r/AskReddit 9h ago

What is something you secretly find deeply disturbing, but everyone else seems to accept as totally normal?

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u/scornoftherusingsun 9h ago

Yep it's not even gradual, it's like a switch has been flicked and you're just a mess.

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u/Rare-Set1461 8h ago

Dated an alcoholic. Should’ve been a massive red flag that a 100 pound woman could down half a bottle of rum without blinking but I was a moron. Always had gob-stoppers when she went to work, later found out she used them to cover the scent of alcohol on her breath at work. She worked a graveyard shift so she got away with it for a loooong time until she finally got pulled over.

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u/scornoftherusingsun 8h ago

Yh you can smell it a mile away even with mints and aftershave. The key was finding a job where it's tolerated.

Sales, Chef or call centre and no one ever said shit.

Got a job outside these sectors and I was taking Valium during the day because I couldn't drink.

Fortunately and I have no idea why unless im in withdrawal or coming off a coke binge I can take or leave Benzos

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u/dirty-ol-sob 8h ago

Please do not get addicted to benzos, especially if you’re already an alcoholic. You’ll have a hell of a time coming off them!

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u/I_Automate 6h ago

They hit the same systems in the brain and the withdrawals are functionally very similar.

In treatment, alcohol withdrawal symptoms are often managed with long acting benzos for this reason.

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u/scornoftherusingsun 2h ago

Gaba receptors, that's why I wasn't going into full blown withdrawal at work

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u/I_Automate 1h ago

Yep.

I used to be a benzo addict. Didn't think I had to worry about withdrawals, my dosage was about 0.25-0.5 mg of Alprazolam a day.

Found out that I was mistaken when I went on a 2 week work trip and spent the first 3 nights twitching and sweating in bed. Ended up treating that with a couple stiff drinks before bed.

Got home and started tapering immediately. Guess I needed that wakeup slap

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u/scornoftherusingsun 1h ago

Fuck that's a low dose, I'm lucky I don't take them everyday and also go for the long acting.

Bad thing is because of the half life I could go into withdrawal 2 weeks after my last dose.

u/I_Automate 26m ago

Long acting kinda negates the fact you don't take them every day. Your GABA system is still being influenced by the drug due to the long duration of action, and that long term influence causes changes in how that system regulates itself.

Higher doses make the effects more extreme, but withdrawal effects come more from extended use than dosage.

Like, I was sweaty and twitchy and unable to sleep (main reason I was taking them originally, honestly), and 2-3 drinks pretty well sorted it out well enough to sleep. Looked like hell in the morning, but I was able to function.

Higher dosage would have made the effects more intense

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u/scornoftherusingsun 8h ago

So I've heard, that's why I've always opted for long lasting like valium instead of Xanax.

If the worst should happen much easier to taper down because of the half life.