Alcohol & Anxiety

Has/does anyone had/have any problems with alcohol because of the onset of anxiety/panic attacks?? Would love to know your stories, views, etc..

I myself use alcohol quite frequently, sometimes to avoid another anxiety attack sometimes not. I use it in most social situations so I use it often but wouldn't consider myself as having a problem with it. I can go without it but my apathy towards my own condition is so great that i pretend i've not got an anxiety problem and I only drink to become 'normal'..to have an ounce of ability to socialise. Can't really explain evrything...

...i'd just like to know where this is going... do i pack it in totally or is it a helpful aid as long as i've got control??

i find when i drink alcohol it makes me feel worser but then at least i got an excuse to be feeling that way ??? :) :)

I have had panic disorder for 11 years and I battled the use of alcohol for several of those years. I know that it seems to make everything better. I was bartending and drinking every night. My time between attacks became farther, and farther apart. Then I realized I was just allowing something else to control me, which is not any better than the attacks. I understand that you are in control now, but that can easily be lost. If you want to go out and drink with friends there isn't anything wrong with that, but you can't use it as cruch from your attacks. They can't control you unless you let them. Instead of drinking try excersicing when you feel an attack coming on. Your attacks produce alot of adreniline, run it off, lift some weights. I think you will find that a much more effective way to lessen the intensity and frequency of your attacks.
God Bless

I find that when I get tired at work I start to feel that I can't breath - this makes me panic that I can't swallow and if I don't control it leads to a full on panic attack! Mine are very severe - I go from feeling normal to not being able to move within a minute! I get this relly horrid dry mouth / tongue feeling and find myself touching my hair a lot - this prempts an attack! i will admit that if I manage to get a couple of drinks down me the attack doesn't happen! Maybe it just relaxes me and I stop thinking about it.I know that alcohol isn't the answer but - it helps me and thats more than my GP can give!
Sorry this isn't the kinda answer you wanted but at least its an honest one!

Hi all

When I first started having panic attacks - about seven years ago - I used to drink to settle my nerves and this quickly became the only reliable way that I could calm myself down.

As the years have gone by I have found that I even have attacks when I've been drinking now and alcohol has become almost a necessity rather than just a reflief from the panic.

Apart from the physiological effects like lowering B Vitamin levels and messing with your blood sugar, alcohol is well documented as one of the major factors that affects depression and anxiety.

My problem is, I have tried not drinking for about a month and it makes me feel no better so it is quite easy for me to slip back into the habit.

Best wishes to you all
Chris

I have the same as you..
I found that alcohol became my best friend and for a short period it did work.
I was able to go out to the shops without having the feeling that people were staring at me. I also felt more happier..
I then becan to drink more and more and it turned out i just sprialed out of control and ended up minus square one.. So you could say i took a step back.
I have stopped now although i find it very hard but i do feel healther but still paranoid about the slightest thing.

Hi

Well done for stopping, how long has it been? Has it had any kind of measurable effect on your anxiety?

Chris

alcohol caused my first ever panic attack, i thought anxiety was bad, as thats all i suffered before. then i drank! oopps! my mum drank every night she started at 6pm it helped her sleep at first, then she started drinking at 4pm so she could go shoppinbg as drink gave her confidance. then on sundays shed drink at 2pm so she could cope with company. thankfully, she realised it was no good and she'd become dependant. shes been sber now almost 2 years! yay! i hate drink, i never did like the taste anyway!
Becci x

i am a social drinker too, and i noticed that i get better sleep when i have had few drinks. and there was one time when i was in a party and i felt this panic thing comign down to me, i had no medications on me. i started fretting and my friend took me to the lobby, sat me down and handed me some whisky to calm my nerves. i never drink whisky but surprisingly enough that day i drank it and felt relieved-like when i take my meds-after a while, my panic attack subsided and i was able to get back to the party and was normal thereafter.

i dnt know what to make out of it except that i can say i do have occasional beers and that i like having them, they help me calm myself down and be in crowds easily. but one thing im sure of is that i can go without it.