Tea and sympathy

Hi, I was interested in the effects of theanine and I looked it up. Sure there are some good effects. The site I looked at was http://altmedicine.about.com/od/greentea/a/Theanine.htm and they mentioned that it helped stress, immune system, brain health, depression and weight loss. So it may well be helpful when you have stopped drinkingBut it is unlikely to help you while you are using large amounts of alcohol. Alcohol is a much more powerful anti anxiety drug than the theanine. In fact it can help you to pass out to a place where there is no anxiety at all. The interesting thing about alcohol is that it apparently reduces anxiety. It does this by wiping out the source of the anxiety, the forebrain, that it the thoughts we have that make us anxious. But the use of alcohol, especially in high quantities, leads to increased anxiety and panic attacks, this is because the withdrawal symptoms take effect and a person is in withdrawal most of the time, whether they are drinking or not.So you are in a serious situation. Your drinking is at a point where it will affect your health and could lead in the end to effects on your liver and in fact, if the situation does not change to an early and unpleasant death.And you are beginning to think that you need to do something.It is difficult, but what will help is if you focus on reducing your use of alcohol. Find some friends who can support you in this, or go to some AA meetings and find some support there. Then take on a slow programme of reduction. Every week make a little change. Decide that for that week you will not drink more than 15 cans a day, then drop it the next week down to 13 cans a day. When you get to 10 cans, drop just one can a week. Slowly does it. You will have time to make the changes in living and get used to less. If you stop suddenly without medical support, you are likely to experience fitting or maybe even death.Keep a record, so you can see how well you are doing. AA is a good place to get support. When your drink is down to 4 drinks a day, you could try a little counselling about the things that are worrying you.The supplements you could do with now are Vitamin B and zinc.Enjoy the theanine when you have stopped drinking. In the mean time drink green tea. It tastes good when you get used to it. Best wishesJill Edwards