[voncloft]

I know the answer is probably yes - I only ask because I am a hypochondriac: (examples below). I am 29 years old and male.

In the past year I have gone to the ER once because I thought I was having a heart attack (tests came back no blood clots, also had xrays done nothing irregular found(even though I have an inverted nipple on my right side I have had since birth - nothing to worry about (the xray "would" have found something))) good bye tax return,

I also have gone to the walkin clinic numerous times, I have had an HIV test done "spur of the moment" (I'm negative and am frankly okay with never rolling the dice and never having sex again in my entire life (it wasn't even that great I don't know why people "thrive" on it sometimes - like its the only mission in life for them))

Anyways - I came home yesterday after a long day of work and drank beer like a fish - I about killed half a case of beer (maybe a bit more) in under 5 hours; sitting on the couch - watching tv. I took a multivitiman before going to bed, and guzzled it down with soda and food (I chewed the vitamin I can't swallow pills all that great (otherwise it gets caught in my esophogaus and I hurl for a good half hour .... no thanks - thats why I masked it with food and pop))

However today my mouth is parched - I am thirsty and the most frightening thing is my chest (right side) the muscles are constantly twitching/spasming - (occasional thigh as well still on right side) its not too bad but just really annoying (and the spasm can be intense where it "feels" life threatining but everytime I had this "feeling" I went to the doctor, had an EKG - and they look at me as if I am wasting their time - the test always comes back normal).

I am just curious if anyone has had muscle twitching after drinking, and how others have quit - I have literally poured beer down the drain saying - "Never again" a month goes buy "hey beer!".

Also for the hypochondria - any advice to "shut off" my brain. I can literally spend days, weeks, months, and yes even years fixating on an illness (my last one was HIV for 8 years...and now that I am negative - I was relieved - only to have my mind switch to cancer by thinking my inverted nipple that I have had all my life is caused by a tumor - I can't win!!)

Thanks.

[Mygrandjourney]

See previous posts regarding the "CAGE" self assessment. Hope you can get your needs met. Some of the symptoms you describe sound like withdrawal.

[Skeezyks]

Hello voncloft: Well, yes, it sounds as though you have two primary things going on here. One, of course, is your hypochondria. The other, it sounds like, may be that you're becoming an alcoholic. It also sounds, from reading your introductory post, as though you also have some significant money management issues.)

I'm not a mental health professional. So I can't give you any professional advice. However, my personal opinion is that you cannot likely heal from this yourself. So my suggestion is... seek the services of a mental health therapist to work with on the issues that are driving your hypochondria & drinking. And then perhaps also consider becoming involved with some sort of alcohol treatment & support program. (Some money management assistance may not be a bad idea either.)

Many years ago, the Skeezyks was also a 29 year old male. I managed to deny, & leave untreated, my mental health issues literally for decades until it all began to unravel in my 50's. By then it was too late to do anything but learn to live with all of the damage I had done.

You can do this too if you choose. You can believe your problems really just aren't that bad & believe that you can figure this all out yourself. Who knows... maybe you'll be lucky & it will all actually work out for you. That could happen. Or in the alternative you can reach out now, in real life, for the help you need. Whichever approach you choose, please do not follow in my footsteps. They don't lead anywhere you want to go...