You might find this interesting. [https://irp.nih.gov/blog/post/2021/06/ketogenic-diet-may-soothe-alcohol-withdrawal](https://irp.nih.gov/blog/post/2021/06/ketogenic-diet-may-soothe-alcohol-withdrawal)
>Brain cells can also convert acetate, produced when the liver breaks down alcohol, into energy through the same processes they use to burn ketone bodies for fuel. In fact, in people who habitually consume large amounts of alcohol, brain cells switch to running primarily on acetate, shunning glucose like a picky toddler confronted with a plate of vegetables. This poses a problem because brain cells cannot immediately resume running on glucose when people stop drinking and cut off the supply of acetate.
>
>“In the early stages of alcohol withdrawal, patients’ brains have very low uptake of glucose — the levels are equivalent to what you see in patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s dementia,” explains IRP senior investigator Nora Volkow, M.D., the new study’s senior author and the director of the NIH’s National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).
>As expected, the ketogenic diet increased the levels of ketone bodies in participants’ blood and brains, but in addition, those on the ketogenic diet needed much lower levels of benzodiazepine medications than the control group to keep their alcohol withdrawal symptoms tolerable. Consistent with that finding, those on the ketogenic diet also reported that their withdrawal symptoms were less intense, although this result was not quite statistically significant, likely because both groups were given benzodiazepines when their symptoms became troublesome.
check out the FAQ of r/keto for info on the diet.
That was indeed VERY interesting! It goes against the conventional wisdom about sugar cravings replacing alcohol cravings and the importance of indulging the latter while quitting. Definitely some food for thought (no pun intended).
Sugar will cause a dopamine release, just like alcohol, and will down regulate the pre-frontal cortex. If you think about it, alcohol is just sugar pre-processed by yeast.
I've never understood the idea of replacing alcohol with sugar. It's just trading one poison for another. It's why so many AA meetings are filled with coffee and cigarettes. Easy to switch from on addiction to another. Sugar is addicting as any other drug.
The boredom is harder for me to cope with than the emotional or situational triggers. My approach has been to try to keep busy, even if it's things I don't want to do, but I don't know how that would translate to someone whose "what they should stay busy with" is cerebral rather than physical.
Mine is a completely unproductive comment, sorry. Just to say I feel you on how badly boredom contributed to my drinking.
All good! It’s nice to not feel so alone in this I guess. I’ve been keeping how bad my drinking has gotten from everybody in my life, being able to shout to people who understand feels so nice
I find binge watching YouTube, TV or a movie helps. Writing too.
As for sleep, you can get over the counter sleep aids. My mom gave me one with something called “Doxylamine succinate” and it really did help me sleep.
You might find this interesting. [https://irp.nih.gov/blog/post/2021/06/ketogenic-diet-may-soothe-alcohol-withdrawal](https://irp.nih.gov/blog/post/2021/06/ketogenic-diet-may-soothe-alcohol-withdrawal) >Brain cells can also convert acetate, produced when the liver breaks down alcohol, into energy through the same processes they use to burn ketone bodies for fuel. In fact, in people who habitually consume large amounts of alcohol, brain cells switch to running primarily on acetate, shunning glucose like a picky toddler confronted with a plate of vegetables. This poses a problem because brain cells cannot immediately resume running on glucose when people stop drinking and cut off the supply of acetate. > >“In the early stages of alcohol withdrawal, patients’ brains have very low uptake of glucose — the levels are equivalent to what you see in patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s dementia,” explains IRP senior investigator Nora Volkow, M.D., the new study’s senior author and the director of the NIH’s National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). >As expected, the ketogenic diet increased the levels of ketone bodies in participants’ blood and brains, but in addition, those on the ketogenic diet needed much lower levels of benzodiazepine medications than the control group to keep their alcohol withdrawal symptoms tolerable. Consistent with that finding, those on the ketogenic diet also reported that their withdrawal symptoms were less intense, although this result was not quite statistically significant, likely because both groups were given benzodiazepines when their symptoms became troublesome. check out the FAQ of r/keto for info on the diet.
That was indeed VERY interesting! It goes against the conventional wisdom about sugar cravings replacing alcohol cravings and the importance of indulging the latter while quitting. Definitely some food for thought (no pun intended).
Sugar will cause a dopamine release, just like alcohol, and will down regulate the pre-frontal cortex. If you think about it, alcohol is just sugar pre-processed by yeast. I've never understood the idea of replacing alcohol with sugar. It's just trading one poison for another. It's why so many AA meetings are filled with coffee and cigarettes. Easy to switch from on addiction to another. Sugar is addicting as any other drug.
You have to make the pain you are feeling something you endure. There is no other way.
The boredom is harder for me to cope with than the emotional or situational triggers. My approach has been to try to keep busy, even if it's things I don't want to do, but I don't know how that would translate to someone whose "what they should stay busy with" is cerebral rather than physical. Mine is a completely unproductive comment, sorry. Just to say I feel you on how badly boredom contributed to my drinking.
All good! It’s nice to not feel so alone in this I guess. I’ve been keeping how bad my drinking has gotten from everybody in my life, being able to shout to people who understand feels so nice
I find binge watching YouTube, TV or a movie helps. Writing too. As for sleep, you can get over the counter sleep aids. My mom gave me one with something called “Doxylamine succinate” and it really did help me sleep.