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.
I was out drinking with my friends and I got completely trashed. I also have a history of anxiety problems. I felt COMPLETELY fine until I got home and I was alone. I couldn’t sleep (only got 4 hours that night) and started to get really anxious. The next morning when I woke up at 5 because it triggered my insomnia really bad too, I was anxious as hell. I felt anxious all day long and I was able to take a two hour nap, that being the only time with about 45 minutes after it that I wasn’t anxious. Today, two days later, I’m still really anxious. It’s slowly going away but not nearly fast enough… I’d suggest not drinking with anxiety issues. If you do drink, because it’s “a part of your social repertoire” as the article states, MODERATION. Don’t get trashed, but a few drinks can be alright.
John:
Burnout was why I got anxious; it took a long time to find out what was up, but after a while of eating right, taking lots of R&R, and supplementing well, things are now good. Before I figured out what was going on, I’d have beers (and more than one), to chill, and have the same reaction of more and more anxiety. Now I can have lots of booze if I want without side effects again (yeah!), I just generally don’t.
I’m sure everyone has their story and reasons. I like beer as much as the next guy, but I hope most folks here take the anxiety-after-booze as a signal to look into their health in general.
Cheers!
Hey there. I just felt I should leave a comment. My boyfriend suffers from anxiety and panic attacks and at first he would drink in the afternoon to help him get by or if he was having a hard day. He would get a lot done around the house/yard etc He felt if he had a few beers and ate and drank water before bed he was ok. WELL some nights his friends (all who do not know of his condition) they would go out and he would drink all night. He would come home and go to bed. The next morning / afternoon would be a living hell. He would have the shakes and feel the doom and tell me to get ready and be ready for when he needs to go to the emergency room. Now I have been with him for 10yrs and I know everything about this. We have lived together the whole time. I use to rush him to the ER and I have taken him to several Drs. BUT I NOW KNOW AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW YOU WILL NOT DIE!!! You think you are and you feel you are and yes your feelings are real and yes your symptoms are real but you will not die. So then and now when he drinks the next day is still the worse (so he only drinks on wkends knowning Im home the next day) It also reappears a few days later. Yes I do believe the alcohol stays in your body and a few days later you will feel the panic and the fear and you think you’re not getting better and maybe you should drink again? Or what is wrong with me? No I am telling you it is the alcohol raising it’s ugly head once again. When he goes weeks without drinking. OH WOW It is great. He has a rough week and then slowly he gets back on track and starts living life again and see’s the future. It’s just once the phones rings and he has friends calling then I worry. I wish he could just go out and not drink. Also, eating right and excersing are the best advise I can give anyone.
I strongly believe that the anxiety and panic are conditions we all share without alcohol, and it’s alcohol that causes these conditions to not only manifest but do so like a giant raging demon at that. I’ve suffered panic and anxiety disorder for most of my life, with or without drinking. It’s only been the last 10 years that alcohol abuse has multiplied my panic/anxiety a thousand-fold. Note I said alcohol abuse. That is the key. Anytime I drink a glass or two of wine, I feel no negative symptoms (I realize we are all different how or bodies metabolize alcohol so I’m not trying to say it’s the same for everyone) the next day. It’s only when I have drank excessively, especially two or even worse, three days in a row. Then the panic/anxiety symptoms are very much like the kind Natalie’s boyfriend suffers from.
I wish it were as simple as just quitting. We all have our rock bottoms. Our ultimatums. It’s a wicked drug that sucks the habitual user back in time after time because it is SO damn good at saying, “Ah, that wasn’t so bad. See? You’re already feeling much better! You’ve had a long week. How about some drinks to unwind.” Then the cycle repeats.
I’ve been improving lately only because I am so hyper-focused on my abusive patterns and I want to stop the madness. Yet, I still am a weekend warrior. I just choose to indulge once a week instead of all weekend long. For me it works a lot. Still, the ultimate goal is abstinence. I am a ways away from that but I will continue to battle on. A lot of great advice here folks. If you do indulge, don’t beat yourself up about it. Every day is a new day. Eat right, exercise, take PROPER supplements (research, it’s worth it) and try to keep the toxin intake to a minimum.
Peace!
They say I have a lot of disorders: bi polar, major depression, ptsd, and moderate anxiety.
After being completely alcohol free and properly medicated for nearly a month, I had started to feel ‘normal’ or happy again. Last night I had just 3 glasses of white wine – today, its as if I have fallen back to my old ill self and I cant stop weeping, feeling down, anxious, no focus or concentration. Physically I feel fine, its the mental part that I am hating again.
Its sad to think I cant drink at all ever, its a social thing, an evening with my boyfriend a few glasses of wine…etc. I have been drinking as much water as I can today and took some vitamins and ate, but I still feel horrible inside my brain.
I really wish there was something I could do now, before my mate gets home and sees me all depressed again. People dont like me when I am not happy. I dont like me when I am not happy.
i used to be that guy u bring at parties because i drink like a tank even though i get drunk off 2 shots. its b ecause regardless i keep drinking until theres no alcohol left and i never get knocked out. i lived this way for 3 years and just this past year it finally caught up wit me. i woke up from sleep and i thought i heard demons talking to me and i was scared to death and i ws convinced for a month that i was possessed. little did i realize that this was jus the cause of alcohol abuse. it took me 3 months to calm down and wen i did, i decided to drink again because i thought i was fine already. turns out i was wrong. it’s been 6 months now and every now and then i still feel anxiety and sometimes even paranoid over nothing. it’s slowly getting better but i have to say, if someone tells u to watch how u drink, believe it, because u dont want tohave to end up battling urself just to stay alive.
at deaths door guys, had a few fri and sat, so bad yesterday that I even ended up missing a final exam today. not best pleased with myself at all. I have that horrible feeling where i need sleep but when i drop off i get mini attacks EVERY TIME and the nightmares are out of this world. self inflicted I guess but still torturous all the same
Ive delt with anxiety now since I was 16. Not to the extent of having panick attacks but it has prevented me from getting work at times. Ten years on and I still find myself “hybernating” from the world for a good 2 to 3 days after a binge. Each time now I tell myself Im going to stop drinking as I know its the route of it all having been binge drinking since a tender age of 14! Ive tried to quit drinking so many times now, and generally only drink on weekends, but its controlled my life for so long its a nightmare. I get depressed like everyone else, its never been to a suicidal level and in honest truth I can deal with depression.
The really anoying one is anxiety. Even if I have no food in the house I wouldnt ever leave to get food. (god forbid lol) Blah. I quit once for a month and a half and felt great, but I felt boring, and missed going out with mates etc. Social anxiety hates me sober lol. Ah Will try and quit again me thinks, but Friday I know I will be getting those phone calls to come out and have a wicked night on the piss.. and it will be hard to say no, as Ill be feeling pretty fresh and frunky by then. Will keep you posted 😉
I believe another aspect to this may be the sensation of loss of control. I used to drink to the point of becoming drunk, I had quite a bit of fun, but after a severe panic attack which left me feeling like I had lost my mind and lost control, anytime I drink even a tiny glass of wine or less than a can of beer I will begin to become anxious, filled with adrenaline and panic when I start to feel tipsy. I believe the feeling of being drunk is a bit similar to the sensation I had with my panic attack, and so it triggers sort of a “flashback” Just now I had a tiny bit of blackberry wine, my adrenaline started to flow and I could feel it in my stomach, arms, legs, the tingling pulse of energy ready for fight or flight, I began to feel panic and I’m trying to distract myself right now, also drinking water. The more tipsy I get, the more I think about panic, the more I think about panic the more I panic.
so for number 7, “Fear of loss of control” or “fear of re-enacting panic” might be suitable. I probably should avoid alcohol completely, but I’ve just been hoping I could eventually temper myself back to normal once again, back to the mental state where I could have fun drinking. Maybe if I go slow, it might help?
Possibly related, though not for sure, my body reacts bizarre to alcohol, a couple hours after drinking and even after the effect of the intoxication wears off and I become “Sober” There is a strange effect on my heart, my heart begins to race and it seems different from anxiety, alcohol has always caused this for me though.
by the way. Im so glad I found this place. Its a great base to share feelings, and by the sounds of it has helped alot of us just by being able to communicate with others and share similar expierences. Let me know how you all get on guys. 🙂
I’ve been slipping up. I’m ok today but yesterday was shit.
Its anoying isnt it. I feel great today cos i havnt had a drink since Saturday. Life seems great again, but by Friday I´ll have forgotten how rough and negative I felt for those 3 days. Really going to try and quit this time.
hi all,
i’ve had the same problems as described above, tride and true every time after a bender. It takes about a week or so to recover. I cannot recommend moderation enough. Also i cannot recommend enough bikram yoga. check it out as the benefits are endless to the body…anxiety, digestion, removing toxins, +100 other things. anyways, glad to read the article after a fairly rough bender this weekend. Hopeing to stay in the moderation zone for quite some time as those are always very managable next days. Cheers!
these 6 are tride and true everytime for me after a bender. moderation both in drinking and how often per month, etc seems to be the key. i cannot recommend yoga, especially bikram to combat almost all of these effects. google the benefits of it and you won’t be disappointed.
Bikram is the yoga with the high temperature? I can see that being beneficial. But some caution right after bc you might be dehydrated and may contribute to more. But I am all for removing toxins. That I know works. I juice and go on quasi-fasts to remove shit out of body.
I have suffered anxiety ever since my Dad got ill about 2 years ago and have battled it ever since. Its the same old story though, the common denominator in all the posts is Alcohol. If I go several days without, I am fine and feel on top of the world. Once I have 4 Beers+, it triggers ‘following-day’ anxiety and I can barely get out of bed, let alone leave the house. Everything I view seems to have a slightly dark tinge to it and when I move, the panic sets in. The worst case I have had was during a holiday to the USA last year when the biggest attack I have ever experienced happened whilst driving the main road through Orlando. I thought I was going to die and driving on the other side of the road from the UK caused even further panic and it almost resulted in us being involved in a crash. Again, drinking beer in the sun followed by numerous shots the evening before was the culprit. I now cannot drive at all the day after drinking because the flashbacks of that near miss cause panic attacks everytime and when I start to sweat and my head spins, I think my feet will stop working and therefore I wont be able to brake. I know it is all in my head but when it manifests itself in physical symptoms it is frightening. Of course, without the hangover I manage to drive fine. Really I should quit altogether to be able to live my life as it should be lived and not to be in fear of the impending panic/doom.
Thanks for reading and sorry to be a bit long winded.
Regards
Shaun
Shaun mate, Im with u a hundred percent. Sometimes its just time to say goodbye to the honeymoon. Tonight will be my first weekend without drinking. Im so keen to quit altogether now. I know I will feel like Im missing out but ultimatley my day to day life is better without drinking than having one crazy night (of which I can never remember anyway) Bring on feeling great every day i say.
so i just read stories on this site and relate so much to all the stories,,but question for anyone who has a answer,,i never drank,,maybe a few times when i was a teenager,im now 28.anyways i would love to have a glass of wine every now and than with dinner but i am so nervous and anxious about it,,i guess its because i dont really know what it feels like to have alcohol in me and i guess i think it will make me panic,but as a 28 year old woman i would like to know its ok to have a glass of wine without freaking out,,any suggestions????
umm Mike..you sound like a f*****g psycho…
I wish i knew this girl so i could warn her to stay the hell away from YOU..
like seriously get a grip on yourself..nothing to do with the anxiety..i suffer from that too..that’s not why I think you’re nuts..
I am scared for this girl–you have some serious issues
Hey, I’m so glad I found this page. It’s refreshing to know that I’m not the only one having the exact same repercussions from a heavy night of drinking. I play in a pretty known hard rock band. Basically my story is so similar to yours. I used to be able to drink back in college, black out, have a great time, wake up and say “that was a great time! let’s do it again” I’m now 31. The last couple years, the anxiety has really started after drinking. Basically, I love drinking with my friends, or with rockstars that we meet on the road. There’s great parties. I’ve never done drugs. Every time I drink excessively, I wake up early in the morning and I have the speedy feeling…the dark feeling….the fear that I may lose my mind and something real bad may happen. I’m terrified to be by myself during these times. The sun makes it worse, and I really can’t go out in the outside world. I usually just take a heavy dose of Lorazepam, and that puts me to bed, but it still doesnt clear everything up. When I don’t drink, I feel fantastic….I just got back from a 9 week tour across the US, and I didn’t get drunk until the very last night, because there was a big party for the finale of the tour, and I knew I didn’t have a show the next day. I said “fuck it…i’m drinkin” well…that led to shots, and many many beers. I woke up feeling so panicky and so terrible….it lasted all night and day. Everytime this happens, I say “that’s the last time i ever drink again!!!!!””” I don’t do this habitually. I have no problem just having a couple drinks….I often hope that if i get wasted, then it will magically go away one day, and I’ll have a regular hangover like everyone else. Now, before you say “Well! there’s your answer dummy!!!!!” When I don’t drink, I feel like a million bucks. I have more energy, I feel healthy, positive, motivated, and a better person overall! I just really miss all the good times that I have had with drinking at parties and letting loose with my friends I want that back! I want to be like the other rockstars that can drink, and wake up and feel fine and play a show. I wouldn’t even be able to do a show after a night’s worth of drinking hard. My doctor called it “holiday heart syndrome” and said that it’s not dangerous. He put me on zoloft, but that just gained me weight, I found the cure to my own anxiery….ready???? DONT DRINK. It just bums me out that i will never be able to partake in any of the backstage drinkng parities with my piers.. I haven’t really experimented with diet. I just wish there was a simple fix to get done, or if someone could really explain what happened. I guess my bod doens’t like when i force all that booze down my throat. I have to stop drinking …period!! no more! that seems to e it…..there’s nothing wrong with a couple beers of a glass of wine…i can control myself not to get obliterated. I could use some suggestons and some help before we release this next record. plesee email me. thank u
Hi there.. I am really happy that I stumbled up on this website! I have been dealing with this anxiety now for about 2 years and it seems to get harder and harder all the time! I took anxiety pills for about a year 8 years ago or so when I was 19.. I went off them and that wasfine… No problems until about 2 years ago! You see.. I used to take a lot of drugs and party a lot and had somethin crazy happen 2 years ago that I lost the plot after a binge of a weekend when I was livin in London UK.. Had a week of my life that I barely remember,, trippin balls,, It was insane! And ever since then I get anxious before going out,, in particular AFTER a big night out! Its really difficult az I live overseas still and am home at the moment and have been looking forward to seeing my friends for over a year.. and now the time is here and I’m soo freakin anxious bc I was out the night before.. All I want to do is hibernate!! I really hate it! I have a DRs apt this week so I was planning on talkin to the doctor about it! I dont want to live like this anymore! This is sooo not me! I fully do not want to go on medication… yet Im willing to do it for a little while if thats what its going to take!! There are too many opportunities out there in life for me to be wasting my time and life.. hibernating.. in fear!! Anyone? Thanks for listening! 🙂
what a relief to know its just not me suffering from severe anxiety after a hard night of drinking. i don’t drink very often…but when i do i seem to go overboard. just the last few times i notice i wake up with severe anxiety to the point where i feel like i am going to lose my mind…have come close to going to the ER but know they cant do much besides iv hydration and anxiolytics. i was not positive if there was a clear connection b/w the alcohol and anxiety, but after reading everyones posts i realize that there is. i wish there was a cure or prevention but sounds like the only solution is light drinking!! sux 🙁
I read every post. I empathize with every single one of them. Maybe our story is different. Maybe circumstance, age, upbringing…All different. But what certainly cannot be denied by a single Soul here is that there is one common factor that binds us all intimately: Alcohol.
Do you want to know how to cure your massive anxiety?
Quit drinking.
Do you want to know how to stop drinking?
When you find the answer to that, please let me know.
Just to keep involved and updated. Ive quit drink now for 15 days and I feel great. Granted Ive missed out on 2 weekends worth of going out and that sucks, but waking up and feeling great and sleeping pattern now back on track, life is so much more optimistic. Ive done more things during the day, and even during the day when having barbecues or whatever and friends have been drinking or smoking Ive been T total, and in actual fact, ive had just as good at a time as if I were drinking. Its easier during the day not drink around others drinking thats for sure, but ultimately life is a lot better.
The only way to stop drinking, is to know yourself. If you know you cant be in a bar with freinds and not drink,, then dont go. If you know you cant be around anyone drinking full stop, then your answer is there, the hard part if the will power, and to ignore that part of your mind thats telling you “ahh its alright, your not that bad, you feel alright now, whats the worst that can happen”
Just remember how shit your going to feel for the next few days, and ask yourself if its worth it, if its not… well you know,,, honeymoon is over.
its my first viewing of this site ,and its nice to know i,m not the only one in this deprssing circle.
I only realised around new year i was getting anxiety,I was out new year and had a little recreational drugs and a lot of alcohol,I ended going into a+e I thought it was the drugs and quit,but have since realised its the alcohol,everytime i drink a fair ammount i wake up and feel like i,m having a heart attack,shaking,I am going doctor tommorow,but am not exppecting much from it(he will say just stop drinking)
Hi folks,
I write to you from a very dark place. I have suffered terrible anxiety and paranoia through alcohol for about 8 years now and in this time it has really taken over my life. I am caught in a vicious circle of going on a bender, not remembering anything, staying in my house scared of what I’ve done all week, then doing it all over again when the panic has gone. I feel like I’m just walking a tightrope, waiting to fall. Every time there’s a knock at the door I think it’s the police, or someone after me,which isn’t much fun as you can imagine. It has all had such a negative affect on my confidence and self esteem. Also I hate myself for dragging my mum and girlfriend down with me. I do find it slightly comforting to read some of the posts on here as i sometimes feel my mates don’t fully understand. I am so annoyed with myself this last weekend as I was supposed to be starting a new job today. Of course, after 3 days of solid abuse there is no way I can do this now. Own worst enemy…..I didn’t go out for about 3 weeks recently and felt great, worry free for the first time in ages, but as soon as it inevitably happens again, it’s back to square one. Does anyone know if there’s a name for this, because it’s so much worse than just a hangover. Sorry to go on, could be a long night i think…..r x
I’ve been drinking every day for the past week and a half, mind you I’m only 19, 95lbs, about 5’0.. I’m going through my first break up and I don’t wanna say I’m drinking to cope but I’m drinking because I now have nothing else to do (i only drink at night) I’m not drinking during the day by myself or anything I’ve just been partying constantly. I have really bad anxiety and I have panic attacks a lot, for the most part they come at night when it’s down time like while I’m lying in bed trying to sleep, all of a sudden I stop breathing. Breathing comes difficult when I’m trying to sleep because I get so nervous and the hangovers and drinking are, I’m guessing, a huge component. It gets the point where I feel like I’m going to pass out or die or something.. I just lay in bed and cry and ask ‘why’ ‘why me’ i know it sounds dramatic but thats how I feel, I feel really alone and scared. I just want to be normal and be able to go to sleep like a normal person and not have so much of a hard time, it’s driving me crazy.
Wow,
I am glad I found this page. I was seeinhg this patern to my drinking and then a huge depression two days later. I thouight I was alone but now I know better. I think we juts have to recognise the pattern and realise that lathough we all probably have some kind of anxiety issues, it is the alcohol making it so much worse.
I’ve been trying to avoid over-indulging in wine for a few weeks and was successful until this weekend. The reason I was trying to cut right back is because I don’t like how I feel the few days after I have had too much…it makes me feel sad, tired, almost depressed and I can’t be bothered going to work or doing any exercise. I went out for a friend’s birthday on Saturday evening and for the the first time in about 4 weeks I had too much wine. This resulted in all day Sunday feeling terrible and even today I feel sad and fed up, tomorrow will be a little better but I won’t feel 100% myself until Wed/Thurs. Wine is poisonous for me, I’m ok if I just have a few spirit drinks with mixer though – I should have known better !
Hello everyone!,
I’m 23 and have suffered from anxiety/panic disorder for about 4 years. Mine came on due to drugs. I haven’t done any drugs since I started having anxiety, but my anxiety still lingers from time to time. I noticed that what triggers mine is 1. Alcohol. I can drink it, butif I drink too much the next day my anxiety is really bad. Like just yesterday I had a hangover and while we were on our way to Ross I had a major attack worse than normal.other than that I can usually control my attacks by putting my head down and breathing. Also to keep my mind off of it I try to stay busy by cleaning or walking. Anxiety is a pain, but it can be controlled. Usually if I have a beer while having a attack it stops (not condoning this btw) it works like a xanax would for me. And I don’t like taking xanax bc when I prescribed them I got addicted and when I stopped using them my anxiety comes back 10x worse…just remember what ur symptoms are and when u have a attack remember ur going to be ok 🙂
I believe you because I also suffer from panic attacks and axiety. When I drink, the next day I feel anxious and shaky but I try to deal with it unless its too much then I take a xanex to help.
Yea I also suffer from depression, anxiety and panic attacks,when I drink, the following day I feel axious and try to deal with it but if it is too strong I’ll take a xanex to help
I GOT DRUNK this past saturday with just three small cups of alcoholic beverages, since I am not an alcohol drinker at all. Sunday I was hungover but the strange thing is, up until now, tuesday, I am anxious and have accelerated heartbeats, I’m scared all the time. I don’t know why this is happening to me but your article sure was helpful. I have no idea what I should do the get better 🙁
If I’m hungover the day after usually the first part of the day is really intense and by night I’m still a little anxious, but mostly tired bc anxiety wears me out! Lol but if it gets bad enough ill take a half ofa xanax. I usually try to let it ride and use the extra adrenaline to do something lol I hate it bc sometimes its hard to swallow or catch a breath while having a anxiety attack. I was eating the other day while having trouble swallowing and I almost choked on my food. I got so scared the food went into my lungs I freaked! Talk about overly dramatic. Lol
@Anximel I’m not going to lie its hard to get over. I’ve just had it so long I can control them bc I know my body. I’ve talked to a few ppl who have gotten over it. I ask how and they just don’t know. They quit worrying. My grandma says life is too short to worry if ur going to die today. When its ur time its ur time. So sometimes when I have a attack I’m just like bring it on I get so frustrated. Lol sometimes that doesn’t work out so well
Hi.. im nineteen years old and its shamful to say that i went throuh that exact same thing… i got drunk on saterday night with two other guys. I was so messed uk that everything seemed so easy and withought consiquenses.. while being drunk i smoked some kush like never before. My body was so num that i held the smoke in until i couldnt breath anymore. I hit it like five times like that…i blacked out the rest of the day.then on sunday morning i got up with a typical hangover. I went home took skme alkkaselser for my nausea and went to bed.. i slept for around two hours before i got up and felt the strangest feeling jn the world.. i felt really disconected from myself and the people around me. Everything seemed so unreal as if i had gone insane. I couldnt accept reality. I would get panic attacks, be very unfocused slured words, forgetful, extremely depressed , and suicidal thoughts. These feelings had lasted for about five days.. theyre diminishing now. Which is making me feel happy again. I did so much research and found out thT my problem besides the drugs was that my serotonin levels were super low. That magic chemical is the key to happiness in life.drugs releases so mucb serotonin that when withdrawing from it its only logical that u used up ur serotonin. Now my body had to brjng them back to normal which took 5 llllllloooooooooonnnnnnnnnnggggggg days. My advice frome this experience is obviously not to do it again but for hard heads(lol) moderation is good… dont over do anything….
OH wow! So glad that I decided to read this. I have known for quite some time that my anxiety was ALWAYS worse after a night of drinking. It used to never be a problem. I didn’t have my first real panic attack until my birthday last year, I turned 25 and my wedding was in just 5 days. I had been having chest pains for a few weeks, and then one night, in the middle of the night, I woke up my fiance and told him he needed to drive me to the ER immediately. I thought I was having a heart attack. Turns out I had pluerisy and a panic attack. I get them very often now, almost every day. Sometimes even though I know they are panic attacks, I still go the ER just so I have the reassurance that I am okay. It sucks. I still get chest pain daily, which freaks me out all the time… but when I drink, it increases ten fold. I wake up hungover, all I want to do is sleep, but I can’t because I am a panicky mess. When I do doze off I have mini attacks that startle me right back to being wide awake. I say all the time my husband has to be an amazing man to put up with me all the time. Hell even the smallest headache I start thinking I am going to have a stroke or an anuerism. I have to take medication daily and constantly to keep myself at bay most of the time. It sucks because I am only 25 and my husband and I are not big drinkers. But every now and then we like to go out and have a few drinks with friends or at home. I can’t even do that without being a complete and utter wreck the next day. I really just want my life back.
Jessica, I totally empathise with your problem. I am 37 and have had the same problem for the past 4 years. I used to be happy go lucky before I suffered with anxiety but now my life is controlled by panic which is uncontrollable when I am hungover. The day after a big night out I am shaky scared and convinced I anm going to have a heart attack. I have had CBT counselling and am on Prozac, but nothing helps. You are lucky your husband is so understanding. My partner is o.k with it, but I think she is getting bored with the whole thing, and who can blame her, it is hard to explain if you have never experienced it. I think it is important to know that others suffer with the same symptoms, you are not alone, not going mad and not about to die any time soon. Easy to say I know when you feel well, but next time you are suffering remember others are going through theese crazy thoughts and try to laugh at the absurdity of it all. I hope we can all get our lives back and live free of panic.
yea this past weekend I went to the beach and my freind got stuck in the sand. I started helping him by trying to pull it out with my truck but the rope snapped. It was very hot and I started to feel axious, scared, it was a panic attack comming up. I think when i’m out in sun and doing work it gets me axious and soon carries on to a panic attack. that day i took a xanex to calm me, it did help. Later when everything passed we started fishing and had a great time.
Lawrence thanks for the comment. It is good to know that there are others out there. I try talking to my husband about it, but sometimes he doesn’t understand. There is nothing in the world that can convince me when I am having a panic attack that I am not going to drop dead on the spot. Its just the way it is I guess. I decided that even though it may be my panic disorder, I am still going to the DR regularly to get checkups. Chest pain is normal with anxiety but I have chest pain every single day, it sucks. Panic and anxiety honestly rule my life anymore. Tried to go shopping and to dinner with the family over the weekend, ended up at the ER instead because in the middle of the store I was blind sided with a panic attack. I get them more and more frequently now. My husband seems to think that because our son suffers from Reflex Neurovascular Dystrophy, taking care of him is a full time job. I don’t sleep regularly and I don’t have much of an outside life besides home, physical therapy appointments, occupational therapy appointments, check ups, blood work and endless medication schedules. Regardless of the reason I am really just ready to live without having to take medication every single day and live on edge. Sometimes (and I know it sounds absurd) I am afraid to go to sleep because I feel like I might die in my sleep. Panic and anxiety are my life now.
For me the chest pains are minor and in various spots around my chest. I’m always afraid one day will be the “big one” dead center in my chest with the pain down my left arm, etc…Panic/Anxiety means I am hyper-focused on my heart and it drives me nuts. What I get that scares me the most is the PVCs or Premature Ventricular Contractions…When your heart skips beats…Sometimes I can totally feel them coming on before it skips. Some are really bad where I feel like I might pass out (with fear/anxiety?), then the big skip, then back to normal rhythm. My PVCs are almost always worse after a weekend of binge drinking.
Alcohol overindulgence is a major trigger for my anxiety and PVCs (as is MSG, caffeine, stress, et al;). On the weekends where I indulge in all of those things? Look out. I know the week to come will be a living hell.
I’m managing the best I can but it can always be better. Exercise and vitamins are key for me. I try to keep my drinking within reason on the weekends…For me, it’s the consecutive days that I am trying to work on.
I have empathy for all of you.
I would suggest to any one who has had a bad hangover is to try and get a good jog or work out at the gym if your to hung over wait till the next day it really gets the endorphins in your body going and tends to get rid of the anxiety works for me and what ever about alcohol drugs are a no no for anxiety cannabis and cocaine have been shown to lead to suicidal thoughts and depression don’t touch them with a barge poll
A helpful option might be to switch to either low alcohol or non alcoholic beer/wine…or you could drink one bottle/glass of non alcoholic beer/wine in between the genuine article. Since much of our relationship with alcohol is psychological & if you can’t or don’t want to cut alcohol out completely, it might be worth trying.
On the positive side, feelings of anxiety & panic attacks in the short term are better than becoming an alcoholic. I suffered a severe panic attack recently the day after drinking a large quantity of gin. Previously I had anxiety & heart palpitations, but I did not connect them with my alcohol consumption. The panic attack brought the issue to a head…it was the alcohol causing it.
Since then I stopped drinking…the fear of another attack was enough. After 3 weeks of not drinking, I risked some alcohol. Mild symptoms of anxiety returned, but no attacks. So, I stepped up the alcohol consumption. Sure enough, the greater the alcohol consumption, the more severe the anxious feelings the next day.
If you know that alcohol worsens your anxiety, at least you have a handle on it…think positively & keep reminding yourself of the benefits of not drinking, rather than thinking that you are “missing out” by not drinking. Remember that YOU control what you put into your body…be positive by takings steps to either cut down or cut it out.
Hello i am Ryan, and a couple of months ago i smoked some weed with my friends on 4/20 after that i started freaking out and i had the worst trip it was my first time i ever smoked weed. and the second time i tried it i freaked out even more and took my clothes off ever since then i think that i’m in a distant reailty i stop and think to my self i say ” Is this really happening” or ” Am i really Here “” and its scaring me i dont know what to do this has been going on for quite awhile now please can i get some feed back.
this is a great forum, i suffer also from alot of what has been described here. After a heavy night of drinking i get anxiety UNLESS i’m just laying on the couch watching tv, and even then many times i get the “rapid heart beating”syndrome (is what i like to call it). I’ve never really had chest pains per se, but loomin feelings of death, rapid heart beat to the point you can feel your heart racing, and confusion tiredness are always majorly there the next day! Part of me would love to just quit drinking, but to be honest, i do like to feel the alcohol ‘buzz’ and probably drink much more than i should, and cant really imagine life without a few beers at the end of the day…..I just wish i knew for a fact if its all in our imaginations (about having greater anxiety after drinking) or if its a real phenomena?
Wow, I had no idea so many people were experiencing these same feelings! I truly believe that my anxiety has come from my many years of binge drinking. I believe that my drinking has done something to my nervous system. I didn’t start getting these feelings of anxiety until about 2 years ago. I am 29 years old and my husband and I divorced 2 years ago which set me off into a stage of heavy drinking and partying. Now, when I go out with friends and have a few drinks, I feel like death the next day. Shaky, nervous, disconnect from the world, “out of body experience”. Just last night I went to the movies with my boyfriend (only had 2 glasses of wine the night before) and I started to feel sweaty, cold feeling rushed over my body, blurred vision, numbness in my face, increased heart rate, and disconnected from the world and my body. This last for about 3 minutes and went away but I still felt weird for the rest of the night. I just want to feel normal again. I want to be able to go have lunch with a friend and not start feeling these anxiety related symptoms. When I get these feelings I feel like I am having a heart attack…or I relate the blurred vision to a brain tumor…or a I relate the numbness in my face to a blood clot or stroke. It’s terrible…. 🙁
I recently had a bad panic attack on my way to work in the car. I didnt know alchol played a part but now by listening to you’ll, I believe thats what happen to me because that morning I had a hangover. I was scared to death. I had a girl in the car next to me to call 911. I thought I was going to die. I am on medication for now but just thinking about it gives me anxiety sometimes.
Jessica, have you had counselling for your panic disorder? Your symptoms seem severe to me, if you are suffering like this every day. I have mild symptoms most days but as mentioned before suffer badly afer a night out. I think if I gave up drinking I could probably manage o.k with my panic, but alot of my social situations end up with me having a few beers, so it is difficult to cut out completely. To understand what is happening is maybe the secret to curing the problem. If you say to yourself that I am going to feel bad after a night out, and expect it, when it comes you will be able to cope with it more. I came to this site when I understood what my problem was and was curious to see if others had the same thing, and lo and behold there is a forum dedicated to it. My problem with anxiety is largely exaserbated by drink, it sounds to me that you sufffer badly most of the time, drinking or not. I really do feel bad that it is affecting your life so much, I know what it is like and it shouldnt be that way. Try to get professional help, or at least vent your feelings on sites like this. I find it really does help to talk about it with others who understand the problem.
Hi Ryan, its called depersonalization and derealization. Cousins of anxiety. Nothing to worry about. Look it up online. Plenty of info out there and forums. Work out alot. Lots of water. Vitamins.
Also, everyone, food allergies can seriously lead to anxiety. Ever since I cut ALL junk food, coffee, SUGAR!!!, white floor, processed food, etc. symptoms are much more managable. When I feel an attack, I just start breathing from my stomach very slowly counting 10 seconds to breath in and breath out. I get very panicky when I am on trains.
Whole grains, vitamins, not too much animal products if at all. Only water. No soda. Only tea. It worked for me. Then, drinking in moderation (which is my next step…)
Lawrence. Not yet. My first step was trying to figure out what was going on with me. Then it was always something. My PCP isn’t exactly the most understanding physician so most of the time I am fairly certain he thinks I am out of my mind. I RARELY drink anymore, when I do (like today) I had one drink and then cut it off. I find that I enjoy life much better without it. I also thought if I cut it out completely maybe it would help. Before I figured out what was wrong with me I would drink to calm myself down… oh boy how wrong I waa. 🙁 My husband and father seem to think if I can get my panic under control then most if not all of my physical symptoms might go away. My PCP has tried an array of different meds to try and calm me down. I started taking them only when I needed to. They started me on Ativan, then switched me to Hydroxizine because it is non-addicting, and then went to Xanax after the hydroxizine made me worse. I wake up every day with the same goal… to have a good day, with little to no pain (especially chest pain) and to not have to take any meds. This morning I made it until 10 am until I had to leave the house with my family to go meet up with people for a brunch. Maybe I sound a little weird, but its actually easier for me to talk about it here. I guess I feel like no one is judging me. Everytime I go to the ER anymore I just hang my head in shame because we have been there so much. Growing up I know that my mother took Xanax daily, several times a day. I know that without it she was a disaster. I never wanted to be like that. Starting to think that it is hereditary for me. She is alright now, she managed to get over it with time. I don’t want to be addicted to pills, at all, but panic rules my life. I used to run 6 miles a day, work out, had tons of self confidence, etc… I don’t work out and I am afraid to because I get chest pain during/after wards. I have gained weight because of that and think I look disgusting half the time, even though my husband swears I really look just fine. (Such a loving husband which sometimes helps.) Once I get my insurance taken care of, and my son back on track I hope to have time to go see someone. He is getting ready to be admitted into an inpatient therapy for rehab (physical) and he is going to need me around. Thanks for writing back. Jessica
Mine started after I had taken a log haul flight to Malaysia, I had always been a worrier, and had trouble sleeping due to nightmares, irrational fears etc. But for some reason the 15 hours of travelling, the sleep deprevation, and the alcohol consumption caught up with me while I was on this holiday weith my girlfriend.
I didn’t sleep for three days, everytime I was close to dropping off, I got a physical attack, I can only describe it as the feeling you get on an aeroplane when it drops slightly in turbulance. It would jolt me wide awake, and despite being mentally and physically exhausted I couldn’t do anything to combat it.
During the day I would struggle to breathe normally, partly due to the humidity in Malaysia, but mainly because it felt as though I couldn’t inhale a full lung of air, my chest was tight, and my muscles weak. I ate when I could but the anxiety had all but cancelled my appetite.
So in the end I was axious, exhausted, malnurished and de-hydrated. The only way to combat it was to have a drink, but this was the start of the cycle all over again.
I got home and for a few weeks I had the same problems, I tried everything, hots baths, scented candles, relaxing music, hypnotherapy but again the only thing that meant I got to sleep was alcohol. I would wake up hungover, tired because of the quality of sleep I’d have and again riddled with worries and anxiety.
So I decided to stop drinking, just to see if it helped, at first it didn’t because I didn’t have that relaxed feeling when going to sleep. Thoughts would race through my mind and it seemed like I couldn’t switch my brain off. I’d have to get out of bed and do something to distract me from the thoughts and images flying around my head.
So I decided to exercise, I strated playing five-a-side football, and going to the gym regularly. This really helped as It made me feel fitter, healthier ans therefore psycologicall ‘better’ about myself. but it also made me more tired when it was time to go to bed.
This had worked for the past few months, but on Friday I went out with friends from Work, it was a heavy session. I managed a bit of a lie in on Saturday morning, despite the headache and obvious horrible taste in my mouth.
When I got out of bed I was a wreck, physically, but I didn’t feel nervous or anxious, just sick, this was a positive for me. The problem was I went out again on Saturday night, again on a heavy session, Sunday was a return to the darkest of time for me. I couldn’t cope and so I went out last night too. I didn’t get home until 2am, and I was in work at 8:30am this morning, I feel like sh!t today and the anxiety made me find this thread.
I think If I continue to build on my fitness, look after my diet and cut out the drinking excessively on consecutive days I will be able to fight off the anxiety, Back to the gym tomorrow, and football on Wednesday.
Heres hoping it works.
For me,Day 1 is a regular hangover, while day 2 is an “off” feeling. I got all my anxiety attacks during one of these 2nd or 3rd day hangovers now that I think about it. After this happening a few times and reading this, I`m now realizing that drinking 8 beers on Saturday will likely cause me to feel (on Monday) much weaker in response to life’s everyday hardships and paranoid about hardships that usually never end up happening. Wednesday it still lingers a bit to a lesser extent. By Thursday I`m normal again. I used to associate this with the fact that the work week was almost over, but I`m now thinking it has more to do with my body finally being back to normal. Friday rolls around and I start over. Between 10 and 16 beers over the weekend and I`m messed for days.
NOW FOR THE CURES! Well they work for me.
1) Laughter: “Haven`t you ever heard of the healing power of laughter?!” -The Joker in Batman-.
Seriously this really helps and is less demanding and more affective in my opinion than exercising hungover. Grab your favorite standup comedy video and perk yourself back up! Try Dave Chapelle’s skits of Rick James, Eddie Murphy Raw or any Robin Williams.
2) Exercise: If I would have had time to hit the trails with my mountain bike this morning I would have felt a lot better. It usually helps even though my body does not feel like it at first, the long term effects are a at peace fealing for most of the day.
Why exercise and laughter? Hmm well it`s proven that exercise and laughter increase seratonin and it`s thought as mentioned in this article
3) Drink less: I haven`t stopped drinking but I will stay dry these next 2 weeks and weekends bc this was a real eye opener.
Thank You so much to the poster!
I will come back and let you know how I feel in a couple weeks.
rescue remedy is the number one cure thats all i gotta say, i had anxiety for years and trieeedd everything, i can swear by rescue remedy, rescue remedy is drops u take under ur tongue to control ur self from loosin control, and cures panick attacks likes its a miracle, pleaseeee i urge everyone on this blog to try it, and i promise you results, if you dunt get any results please reply back ,