Alcohol And Dissociation

[BeatenMan]

This may be a stupid question but I'm going to see if anyone else has this happen. I used to dissociate a lot. After my EMDR and a year of hard work it has become more rare that I dissociate and usually just under extreme stress. One thing I have noticed is after having a few drinks, at that point when you typically just hit the relax point but not feeling buzzed, I zone out really bad and cant seem to snap out of it. I didn't used to do this prior to the trauma. The other night, a buddy made the comment, uh oh, Beaten just hit his 4 beer stare. I didn't realize it was so obvious that others noticed and had a nickname for it. Is this strictly just the alcohol or is there some sort of dissociation thing going on. Does anyone else have this happen to them?

 

[open eyes]

It's extremely common for trauma victims to dissociate, ESPECIALLY under the influence of drugs or alcohol. I have this problem with getting high. For a few minutes, I'm fine, but then I get extremely dissociated & end up more depressed & out of it than high. Easy solution: stop getting drunk/high.

 

[Justmehere]

Alcohol is an NMDA receptor antagonist and NMDA receptor antagonist substances increase dissociation. It's why alcohol used to be used as an anesthetic. It tends to numb out pain and the body. Some cold medications, like dextromethorphan, and some other much more powerful drugs, like ketamine, are also NMDA receptor antagonists and can increase dissociation.

Naltrexone, a medication used to block the action of alcohol in the body, is one of the few known drugs that can also decrease dissociation directly. I don't drink anymore, but I have been on naltrexone for dissociation and it worked really well for that.

So it makes a lot of sense alcohol and dissociation might be linked.

The danger is that the more someone uses substances that can cause dissociation, the more likely the brain is to dissociate in the future without it. It like greases the path to being dissociative.

It can all get better with treatment though.

 

[joeygn72]

My experience (and it's vast) says that alcohol and drugs stopped producing the effect/relief that I got at first.. Started drinking at 8 and tried everything available till I got on Heroine and that relief lasted about 1 year the rest of the time was spent in a hole so deep I still feel I'm in it and I've been clean since 2003.

 

[Jane.l]

I get this too . It makes it difficult to even drink socially as I 'zone out ' so easily . Have also noticed if I drink heavily that I very often end up in a kind of flashback loop - that goes on and on - for some reason I am still stupid enough to do it - but then a lot of what I do doesn't make sense.

 

[HelenB]

When I first started my EMDR my therapist talked to me specifically about the effects of alcohol and recommended that I do not drink after the sessions. I have never known the specific reasons why, and assumed it was because our inhibitions were down, but do know that when I drank a bit over Christmas, even when I wasn't doing the EMDR and it wasn't much alcohol, that it did trigger me into my disassociated state, and do know for me that I do have to avoid it completely while I am going through the things I am going through.

Helen

 

[Deleted member 1860]

Alcohol affects all us sufferers differently. I have developed the state before, but didn't recognize it for what it was until I read your post. I also wake up from a dead sleep in a state if panic after just half a beer. I quit drinking over 2 years ago. Being the sober bitch kinda sucks, but it's nowhere near as bad as those attacks.

 

[BeatenMan]

Thanks for all the input. To clarify I have finished my EMDR, therapist has put me on a "call as needed" basis and I'm doing really well considering the past couple years. The drinking hasn't been for coping and has just been in social settings. It just caught me off guard that my friends were noticing it. The one made the joke about the 4 beer stare and another one made the comment that it's harder to meet women when you are staring off into space. Oh how this PTSD changes life. Maybe just Maybe a gorgeous dream woman will think I'm staring at her across the bar and fall in love, haha :tup:.

 

[joeygn72]

Your therapist says call as needed. I believe if you drink you will be calling him/her so keep that phone # handy... Also, not trying to be sarcastic although it might come out that way. You might have "finished" EMDR but theres no graduation. I hope you aren't under the assumption that you completed the program. Do a bit of research and you'll find often times symptoms and issues can resurface. Think about that when you drink. I'd hate to think you will set yourself up for a relapse... Be well.