music on the drive home can help you wind down and feel less stressed when you get there.

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One symptom of an anxiety disorder is feeling as if you are paralyzed with anxiety. This paralyzing anxiety may leave you feeling unable to move, speak, and think. Your arms and legs may feel heavy and immobile, you may be unable to form words, and you may struggle to process what is happening around you.

Zimbrean describes what emotional and physical paralysis can feel like and how they can impact your life.

Physically Paralyzed With Anxiety

While the experience can differ somewhat from one person to the next, the physical symptoms you experience when you feel paralyzed with anxiety can be particularly disconcerting.

You may experience physically paralyzing anxiety in the wake of a clear stressor, a major life change, a disaster, or a traumatic event. However, it can sometimes occur without you being aware of the cause. 

Impact of Being Physically Paralyzed by Anxiety

Being paralyzed with anxiety can have significant effects on your ability to function normally in different areas of your everyday life.

It can also cause you to believe that something is physically wrong with you. People sometimes seek medical attention in this case, undergoing several healthcare visits and medical investigations, which may not lead to any significant findings and may even put them at risk for adverse reactions. 

For instance, someone who suddenly cannot move and goes to the emergency room may be recommended to undergo a lumbar puncture procedure, which is invasive, painful, and unnecessary.  

Emotionally Paralyzed With Anxiety

In addition to the physical feelings of anxiety, you may also feel emotionally paralyzed by anxiety. This can make it difficult to cope with what you are feeling and can interfere with relationships and other areas of life.

An example is a person with agoraphobia, who due to anxiety becomes homebound and never leaves the house or needs a companion to do so. 

A more literal version of emotionally paralyzing anxiety is severe anxiety that takes over all your other emotions, making you unable to react to either good or bad events that may happen. 

Impact of Being Emotionally Paralyzed by Anxiety

Emotionally paralyzing anxiety can be more subtle, causing people around you to perceive you as aloof, inappropriately afraid, or preoccupied.

It can affect other areas of your life such as social interactions, intimate relationships, or work performance, causing them to suffer. In some cases, people are so anxious that they avoid going for their healthcare appointments, and their health can suffer as well.

Other Characteristics of Paralyzing Anxiety

When you are paralyzed with anxiety, you may also exhibit several other physical, cognitive, and behavioral symptoms. Some of these include:

• Avoiding any situation that may trigger feelings of anxiety
• Feeling unable to make decisions, a phenomenon sometimes known as decision paralysis
• Social withdrawal and isolation
• Problems concentrating and thinking clearly
• Muscle tension that makes moving difficult
• Negative thoughts
• Shaking, trembling, and numbness
• Rapid, shallow breathing, 
• Nausea and stomach upset
• Rapid heart rate

Treatment for Paralyzing Anxiety

Zimbrean shares some treatment options and coping strategies that can help you deal feeling paralyzed by anxiety.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT can teach you to break the relationship between the emotion of the anxiety and the particular behavior that is getting in your way, such as the inability to move or do things that cause anxiety. 

Medication

Medications may sometimes be necessary to reduce the severity of your anxiety and prevent the recurrence of anxiety attacks. Benzodiazepines work quickly, which is why they are typically used to relieve anxiety symptoms in the short term. Antidepressants can help people who require long-term treatment but usually take a few weeks to begin working.

Coping When You Feel Paralyzed With Anxiety

In addition to seeking professional treatment, Zimbrean also explains that there are a number of self-help techniques that can help ease feelings of paralyzing anxiety. Some of these tactics include the following:

Identify Your Triggers

Identifying the factors that trigger your anxiety can be helpful. However, this is not always possible; sometimes, it is not always easily removed even if the element is identified. 

Utilize Mindfulness Practices

Meditation and mindfulness techniques can help you focus on the present and keep the anxiety at bay. Mindfulness is a practice that involves nonjudgmental awareness of a person’s sensations, thoughts, and consciousness in the present moment.

A 2018 study found that mindfulness-based interventions for anxiety were comparable to cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) in terms of efficacy.

Care for Your Health

Maintaining your health and undergoing regular health check-ups can help rule out physical health conditions. This makes it easier for healthcare providers to determine that the symptoms you are experiencing are due to anxiety. This is not always easy, as it is often counterintuitive that an emotional condition may cause a physical reaction.