There are basically 6 reasons why alcohol consumption and hangovers make many people anxious and I’m going tell you what they are. I want to share this with you so that you can be more informed and avoid becoming alcohol’s punching bag.
Ever since I became sick with nervous illness I’ve heard a lot of people say that anxiety sufferers should not drink alcohol because it makes you more nervous than you already are.
I’ve always found this to be ironic because there are so many anxiety sufferers that drink alcohol to cope with their anxiety, but true it is.
Now, the fact that alcohol can cause anxiety is just that, a fact. It is a scientifically based understanding, so this is not simple conjecture on my part.
Will alcohol affect all people this way? Probably not, but as an anxiety sufferer you should be aware of the possible pitfalls of alcohol consumption, so pay close attention.
Scientists believe that alcohol causes or at least increases anxiety in 6 basic ways and here they are.
1. Mood
Alcohol can affect our mood because it can affect the level of serotonin in the brain. Serotonin is a feel good brain chemical that when in short supply can cause feelings of anxiety and depression.
A drop in blood sugar can cause dizziness, confusion, weakness, nervousness, shaking and numbness. These symptoms can most certainly trigger a bout of anxiety.
3. Dehydration
This has been known to cause nausea, dizziness, fatigue, light-headedness and muscle weakness. These symptoms wouldn’t cause anxiety per say but they add to a sense of illness which fosters anxiety.
4. Nervous System
The nervous system is affected because in order for the body to fight off the sedative effects of alcohol it puts the body into a state of hyperactivity in order to counteract this effect. This hyperactivity can lead to shaking, light/sound sensitivity and sleep deprivation.
5. Heart Rate
Your heart rate can become elevated as a result of consuming alcohol which can cause a palpitation false alarm and put you into a state of anxious anticipation. Is it a heart attack or isn’t it you might ask. This “what if” questioning can increase your general state of anxiety.
6. Concentration
A hard night of drinking can also make you hazy, bring on headaches and create a sense of disorientation.
So if you’re going to have a glass of wine with dinner I don’t think you should be concerned. On the other hand, if you’re a heavy drinker, or binge drinker, then this might cause a real problem for you.
According to The Times Online, scientists don’t know exactly why all this happens but they do suggest that you eat before drinking, drink water in between drinks, and stay in bed if you are hung over to avoid all the problems I outlined above.
Some would say that maybe you shouldn’t drink at all if you have an anxiety disorder – that’s debatable. Do you think that alcohol should be avoided at all cost when someone has an anxiety disorder?
I don’t think that alcohol should be avoided if drinking is part of your social repertoire, however, I also know that moderation and good sense should be your guide.
In addition, although alcohol does have a sedative effect it should not be used as a coping tool. This type of behavior can lead to alcoholism and worse yet, more anxiety.
So if you know that you’re a light weight, or if you already know that alcohol makes you anxious, don’t bother. Maybe I don’t need to say it, but really some people just don’t know when to say no.
Note: I want to hear your opinions. Let me know what you think about this issue – comment below.
Update
After waiting forever I finally completed a podcast for this article. Press play to listen now.
JP, you gotta stop kicking yourself. Today is a new day. I used to tell myself when I would wake up the next morning after one of those nights that somewhere out there, somebody is going through the exact same thing. You are not the first person to drink too much.
Take a shower, take some vitamin B’s, go for a slow walk, and try to do something good for yourself or somebody. That’s what I used to try to do anyway, and if you can, you will feel better.
I found that my heavy drinking was causing AFib (an irregular heart beat), and that is very scary, which is why I have not drank much or smoked much pot in the last few months. The AFib was causing extreme anxiety symptoms – lightheadedness, blurry vision, rapid pulse, dizziness. The rapid pulse got so bad I was rushed to hospital via ambulance.
I am in the process now of seeing doctors to see if the drinking causes the AFib, which causes the anxiety; or does the AFib cause the anxiety cause the drinking.
Seems like Paxil is working (and small doses of Ativan) for me right now. I DID NOT want to start taking an antidepressant, but I had some major panic attacks and had to do something. These happened 2 months after I had a drink or smokes marijuana, so I guess I’m just plagued with serious panic.
This really sucks.
Yup JP we’ve all been there. Today is a new day. Work hard to not hate yourself. You’re human. Like Barbara says, load up on some VitB’s, go for a walk, try to do some things that bring you happiness like listening to your favorite music and so on. This too shall pass……
As for me, I am on Day 8 of what will be a very long drying out period. I’ve been having weird aches on my right side and liver. I went to the doctor and had a blood test to check my liver. My AST enzymes are 58 (39 is the max before the test is flagged for being high). She said my liver tests over the past year are conclusive for alcohol abuse. This is the first time my doctor has simply told me I need to stop drinking.
Say no more Doc. So as of December 4th, my liver is going on a wonderful vacation. Several months for sure. At which time I will have another liver test to see if my numbers are back to normal. If not, then my drinking days are officially behind me. If they are, then I will have a very Soul-searching question to ask myself. Can I allow myself the very rare occasion of drinking or should I just be done with alcohol for the rest of my life?
Time will tell. For now, my liver is on a beach somewhere sippin’ Milk Thistle and enjoying the fresh air.
Hey guys, thanks, I know. I took a Xanax this morning, it actually helped, but I feel it wearing off a little. I did drink a Vitamin Water which was loaded with C and b12.
This is why I hate alcohol, you never know, well at lease for me, when I’ll wake up fine or like this. I am noticing a pattern though which I’m going to talk with my therapist about tomorrow – it’s either old friends, sporting events and women. If the woman is drinking, I am. For the most part, during the week, I’m fine. I am ok with the two beers and I usually don’t even do that anymore. I think the meds give a false sense of security too, because I really do feel fine and act normal and fun. The girl I stayed over with texted me to say what a great time she had, etc. I won’t be hanging with her for awhile, not that I think she’s a bad influence, I need to somehow re-socialize myself.
Yes, walking does help, it’s a little cold in NYC right now though. 🙂 I kind of wish I could call it an early day, but I have an event tonight. I’ll be fine at the event.
I think now, I really need to eat something.
Thanks for listening guys. I’m just worried I’m going to lock myself in my apartment and cease all interaction with people…I really hate it. My old buddies from growing up have one of our buds coming in, we’re having a dinner, I know they want me to go…I just can’t. Mayve I’ll meet up with them later, then I always have the its late, need to run work tomorrow excuse.
I don’t think I’m an alcoholic by any means, I just need to figure why and when this inicidents pop up now and again.
Self-hypnosis or mediation, or hypnosis. Anyone ever try this? I’ve been doing some reading on it and I wonder if it’s worth a shot?
jp
Hi
JP: I hope you are feeling better.
Todd: Goof for you, I hope you can stay feeling good.
The side effects of the Wellbutrin eventually cleared out of my system. I had almost talked my way out of going north, thinking I wasn’t stable enough, but it was fine and getting on the plane was fine and I’m sitting here in downtown Chicago in a high rise, very high, and that is fine.
The night before last I helped host an enormous party with two of my best friends: big deal, tons of food and BOOZE. I have been drinking steadily since I got here. At home I know almost no one and the person who I live with does not drink at all, so I am safer there. So far I’ve had two incidents of anxiety but with some Xanax I was ok and the bouts were managable. My friend drinks a lot here in Chicago but to the blotto point, so it’s been nice to enjoy lots of top quality wines. I know in the end I will pay for it, but it’s the holidays, I need a social life and it’s been fun to get a buzz on, but I know I can’t live my life like this. I do find it hard to be social and sober and to be in big cities and sober and when there are a few parties on it is too tempting for me to not drink. So I am hoping that I can keep this steady level up till I return home and back to relative sobriety on the 20th.
The depression has gone for the meantime. I think sometimes I drink by myself when I am home is because I’m bored and lonely, so something has to shift and I will have lots to say to the therapist when I return. Sometimes I’m almost scared to move as if I live with loads of friends who are non-alkis and just light social drinkers but musicians and late nighters, I wonder if I can do that and don’t actually think I can. But there has to be a balance. I can be sober when I’m with a person that doesn’t drink. I can easily now go for a month sober, but I can’t hide from life because of my fear with my drinking. So: lonely bored and sober and healthy but social needs not met, or great social life, great friends, lots of going to friends gigs, lots of drinking, feeling crappy in the morning and staying on Xanax and having a few hangovers? Why can’t I just have two glasses? I wish I could be social at bars and clubs and gigs without having to have the crutch of wine.
Ruth, everyone has their triggers, I actually figured mine out on my own I realized when talking to my therapist. For me, it’s old friends (probably the worst trigger), sporting events and women. I actually do know how to drink now being like this, the problem with the old friends, is I seem to forget or think I’m young again. When I was younger, I pretty much could pace myselg perfectly, I also don’t like to eat a lot of junk, which ironically, junk helps with booze and hangovers. However, the pacing thing just does’t cut it anymore. I need to be well nourished, perhaps even eat a few carby sugary things I rather not, if I choose to do this, and the meds take it to a new level.
For the most part, I’m pretty good. I don’t drink home alone, but I under stand what you mean about social and drinking. I also live in a big city, the biggest perhaps, and one of my drs even told me the notion of not drinking living in this town is extremely challenging and somewhat unrealistic (unless your an addict and have no choice not to).
Yes, Ruth, I’m realizing now, holidays kind of suck. 🙂 I told my therapist how I’m really thinking about not seeing my old childhood friends at this dinner, because I know it will be a sh#$ show. She seemed to think that was a bad idea, she thinks reconnecting with my old friends is a good thing. I’m undecided, I might tell them I have a work thing and will meet up with them later. By that time it will already be late, they should be winding down and/or they’ll all be so wasted that I’ll have my guard up. 🙂
JP
P.S. Thanks, I do feel much better today.
Is it possible that alcohol just enhances stress? Sometimes I can drink and party for months on end and feel fine, and other times it makes me crazy. i used to drink a ton whenever i did and have a blast (except that I don’t LOVE alcohol nearly as much as other substances), but when i was with my last bf I think he brought something out in me. He was perfectly nice but I would cry and get violent at parties with him after a while. Now I’m fine again when I do substances, though I don’t think I want to start regularly again….
Hi JP,
It is really annoying that junk works after a hangover. I eat really really well but after a hangover (thankfully rare these days) I either want the ‘hair of the dog’ or something carb like or a cooked breakfast. I think its the body craving all the nutrients it lost. I just got down to my ideal weight and am not about to go up even a pound.
My friend and I were talking about health, anxiety and drinking tonight. I told her I belonged to a forum and how drinking and anxiety are related. For her, she says that it doesn’t increase her anxiety but drinking gives her migraines and she never gets a migraine if she doesn’t drink so much. This conversation occurred while NOT drinking, I might add. She is very like me. Like using it as a sleep aid (which does not work as we know) and a social backup. She is fortunate that she has to go to work 4 days a week. If I had a ‘normal’ job I couldn’t drink in the day, but I don’t have a normal cos I’m self employed so I make my own rules, which while sounds perfect, is not that good if you want a wine at noon.
Anyway, I think that your therapist might be right in that it would be good to catch up with old friends. But I also think turning up later would be a better idea. I think it all depends on how close you are with them. If you’re not close, you’ll want to drink as it could feel awkward with childhood memories and reunions are strange. I don’t do them myself. I just feel old and everyone talks about their poor marriages and messed up kids and I get bored with old stories of the past, which if there is no new common ground for conversation, will go there. Not really fun or scintillating. You’ll make the right decision I think.
Today was pretty ok… two drinks at a restaurant and one glass of vino at the art movie, not too bad.
everyone talks about how much they drink,,and less on how they feel after it ,
im sober now for five weeks my anxiety was so so bad after i drank it was un barable i just wanted to crawl up and die..it took me 3 weeks to get a bit better,,nobody seems to have that type of anxiety here!!!
Well, as I have gotten older (50) the hangovers are what are killing me. I’m talking sometimes a 3-day hangover, and I was starting to get BAD heart palpitations from the alcohol, which caused MAJOR PANIC ATTACK. At least I think that is what is going on, still getting testing done.
But, back in my 20s, I was really drinking and partying with substances a LOT and joined AA/NA/CA with a boyfriend at the time. I remember feeling awful the first few weeks of not partying, very sleepy, lethargic constantly. It passed and then I started feeling better physically anyway, although could not wait until boyfriend gave up this sober crap and we could start partying again. Eventually I started partying without him. We broke up. Apparently he has been sober since, and that was in the 1980s.
Anyway, drinking can cause arrythmia, which will cause MAJOR anxiety. Is you pulse irregular? Are you also getting lightheaded, palpitations, anxiety, a fearful feeling, heavy pounding heartbeats??? Could be arrhythmia and/or panic attacks. Ativan helped me for immediate help and now I am on Paxil, which seems to be helping somewhat, but something is definitely still going on. Still trying to determine if this is anxiety or something physical.
I am starting to think all those years of partying are catching up with me. My drugs of choice were alcohol and cocaine. Did a LOT of both. Wonder if the coke affected my veins? Fear of aneurysm….. Geesh, I’m getting on my own nerves with all the worry!! 🙂
Barb–by all means POST MORE , not less…..Its about the “details” and personal experiences, that we can all relate to here, and say to ourselfs “oh my god, that sounds exactly what i been feeling”. etc…..So post as much as you want, and the more detail THE BETTER…..trust me…
Hi Barabara, I doubt your Cocaine use from your youth is affecting you now, or your alcohol use for that matter. I am not a Dr., but from what I understand, your brain, like your lungs can correct itself. Unless you had a cocaine induced stroke or something like that, I think your facilities should all be ok.
Ruth, that is what I decided to do, go later. I only keep in real touch with a a few of them, but when I do see the others, its a good thing. I actually grew up in a very small town (ironcially right outside NYC) and it was a pretty tight knit community. So, whenever you see somewhere from around the time you were there, let alone your own year, it’s kind of exciting and fun. The exciting and fun is what brings on the over festive nature.
I went on a good run last night and then stopped into the tap room at my club. Lately, I just been getting club soda, but decided to have a beer. I was going to limit it to two or three, started chatting with some people, ended up having four. I went home at a decent hour and popped some pills to get to bed. I’m actually ok this morning, I have been a little tired this week, just because I’ve had some long days this week, nothing substanc related. I will say, I feel a little “off”. No crazy anxiety or anything like that, maybe I should’ve stuck to me orginal plan though.
Sigh, I think it may be time to train for another marathon….
JP
Here is the primary reason for alcohol-induced anxiety: alcohol makes people anxious because of the affect it has on self-awareness. Most people who drink to control anxiety do so in situations where others aren’t drunk. So the person naturally becomes paranoid about smelling like alcohol, etc. I have read multiple case studies on this and it’s really the only noteworthy explanation. Alcohol likely won’t promote nervousness in settings where others are drinking/intoxicated.
this couldnt be further from the truth……for me at least, because many times when i felt the most anxious, or even panic attacks, is when i was home, by myself, with no one else even around.
Fang, I agree with J, I think that is totally wrong. Again, like J, I am only speaking from my personal experiences, but mine are completely the opposite. If I am in a situation where others are not drinking or drunk, I am always fine. I don’t have the urge to drink and I am actually quite happy I am not being peer pressured into anything. The only time I am in a situation where I drink a little (or a lot) more than I wanted to, is when those around me are getting sh#$faced. If anything, I am probably the least drunk person, say, 95% of the time. If I get to that point, my first instinct or reaction is to go immediately home….and I do. No stopping at another place, no one more, maybe stop for some food (no drink with the food) and that’s it. If I’m with a woman and she’s drinking, that might be a little bit of a problem, it’s a little hard to ween off when the lady is pounding…plus, I know where that’s going to lead 75% of the time.
For me, because of the medication, I sometimes lose moments of time, but I always know I didn’t do anything foolish. One, if I did, I can assure you I’d remember and second, I’ve even asked people and they always say the same thing, the look at my strangely and say, “No, you seemed absolutely fine, you were actually kind of funny, I thought for sure you were the most sober one.” (It’s still a little scary though).
JP
P.S. Ruth, I actually ended up not meeting my friends. My building had its co-op xmas party, I went to that, had a few beers with some neighbors, popped and 1/2 a trazadone and went to bed. Oh before the moral police start chiming, my Dr. told me that was completely safe and fine.
I hosted a dinner party last night for 8. Was I sober? No. I actually crashed out in my party dress. But made great food and didn’t make a fool out of myself -rarely do when drinking – and everyone had a great time. Drinking makes me anxious, tired, sometimes reduces stress and the social anxiety thing is lessened. Why is this? ONe of my friends who came over sings in front of 3000 or so people and can have a glass of wine here and there. I’d be Amy Winehouse with that lifestyle.
But the point of my post is that to the person who said that paranoia exists and the smell on your breath… I do agree… I am almost glad that every alcohol reeks other than vodka, which I cannot drink. If all alcohol did not smell, well I would not be alive writing this post.
Today I fly home to the wilderness and quiet and say will hello to my liver. The holiday was great but Christmas and the New Year will be sober for me and I’m looking forward to it.
JP,
I don’t know what trazadone is, but I do know that we don’t need any moral policing. In fact when I think about it, when people do that, it’s so annoying I almost want another glass. The judgmental thing is really stupid. Sober people are as messed up as anyone out there, pills or not. I actually make a concerted effort to cut people out of my life who have ridiculous expectations or opinions about my lifestyle. People in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones. Don’t worry about it.
Bottom line is that sure, we hate anxiety and the drinking issue is huge, but still, just because people have opinions, shouldn’t determine what choices we make. Even with my struggle with drinking and anxiety and that I have a history of doing back and forth with it,, I can still say I would never swap my life for any one else’s.
Trazadone, if I spelled it right, is a sleeping aid, more on the milder side. I was actually with my psychologist today and she told me a lot of issues patients bring up with her is wanting to hang out with their friends and trying not to drink, because that is all their friends want to do. We’re not talking about kids here, I’m sure she means people like me and older.
For business its really tough on some people, especially if you’re a Wall Street person, you pretty much have to do whatever your customer is doing and that could mean drugs as well; at the very least you need to be able to get it for them.
Also, if they want to stay out allnight and take a care to Atlantic City, guess what, your doing it.
Ruth, we know, people that say “jyou’re on medication, just stop” don’t have an f’in clue what they’re talking about. Which, by the way, I’m having re-adjusted. I am weening of Celexa over the next 6 days and will start taking Prozac, the 150mg of Welbutrin will stay the same.
Hey all,
Been a while since I wrote in the website. Been pretty good in the anxiety stakes recently, however, this report has struck a bit of a chord. I have been out this evening and had a few beers…and yes, I can confirm that I feel lousy. Skipped heart beats and general raised anxiety…nice.
I am not a big drinker and, frankly, I would be happy never to drink again. However, it seems we live in a world where drinking is unavoidable. If you want a social life then booze is difficult to avoid.
Anyway, I am sure I will be fine in the morning. Just need to sleep it off I think…
Happy xmas all!
Andy
Happy New Year! Reading the posts here have made me feel I’m not alone. I am an alcoholic trying to change this for the past 2 yrs. With small bouts here and there which instantly give me horrible depression and anxiety the next day. I believe alcohol is poison to me but like an idiot I dabble with it here and there sometimes at family gatherings and other times at home for no reason at all. I was hoping to start this New Year sober but the devil got the best of meso now I shall pick myself up and start over. I recently had a full hysterectomy so now I’m on a HRD on top of my zoloft and ativan for anxiety and insomnia. Ya so drinking really isn’t good for me to do with that mixture.. I hope to hear more of your stories it helps to know there are more people out there like me 🙂
Hi Janelle
Alcohol saps your body of nutrients. It damages the stomach lining. The liver can only deal with one unit of alcohol an hour on average so while your liver is dealing with that unit the rest of the alcohol is surging round your body not one cell can escape. I work with individuals who have issues with alcohol and using reflexology is an immense source of relief from anxiety. These individuals have reduced their use of alcohol after a session of reflexology. I recommend after checking with your general practitioner that you look at having some form of complimentary therapy like reflexology to ease your anxiety and help you reduce your intake as part of a comprehensive plan which includes help from an agency specific to your needs. You have to do this on your own but you can’t do it alone. What that means is you be ready to change that must come from you, no one else can do that for you. Once you are ready then you get the help and support specialised help. That’s what I mean when I say your can’t do it alone.
I hope this helps Janelle.
N>B> Vit B complex mega dose. These are necessary for your nerves. (check with gp first).
Janelle, Sylvia gave you some good advice. I went to a reflexiologist over the holiday, it was a REALLY good one. This one was in NYC and I’ll be frank, it was on the pricier side than you normally see advertised, but oh was it worth it! I have a lot of foot problems from sports, which is initially why I did it, but wow, it did more for my mind than my feet. I never felt so relaxed and literally drifted off into another place. When I left the place, I was walking around Greenwich Village, calm, while everyone was bustling around, quickly, for no reason at all. I even laughed a little about it.
I’ve been doing quite well in this department as of lately. I think the med mix I had wasn’t helping, the new one seems much better; everything seems clearer and I’m more productive.
The vitamins are key as well. B-12 was pointed out, Vitamin C definitely helps, especially with the weather starting to get drasting cold as it is up North now and look into fish oil as well, it’s good for the brain. I’ve been taking it for a few weeks and definitely notice a difference.
All the best to you.
JP
Lately I started noticing that when I have a couple drinks I go home, fall asleep and then wake up either having a panic attack or just really anxious. My anxiety and panic is in my sleep 90% of the time. During the day I’m pretty much a normal person. Tonight I had 2 glasses of wine and woke up at 2am feeling the start of a panic attack. I use clonazepam to calm down..,dissolves like candy, I love them. I get them from a family member because I sadly can’t afford to see my old psychiatrist anymore. Although I do need to find some doctor soon….I thought I’d outgrow all this by now but apparently not! If anything it keeps changing and getting worse. sometimes I feel great for a few weeks and then out of nowhere the anxiety hits and I get depressed for days sometimes weeks… Not sure why..
Concentration its funny how its the longest one at of all and u want my Concentration
This doesn’t say anything about how drinking causes anxiety. It might say why it might cause it, but not an objective “drinking causes anxiety” answer for me. Even the statement “Will alcohol affect all people this way? Probably not” tells me that there is no solid answer.
How am I supposed to just “go with it”, when there is no scientific citing to back any of this up. It might sound reasonable, but I don’t have any evidence here, so I can’t necessarily agree with any of this.
Hows everyone doin?? I’ve been drinking pretty regularly here…I havent had any major bad panic attacks lately, but then again i have disassociated myself from almost everything that might cause me panic attacks…lol…One thing i have noticed for a FACT— Well i’m a heavy nicotene user (chewing tobacco), i chew about a can a day for the past 20 years…Well lately i’ve been trying to quit and substitute the nicotene with an herbal all natural chew…Sometimes i go for days without using real “nicotine” and what i’ve noticed is that if i’m hungover, or drank pretty good the nite before, well if i use nicotine that morning, i can feel the anxiety go thru the roof–Yes we all know that nicotine raises blood pressure,, heart rate etc, just as does alcohol, but i just wanted to make this point here..I think its almost conclusive that when i use nicotine when hungover the chance of feeling “panicky” or anxious goes up 100%…Just wanted to share this.
Hey everyone, hope everybody’s doing well and finding peace in your days as much as you can.
I’m checking in. After my last liver test my liver enzymes were 58 (the acceptable high is 39 I believe) which were higher than when I took my test a few months before where they were slightly elevated. So my doctor told me I need to stop drinking.
It’s been 5 weeks without a drop of alcohol. I feel great and sure enough no more liver aches and pains. It’s hard to believe my weekend binging of wine was doing so much damage to my liver but there you have it. I’m sure it also has to do with the fact that I have been abusing alcohol for 30 years.
I have yet to decide if I will ever drink wine again or if I am done for life. I certainly do not want cirrhosis and an early death because I just had to have too much fun binging on vino in my 40’s. Yet I wonder if I can really moderate and only drink on special occasions/holidays. 90 percent of my drinking is by myself on the weekends. If I remove that aspect, my drinking would be very few and far between and something to look more forward to. Then again, I may be fooling myself and simply bargaining with that addictive side of me that doesn’t want to give it up.
Therapy is helpful in getting me to see those things about myself. I’ll take another liver test probably in Spring or so after 6 months without alcohol. If my liver enzymes are back to normal I have a big decision to make and I want to be smart about it.
Has anyone else had liver problems or am I the lucky one?
Be well!
I understand what you are going through, I am 33 yrs old and about a year ago after a night of drinking I would have serious anxiety feelings like I was going to faint or worse. Is there anyway to deal with these feelings?
I dont get anxious when I drink, but I have noticed when I drink after I have gone to bed I am awakened by bouts of anxiety. Could this be considered a symptom of a hangover. I feel fine when I get in bed. It doesnt happen until I have been sleeping for a few hours.
love this article and website. The pattern is most evident. Simply after a night of drinking I get super anxious from symptoms of the hangover. I think the 6 resasons hits the nail on the head. Before I read this I was considering to not drink till I feel my anxiety lifting as it has been over the past month or so. But I think it won’t hurt if I hydrate like I used to and maybe eat a sugar filled treat if that helps I’m bout to google that one and learn. But all aside evidence shows for myself that after a night of pouring it on I usually have mild to severe anxiety the next day depending on my situation in life. Hydration, food, the night before and I sometimes fight the idea of taking xanax for anxiety but when I do on those heavy days it does offset the symptoms. I think I just need to make adjustments so I can still enjoy the night of and how to reduce symptoms to enjoy the day after.
what does Xanax and Wellbutrin have to do with this article???!?!
this article is about alcohol causing anxiety. I tend to have this reaction from “beer”.. as little as two beers does it. It never happened to me before, but all of a sudden i cant drink beer without feeling like im going to die for the next 2 days. It doesnt happen “while” im drinking. i feel great while im drinking. its only the next few days with absolutely NO REASON.. doctors pass me off. They simply say “stop drinking”. If this happened from eating a certain food the doctors would look into it. but since its alcohol they dont care and everyone simply passes it off as “anxiety” or “alcohol intolerance”. well it came out of nowhere instantly so it MUST have a cause. No if ands or buts about it. and for me it seems to ONLY be beer when im out with friends. Ive been having glasses of wine home with dinner and a glass to relax at night and im fine. but BEER causes this utter feeling of death, anxiety. mental confusion. lack of concentration nervous tics, paranoia etc… I wish doctors would bother to “research” the cause rather than not giving it a fleeting glance because it comes from something you can just stop doing. Im highly convinced this is the cause of an underlying condition that i HOPE does not cause other symptoms. Lyme disease seems to mimic the symptoms. Would a doctor leave Lyme disease alone??! I highly doubt it, but seeing as its so hard to find doctors dont bother. they look once, see the minimalistic test is negative and simply say “its not lyme disease”
I understand the article that “alcohol makes anxiety worse” what I need to know is WHY! it never used to, why all of a sudden does it now? and why so terribly? if it were anything else doctors would investigate. If i went in to a doctor and explained the situation and lied and said i dont drink theyd be VERY concerned that its so sudden, so severe and with no explanation. and why is it only beer? not wine? and why after one or 2 do i feel this? it has to be something chemically within the beer that now reacts with my body. this outlines a condition. Lyme? Candida? celiac? lupus? Nobody bothers to care to check and its frustrating. This article only makes it more frustrating stating the ole “the only solution is to stop drinking” mantra that people spout out when they cant find an answer. Great, lets brush it under the rug why dont we.
Out of pure personal curiosity and interest. How many of you had conservative or highly religious upbringings? Do you think any/some of the anxiety produced has anything to do with a lingering guilt felt about doing substances?
I wasn’t raised in a particularly religious household, but no one in my nuclear family drinks or does drugs, so it was somewhat conservative and it’s very difficult for me to believe, on a deep internal level, that one can be successful while doing these things. Even when I try to convince myself, I think a lot of anxiety produced, for me, has to do with feeling like I’m self sabotaging every time I drink or smoke, whether or not it is true.
I definitely did not have a religious backfround. As a matter of fact, I went through quite a hedonistic part of my life, which I’m sure I’m being overdramatic, but I didn’t care what I did or how it was perceieved. The anxiety thing came on later in my life. I would get home feeling fine, not even that drunk and have this problem, similiar to what everyone else has mentioned. Someone mentioned beer hits them hard, for me, if I drink too much wine it will usually be the killer, but it does happen with beer sometimes as well. The different alcohols affect the body differently and different people are affected by different things.
Meds came up because some of us are on them. Yes, it is not reccommended that your drink while on them, but if you ask any Dr. the real story they will tell you that some can induce the effects of alcohol (says so on the label), but its not as if you can’t drink; most Dr. will tell you 1-2 drinks per day for a woman (on average) and 2-3 for a man (on average), again, peoples tolerances are different. You’ll find with most meds you’ll drink less anyway, although I’ve heard people have the opposite effect.
I’ve been ok lately. Most things have been under control. I did have one little anxiety episode (after drinking), but I know what caused it. I was out watching the game, and was pretty good about monitoring my alcohol intake. I went to go meet up with another female friend (impulsive decision) somewhere else, and apparently we had some unresolved issues which I had no idea about. I got hit with a huge curveball and really didn’t know how to react, she even had a friend with her and I know I felt embarrassed. I then also realized, while not wasted by any means, I was definitely more buzzed than I thought because my retorts, well, just sounded foolish, nothing mean or nasty, just dumb and I noticed, so I left and went back to my other friends. OH, I had not ordered a drink with the person during this time as well. When I went back to my other friends place, I hung out with his wife for a little while and told the story. I even txt’d my friend simply saying, “that was unfortunate, we’re both a little drunk, I’m not mad at you, let’s talk tomorrow when our heads are clear.” She texted me back something longwinded and crazy (I deleted all of it). Anyway, while staying up with my friends wife, probably had two more beers I didn’t need, still felt fine, but I know the anxiety will come and went home.
I woke home feeling the anxiety for obvious reasons. I remember my unfortunate run-in, but also remember the positive discussion I had with my friends wife. Good thing it was a holiday, I just took the day off (and I also had a date later, I wanted to keep).
I never called my “friend” the one with the disagreement. One, I really didn’t want to talk to her, but also (obviously me and this woman had past physical initmacy), but we never discussed any of it, it was unresolved and things were definitely festering with her. I ended up writing her the following day. I pointed out that one of the key things that destroyed my marriage was lack of communication and it destroys any type of relationship. I even told her I wondered if we really were even friends, not in a nasty way, in a matter of fact way, which I emphasized. I didn’t want her to think I was mad, because I wasn’t. I even apologized for whatever part I played in this unfortunate event, because that is how I saw it, merely that. I ended it with if she wanted to talk, she knows how to reach me, if not, no worries; I’ll understand what that means and there will be no hard feelings. I truly meant this as well.
I haven’t heard from her and I don’t feel mad, happy, sad or anything; actually, the thing I feel most is relieved.
(wow, i went off on a tangent…sorry all!)
I understand JP. One of the main reasons I originally wrote on this page was while trying to figure out if and how substance use was affecting my relations. Both friends and lover(s). This year has been a progressive one for me, though on the outside it looks more like multiple setbacks. In the past 6mo. I’ve been broken up w/twice (same guy), lost my two best friends of the last two years, and got in a monumental fight with my mom while on vacation. Strangely, I’m relatively sober, about to graduate, and feel a kind of positivism and confidence that I haven’t felt in years. I feel like this is all a part of sorting out who really belongs in your life and vice verse. I would say it isn’t as much about who deserves to be as much as compatibility. I still have my doubts about the genuine nature of relationships where hallucinagens, weed and alcohol are an integral part of the hang out routine, but I feel more prepared to deal with it. That is as much from doing what we do as it is from stopping for a time, and knowing I have the will to achieve what I want and find a close circle of people I love. I want to spread positiveness, hopefully I’m not manic like my mom says every time I’m happy….
I also suffer from anxiety years ago when it first stated id just get it randomly all day, it took about a year of no drink or drugs for it to settle down so I can live normally I just refused to take anything to help as id had enough of drugs full stop, and ten years on with no drink or drugs I’ve had a much better life but my friend anxiety has never left me I know now just how to keep it in check better, i don’t take my state of mind for granted anymore i know how easy it can be warped. Its still hard not goin out drinking as I miss it a lot but I just had to reinvent myself its worked for me. Its still of great interest and extremely helpful to hear about everyones experiences in a way sometimes I feel lucky the anxiety got me else something much worse would of.
I was born into a semi-religious Christian house (Mom was, Dad wasn’t but we attended church)…Then after my parents split when I was 11, then life became hell. She met a tortured, evil man who forced us to go to a fundementalist church and I hated the hypocrisy I saw up close and personal every waking day. Heavy mental, emotional and physical abuse ruled our home from 11-18. There is no doubt that my introduction to alcohol, pot, LSD and other drugs was a result of my desire to escape the hell of my childhood.
No drugs stuck with me into adulthood other than alcohol. It no question helped numb my anxiety and panic disorder through my 20’s and 30’s and now into my 40’s. I’ve finally realized the power of alcohol and how it effects my body/mind/health. I’m learning to release myself of the “weekend addiction” and will only choose to imbibe on holidays and special occasions only. That will remove about 90% of my drinking, which translates to 90% less withdrawls/anixety bouts, feelings of depression and all the other many unsavory side-effects of having alcohol in your system every week of the year.
I’ve been alcohol-free for nearly 7 weeks now and I have to say I feel rather fantastic. The biggest difference is the freedom I feel from gripping episodes of alcohol-induced anxiety and feelings of depression that usually follow weekend binging. I had a complete blood work check of all of my organs and as of right now I am as fit as a fiddle. Liver enzymes are back to normal, pancreas is good…All good things that are helped with laying off the booze. By embracing a new way of life I hope to prove you can have your wine and drink it too. 🙂
Just a lot less often which by itself makes it more fun. Life is better when my brain isn’t filled to the brim with red wine. Anxiety isn’t 100 percent gone but it is absolutely in the back room that is well insulated. Life is good right now. It’s entirely up to me if I want it to last.
Todd, its always an inspiration reading yoru words, because i can relate 100% to what you say…I cant believe it though, 7 weeks/? I can say sadly and honestly, that I havent gone even 7 “days” without drinking in 20 years….I would like to certainly have a bout with sobriety, however i find my life too boring without drinking…..See, i love to cook, and watch a good movie, and to me, neither of these are “fun” without a few beers to accompany it…Yes i know thats a personal problem of mine, and an issue i will have to address sooner or later….I havent had any “real” bouts with anxiety lately, even though i drink literally “nightly”, but i find that keeping my consumption down to 6-10 lite beers really does help with the anxiety…….I still feel the “tired” feeling the next day from drinking, and the overall sluggish, crappy, semi depressed moods, but i can say with almost certainly that at least in my case the “panicky anxiety” only will come out if i have hard liquor, OR wine, OR Ice beer ……..just wanted to throw my thoughts out there, no real question here..
Hi J,
I do have to agree with your comment that life can be boring without drinking. Since I started drinking in my teens I went for a year and a half with not drinking but since then have only managed one month at a time being sober. I’m back on the wine, but strictly wine. No mixing drinks and certainly no liquor or I get depressed and moody and kind of angry, so I stay off it. And beer just makes me feel fat and I don’t like the aftertaste in my mouth even after brushing teeth properly etc.
My anxiety is way worse with lack of sleep I’ve noticed. Alcohol consumption affects sleep of course so I get around it with naps. I like to cook as well and cooking and drinking go together like for some smoking a cig and having a cup of coffee do.
I’m in a phase at the moment of drinking a fair amount of wine but am at least trying to make sure I keep the limit the same. Last night I went to a swanky wine bar in the city with a couple of friends. I was bored stiff till the third glass of wine kicked in. Drank four. By the forth, I was having a brilliant time. Had a really great time, no crazy dancing, no running off with strangers, remembered all conversation, but it was definitely a better evening with alcohol, which is kind of sad to have to have a crutch, but I do.
My therapist has been busy and anyway, she is not really helping. She is too young to really be of much help, she is 10 years younger than me and I think she has issues of her own, so I sometimes feel more like the therapist myself. I’ll keep going as my insurance covers it, but if it didn’t I wouldn’t go. I hope for some snippets and sometimes get some and she’s super nice. I feel like if a therapist isn’t a drinker, hasn’t really known what true anxiety is, that they cannot understand and I think that’s the case here. I at least changed my primary Dr since the last one wouldn’t give me Xanax without the SSRI’s which I refuse to take after the horrors of Wellbutrin. We’ll see what the next Dr says.
Todd,
I have to agree with you about the repercussions of the damage of childhood. I had a similar experience to you. My father was converted to Catholicism and had us around a mat on Sunday evenings to recite the Catechism off by heart and we had to write essays. All this was done because the Catholic school I had to attend, all girls, was not up to par by his religious standards and so we had to have extra studying by him. He would grade our papers but my older sister always got the better grade, and I now know why: he was raping her when she was 13 and I was 11. I think I took to drinking to always being made to feel inferior and unintelligent. When I was a late teen I drank a LOT, like blackouts/sleeping around on one night stands/lots of pubbing and clubbing. I do think and have read that a lot of drinkers have poor self esteem.
These days no I’m almost 45, I of course don’t blame him for why certain things in my life didn’t work out: lack of commitment, silly decisions that were irrational, life going down too many unfocused paths and feeling lost and using major travel as a way to try to find myself/run away.
Anyway, it seems your path is good right now. Congratulations on that. As long for now I don’t binge drink, which I don’t ever do, just a steady stream of white wine, I’ll be okay till the next time I have to be sober, which may have to be soon as I start some major work at the beginning of February. I could do with a blood test to see how the liver/kidneys are doing but I’ll have to wait till I get sober to do that!
Hi J- You know, I totally get it. My biggest fear was that I would find sobriety to be utterly boring. I won’t lie, at first it was. But then I started to notice as my head cleared and my motivation improved, I could sit down and enjoy the things I liked to do with a buzz and still enjoy them. It sounds very weird to say that from someone who doesn’t drink but for those that do you totally get what I mean.
My advice to you is to try it. Really give it a go. Challenge yourself to break the cycle even if it’s only temporary. It’s important to realize this isn’t about giving up drinking. It’s about adjusting your lifestyle. It’s just like someone obese who decides to free themselves of the inevitable failures of diets by simply adjusting the way they approach food and the kinds they eat to get to a better life of health.
The hardest part is ALWAYS the first minute, hour, day and week. Once you get past those milestones, it gets easier. How much so obviously depends on the person but it DOES. Can’t do a week? Try a few days. Can’t go cold turkey? Simply cut out a couple extra cans a day until you’re down to none. Then go a few days without. I think you will be pleasantly surprised the internal changes that occur even that quickly.
For me it was fear. I was afraid my liver would start to scar. It sure was on that path if I kept up my binging behaviour. My enzymes were higher with each test. I never gave my liver more than 4 days off to heal and that just wasn’t enough. It needs a good 14-21 days in between drinking to heal itself. So find your motivation and give it a go. I’m not trying to be preachy about it, just talking like a person who decided to take a break and one week turned into nearly two months before I even knew what hit me.
Now? I could totally go as long as I want without drinking. I won’t though. I know myself and I know I will always love a good glass of wine, especially during holidays and special occasions when everyone else around me is as well. But to release myself from my weekend binging where that translated to mostly drinking alone after the wife went to bed, and hiding the bottles so I wouldn’t have to justify my indulgence? Gone. Buh-bye, baby. Nothing but unhappy endings await that story.
If you don’t want to just yet or never? That’s alright man. No judgement either way with me. Do what moves you. What feels right. Either way, good luck!
Ruth, your childhood can absolutely explain some of the freedoms you felt with alcohol, to rise above and beyond that pain you must have endured. It’s a very healthy attitude that you choose not to blame your father for the hardships you have or perhaps still do. A lot of people wouldn’t be able to avoid the trap of blame. Being proactive and working on yourself is a much more noble feat than resentment and blame, although much more difficult a road so my hat’s off.
For any regular drinker I think it’s never a bad idea to get full blood work done. Discover your baseline and do what you can to keep those numbers outside of the flag zone. I’m a hypochondirac so I am easily motivated by fear of bad health so it’s a great motivator for me. Some may not care enough but I hope that’s not true for anyone here. Why can’t we have our wine and drink it too? By removing binging from the equation, we can still enjoy a happy, productive life.
Keep on fightin’ the fight Ruth!
Ruth…..
i have noticed that almost every person i talked to that went to therapy says initiall (and i mean like the first or second visit) that it helps, but then very shortly after almost EVERYONE says “it does nothing”…I have never gone to therapy simply for that rreason—i firmly believe that i know more, and am wiser than most of the so called idiot therapists out there…I mean, they mean well, and its their “job”, but most have NO idea what they are talking about and get all their knowlege from a text book, with very little “life” experience….Ruth, you’ve had some very bad posts in the past with horrible anxiety and depression, and then you were doing good and sober for a while….Please DONT let it get to that point again, take a break from the drinking before you get to “that’ point again..OK buddy?? i dont want to see you in that rough shape again..I hope everyone is doing ok….
Todd.
always enjoy hearing your replies…I have to ASK….I know i’ve asked before, but i need constant reinforcement, and your truthful insight about somethhing….Well, since i do give my drinking 1-2 days a break a week, but i find myself depressed alot, and i’m wondering if you personally have noticd and could comment on if the depression TRULY lessens if the drinking stops for days/weeks?? I mean, i just think if i could TRULY believe in my heart that the depression, and “most” of the anxiety would go away if i stopped drinking for a few weeks at least, then it would be “real” motivation for me……But i’m just not convinced that the depression will go away if hte alcohol goes away/?? I’m not “severely” depressed, but enough i guess……..Just wanted your opinion…
J – You know I gotta say it my friend. The first thing I have to say which I know is a “Well duh!” thing to say, but it makes me feel better all the same…
I’m not a medical professional so please take my advice with that very much in mind.
Okay with that out of the way I have to say that depression for me isn’t extreme but it is markedly worse after alcohol has been in my system for a couple of days or more. The depressive self loathing is nearly intolerable after a binge. Something in alcohol really f*cks with your thinking. We know alcohol is a depressant and by nature the more you drink the more depressed your system gets. This occurs on many levels, not just the obvious “I feel depressed” surface feelings. I think Ruth is right…A lot of drinkers suffer from low self esteem or a lack of confidence in some area or areas of their lives. I know I do. When I take a break from alcohol the feeling of freedom, of exponential confidence, less depressed, more motivated, better sleep, better exercise, better state of mind feels like MAGIC.
Yes, putting down the bottle for a GOOD stretch of time will do wonders to your mind, body and spirit. The longer you go, the better you feel. I always say we are all different how we react to choices we make but taking a lengthy hiatus from toxins built up in your system empowers you. It’s a no-brainer. That’s why I urge anyone to give it a try.
Note I am not saying quit for life. That is a very personal decision and one I would never ask anyone to do. Taking breaks? Definitely. There is nothing bad that comes from cleaning out your system. The benefits are outstanding and obvious within 72 hours.
I can’t say that your depression and anxiety would go away completely if you took alcohol out of the equation but I can guarantee you would notice a definitive and increased reduction of both with each passing week you were on a dry spell. I still have to watch my intake of other triggers like caffeine, MSG and sugar. When I do I feel like a new man.
Look it at this way. What do you have to lose? Give it a try. I would be thrilled to read your posts after a month of no drinking. I would bet $100 bucks there would be a positive difference.
Todd,
thanks for the sound advice…I will stew on it for real. I think my BIGGEST hurdle here is NOT the craving for alcohol, NOT the peer pressure, just the ‘sheer boredom” i feel daily, and when i crack open those few beers in the evening–everything becomes “fun”….How does one attain that “fun” feeling in everyday activities without alcohol? if i could answer that, i could probably give up the drinking..
The key is to release from the habitual use of alcohol to rely on releasing serotonin. There are many natural and healthy ways to release serotonin and endorphines that don’t involve drinking or drugs. Here’s an article I came across that could be of help…
Easy and Natural Ways to Raise Low Serotonin Levels
Copyright © 2007 Mary Ann Copson
Research indicates that in the United States 60-80% of the people, especially women, have low serotonin levels. You don’t have to get caught in the low serotonin cycle of hopelessness and despair. You can alter your low serotonin levels by carefully orchestrating your foods, activities and daily routines and habits.
You alter your brain chemistry, manipulate your neurochemical profile and affect your body’s physiology every day by what you do and don’t eat, what you think about, and how and where you spend your time. Through your daily behaviors and the environments in which you spend your time, you create your biochemical profile and this is reflected in the emotions, energy, thoughts, actions, and psychological states that either bring you into peak performance or that block your best functioning.
You have an enormous power to shape your inner world – your experience of life. What you do every day, what you eat, when you eat it, what activities you engage in and when you engage in them, what kind of environment in which you live and work – everything you do and do not do – shapes how you feel, think and how you experience your life.
You can create the range of emotions, energy levels and intellectual and creative functioning that you want. You can learn how to use what you do and do not do everyday and how you do it to create inner strength, hope, joy, mental alertness, and enthusiasm. By designing a life that keeps your biochemistry in balance you can maintain a state of optimal wellness, vitality and performance. When you understand the optimal physiological requirements of your body operating at its best, you can design your lifestyle to provide the diet, exercise, behaviors, thoughts, scheduling, and environment to support and nourish this optimal state of functioning in your body.
1. Serotonin levels are increased by a carbohydrate rich diet.
When you eat carbohydrates it results in a rise in insulin levels that acts to usher the amino acid tryptophan into the brain. Tryptophan is the precursor to serotonin. One and a half ounces of carbohydrate food (1/4 cup of oatmeal or a piece of sourdough bread) will significantly boost brain levels of serotonin. The healthiest carbohydrates to use are whole grain, low glycemic index carbohydrates such as barley, oats, buckwheat and carbohydrate rich vegetables such as yams, sweet potatoes and squashes. Fruits and most other vegetables have a neutral effect on brain chemistry.
2. Eat the kinds of protein that favor serotonin production.
These proteins are high in the amino acid tryptophan: chicken, white flakey fish, lean cuts of pork, veal, cottage cheese, lamb, low fat cheeses, low fat milk and dairy products, soy and legumes.
3. All meditative activities raise serotonin levels.
Spend time in a natural place such as a forest, park, mountains, or seashore.
Prayer, meditation, positive visualization boost serotonin levels and your feelings of well being, relaxed concentration and peace.
Engage in low arousal, highly meditative and internal spiritual practices that relax you.
Try relaxing activities such as hobbies or crafts.
4. Engage in exercise that increases your heart rate somewhat but not significantly.
Strolling, yoga, non-aerobic swimming, bike riding when done at least 4 days in a row a week will over a period of 60 days increase your baseline serotonin levels.
5. Have a regular wake sleep cycle.
The production of serotonin for the next day requires at least 7 continuous hours of sound high quality sleep the night before.
6. Get out in the sun at least 30 minutes in the morning and for 2 hours throughout the day.
Sunlight burns off melatonin produced the night before. The presence of high levels of melatonin consumes serotonin. Sunlight suppressed the production of melatonin and allows your serotonin levels to rise during the day. Without the exposure to adequate natural light your melatonin levels will be higher and your serotonin levels will be lower.
7. Eat a meal with high level of proteins that contain tryptophan and follow that by a carbohydrate snack two hours later.
This will act to drive the lingering tryptophan into the brain and set up the production of greater amounts of serotonin the next day.
8. Do things that revitalize you and let you feel good.
Take a low activity, high relaxation vacation with your family or by yourself with plenty of time to slow down.
Listen to classical music, light rock, folk or easy listening music.
Visit a museum, go to the theater, the symphony, or watch TV or films about love stories, comedies and other feel good movies.
Engage in long, deep conversations with one or two other people.
Clean and organize your environment.
Read: Self-help books are especially complimentary.
I’ve posted on here before, but not for a while, I keep on reading the comments though, some positive, some negative, but all valid and contributing to the big picture and helping to illustrate just how far reaching this alcohol/anxiety thing is and the many different ways in manifests itself in different people.
My problem is not that I drink all the time, but that I binge- if I start, I find it tricky to stop. I’ve got better recently though, and try to ‘think before I have another drink’. It helps calm my social anxiety, but the day after a big session it just kicks in with a vengeance. I recognise it for what it is now though and can generally ride it out. I suspect that though my anxiety feels bad at times, it’s probably a lot milder than a lot of you good folks have it on here.
I’d intended to give myself a year’s break from alcohol, mainly to prove to myself I could do it, but then got involved with a girl, the anxiety really kicked in and I ballsed it up big time. This was over the new year period and I decided that right then probably wasn’t the best time to deprive myself of a few drinks. However, that little mess behind me (and everything smoothed over with said girl, and I still retain a faint hope our now friendship could blossom into something more, but if it doesn’t, then I’m good with that too), I’ve decided that February will be a month off. There are no big social events coming up, so little temptation, and if I get through the month okay and am feeling up for it, I’ll make it a two-month abstinence, and so on. Maybe I’ll get to my year, who knows.
This is self-experimentation at it’s most basic, and is perhaps my own way of testing myself. I like to prove to myself I can do things sometimes, and as Todd stated only a few posts ago, a hiatus from the toxins that build up after drinking for a long period is no bad thing…
If you read about post-acute withdrawal syndrome online, supposedly it can take a significant amount of time (6 months to a year) for your nervous system to return to a ground state after a period of alcoholism. So far, this appears to be true for me. I dramatically decreased my drinking starting about 3 months ago, and have been crashing through waves of intense anxiety ever since. It is bad enough that I was forced to quit my job.
For me, the symptoms are anxiety and detachment. The sober world is a strange, harsh place. The worst part is trying to interact with other people, and constantly trying to feign interest, laughter.
I did go see a psychiatrist, and it was worse than worthless. He was obsessed with psycho-analysis and kept trying to dig skeletons out of the closet. He denied alcohol as a root cause of my anxiety, which is insane. I also went to a PCP seeking medication to try and hang on at work, but got shut down there too.
So anyway, I’d be interested to hear about other people’s experiences. After this much time, I am starting to wonder if this is the new reality that I’ll have to deal with for the rest of my life. I will try to update here in a few months with how things go. ]
I can’t claim I am a success story quite yet, but I did discover a book called “Wherever You Go, There You Are” by Jon Kabat-Zinn. It is about mindfulness meditation and anxiety. It is written sooooooooo well and has inspired me to start a daily meditation practice. I really highly recommend checking it out. The production on the audio version is cheesy, but I really like the author’s voice. I would probably even recommend the audio over the book, and if you’re familiar with torrenting you can have it for free in a few clicks.
It’s been a little while, but I really like hearing all your stories. Rich that’s great you were able to re-invent yourself like that. I’m having some trouble with that for many of the reasons most have posted; I know one of you mentioned cocking and having some beers or wine…I mean yeah, that’s living – cooking some great food, enjoying it with a beverage that compliments it, etc.
Fizzy, hang in there, you sound a lot younger than some of us; trust me, we can all tell you, that is part of life, some of those setback will seem funny as you get older. I dabbled in all the same stuff you did when I was younger and yes, substance relationships/friendships can be, well, interesting at times. It was a big part of many of my friends I hung out with, hs, college and young adulthood. I mean I wouldn’t change it for the world, I have no regrets, we had so much fun and at certain times in your life, its the one time you can live with that. But of course it takes its toll, your perception of reality gets wharped, often selfish, more so because you need sleep more than anything else. Or other friends lose their grip of what their doing – regularily cocaine use over time definitely changes a personality. However, we all managed to remain friends, we never lost each other. There were some setbacks, but we outgrew them, you realize how stupid they are. I don’t believe any of us were ever addicts which is kind of surprising considering the odds. We had one friend that was getting a little too crazy with coke; it was kind of frustrating because we didn’t know what to say or do, we felt kind of hippocritical.
I actually really like the notion of not drinking, but like most people, its there – after a hockey game, after skiing a good meal, its just too good with all that stuff. I’m a little sluggish today, but I’m feeling myself wake up. I was at my club (private, somewhat snooty NYC place 🙂 and people tend to get smashed in the tap room, people of all ages too. There was a little while when I was heading there and not drinking at all. But man, I had such a crazy day going there seemed like it would be fun. I bumped into a lot of people I hadn’t seen in awhile and people seemed to be in an overly festive mood that night and as I stated before I know, when the girls are seriously pounding, its easy for me to lose count. I was leaving with two of them to go home and then they wanted to go to the bar in the lobby, I went in with them, I didn’t get a drink, I was like, “Damn, its kinda of late, what the hell am I still doing here.” I literally just left without saying goodbye, one of them came out and gave me crap for it, in a fun a way, “She was like ___ where are you going, no goodbye?” I chuckled and said, “___frankly, I’m just really tired and want to go home.”
I woke up with a little bit of the anxiety, I was like, “why did I stay out so late,” but then thinking about it more, I actually knew when it was def. time to go and I did and did not get that next drink at the other bar, I’m not that bad of a person.
It’s weird, since I’ve been divorced, I find my weekends very boring, I don’t do much…maybe that is why every now and then I have a somewhat late weekday excursions at old or familiar haunts. I’ve been on a lot of dates and have been having fun, but when I meet a girl I’d like to seriously date I don’t think I get that right signal out or the right way to move forward; the hookup ones, well, that’s easy :-)…anyway, again, rambling.
Hi to you Josh. I’m in the same boat as you. I went to a alcohol rehab clinic for 10 weeks and was dry for 3 months. Then it hit me like a ton of bricks – I became suicidal and eventually started drinking again to deal with the thoughts and anxiety. Alcohol and anxiety don’t mix but one should be careful cold-turkeying. Good luck Josh.
Here’s something to try, this is more for the social drinkers, if you’re an addict, you obviously need to stay away…keep an alcohol journal..a lot of times we’ll drink more than we realize, if you keep a record of it, what you drank, how you felt the next, etc., it really helps. I always thought the biggest problem was feeling fine sometimes, like crap others, sometimes the days I felt fine, I think I drank more…also notice what you eat. I’m findthing very helpful.
JP..thats good advice, and i find that what you eat the night before (usually late nite while drinkign) DOES affect how you feel the next day. And i dont agree with those on here that say you have to eat CLEAN and only green veggies etc, but you CANT have 4 slices of pepperoni pizza with half a meatball hoagie on the side at midnite and expect not to feel “yucky” the next day, trust me i’ve done it enough to know that….
Todd–hows your sobriety going? you should be on like week 9 or something by now?? do you really feel a ton better?? Reinforcement and honest opinions matter here..