Does Drinking Alcohol Increase Anxiety?
I have what they call generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Certain situations make me anxious to a point to where I start to shake, can’t eat and just feel overall anxious like I’m about to go out on stage in front of a big crowd. I can honestly say that for many years before I took up drinking, I did have anxiety but nothing like I do now. If you suffer from anxiety, you may have noticed this as well. While drinking a 6 pack or more might be a lot of fun the night before, the next day is ruined. I find myself barely functional and very anti-social and full of anxiety. Drinking dehydrates you and thins out your blood which will increase your heart rate. An increased heart rate generally makes you feel anxious and can cause anxiety. I’ve also read that alcohol destroys a good amount of vitamins that your body needs and it’s been known that taking vitamins can help reduce your anxiety. Alcohol also lowers your blood sugar and causes the adrenal glands to produce noradrenalin and the increase of noradrenalin and lowered blood sugar can produce and / or intensify anxiety.
I enjoy hanging out at night and drinking with my buddies. Most of the time, if I’m feeling good, it’s hard for me not to drink because I’m not feeling crappy from drinking the night before and forget how terrible I will feel the next day. I can honestly say from my experience, having GAD and drinking alcohol is not a fun mix the day after a night of drinking. I have spent an entire day throwing up and feeling sick because I had drank too much the night before too quickly and woke up the next day with terrible anxiety and a terrible hang over.
I constantly remind myself when I go to the store to buy beer that I’m going to probably feel sick and anxious the next day and things that don’t usually bother me will give me anxiety. This is something that I’m reminding myself over and over and although I might feel relaxed and goofy during a night of drinking, all the fun is sucked up from the next day into one night. Hardly worth it if you ask me.
Now if you’re like me and enjoy drinking beer and hanging out, then learn your limit. Drink slowly throughout the evening / night. Don’t chug your beer to get drunk faster. Drink slowly. I know it can be hard to stop once you’ve hit the point of “I don’t care if I feel crappy tomorrow!” but you’ll have to quit hours before you go to bed so you can sober up. Bring water with you. After your last beer or alcoholic beverage, crack open a bottle of water and drink away. Drink as much water as you can before you go to bed and at least 3 tall glasses of water the next day. Water helps and food helps (if you can eat it). I’m still planning to cut way down on my alcohol intake to reduce my anxiety. I hate anxiety and drinking makes it worse.
you are absolutely right
Wow, I’m having this experience now; and I had drank too much and suffered severly this weekend because of it and now I have terrible anxities. A friend of mine mentioned that it was probably from my hangover and you pretty much confirmed it.
Thank you.
My name is Anthony and I have been on paxil for 5 years. I also have horrible anxiety levels after a night of drinking. Sadly when i wake up in the morning and my heart is racing and my mind starts to scramble and my body feels like it going to lose control, I find it best that unfortunately alcohol is the only thing that numbs my anxiety and before I know it I am semi drunk again. I hate this routine. Is there anything that has been proven to work better than pxil with less side effects. It glad to hear I am not alone in this…
the best way to relieve anxiety is to not drink at all and get off the meds. this is what i did. just remember thats its all in your head and when you have any kind of drug… caffine, alcohol, large amounts of sugar, tobacco, etc. then you cant control it.
hi my name is same 24 year old i had a baby 5 years ago now and i suffred really bad postnatal depresstion which led to panic attacks i was given tablets and soon after they got worse and worse i soon started havin a few glasses wine a nite which led to having a bottle a nite and a little bit more ,then i calmed down now im a bindge drinker and i dont no when to stop and go home the next day i get terrible hangover and very anxious swaeting feeling ov fear and panick i cant go out and takes me full day to recover ,i hate feeling liek ths but i dfrink to cut the anxious feeling out ov my head and my nervois are really really bad im on propanal for anxity does any body out there been liek me and nows how to gety through the day without going for a beer to reduce feeling like this xx
just gotta say i felt the same way as most people do here…”that alcohol helps me shed the anxiety for a moment”. The simple fact of the matter is its still going on its just your buzzed or not paying attention to it. I did this for a while stayed drunk to avoid anxiety. Then the inevitable happened, anxiety found a way to creep in regardless. Next thing i know im having palpitations shortness of breath the whole bid. Now my anxiety has reached its extreme I can barley leave the house without experiencing dread. And now ,since my last binge, I cant even go a day without a panic attack. What does help is what is good for your body, Iv been eating healthy and exercising and Im slowly getting better…..If you want true help and relief you pretty much gotta take it upon yourself to be an all around healthier person!
listen up…..alchohal is awsome. When u drink u have a blast, and can relax with friends and u feel like u can do whatever u want. I have generalized anxiety disorder, and i know from mutiple expericaes that when u drink heavily, or at least for me, you pay the price for a few days. I am continually gettin less and less anxiety and controling, and understanding my so called disorder. If you want to become a normal person again. If u want to have everlasting relief, then u need to change who u are. People who get these anxiety problems get them for a reason. Its sometimes impossible to find out why we get them but thats not the point. If u wanna change the way u feel u have to have a comeplete turnaround in ur attitude on life. U need to eat right all the time. U need to understand ur body and excercise helps. Drinking here and there lightly doesnt seem to effect me unless i drink mutiple days in a row. When i mean lightly i mean less then 5 beers. I was a heavy drinker in colege i was in a frat and drank and partied for days at a time. women music alcohal and drugs were my life. This disorder hit me like a wave of death and stopped me in my tracks for months. Im very laid back and educated, and u need to educate urself to find relief because simple ignorance will end up turning into years of suffering. U need to stand up and take control of ur life and odds are u will fail repeatadly and try to give up but you must keep tryin. Im very good at it my life is pretty much normal now but it took me about a year, and last but not least, on the road to recovery alcohal and drugs are ur worst enemy. If u had a great week and took great strides a single night of drinking can bring u back to square one. i know what im talkin about and i hope the correct people take this adivce to heart
i am stuck in this crazy cycle also,alcohal is the only thing that helps me,if i had some xanax i could stop drinking but the doctors wont give it to me.,i drink every day and been to the er 2 times in a month from alcahol related anxiety.i woke up today with shakes and very bad anxiety from drinking to much last night.so im drinking again,and again,and again,man i realy need some help.this sucks realy bad and i feel like it might kill me if i dont get help.im 29 year old male and this has been going on for about 2 months str8.i drink about 80 oz of malt beer every day if not more.just wanted to share my story.thanks guys.my first post sorry if its sloppy.
hi ive been a bing drinker since i turned 18, im now 30, ive also sufferd from ainxity for the past 7 years. if ive been out on the piss or bin on a binge for a week then i cant go out the house or talk to anyone for about two days its allfull i end up waking up with servie shakes and sweats. i just hate the way the ainxity makes me feel. I drink to get rid of it but soon as i stop drinking then its back ..feel like ive been stuck on a roundabout in reading for the past 7 years lol, anyway for me its day 4 with out alcahol and i feel ok, my ainxity seams very carm apart from mornigs when it their but not to bad, also ive noticed that im not sweating as much as i normly do. Im not really craving a drink or anything. its when i get board and find myself walking up and down my parents house, then i start thinking for having a drink, but I cant just be happy with say four cans of larger, it would end up being a bottle of vodka and four cans of larger, i dont know why I started drinking even till this day, could be a number of things, when I was 18 i was questioning my sexuality, wicth im happy with now, also i always felt that pepole did not like me and that i felt alone in life ,witch is silly cus im not have cool family and frineds, i ust feel like somthings missing from my life guess I want someone special in my life like a boyfriend, so thats why im trying to stop drinking so i can fill the missing parts, hope this is making sence if your reading this cus right now i feel like ive been talking a load of crap, i am doing this on my own and havent told anyone , cold turkey is working so far…
Same thing here.What a vicious cycle. Never drank before I was hung up with a broken ankle for a month. The Dr’s gave me crap for pain management (like Ibuprofin) and I was in so much pain after a couple of weeks I started drinking (I was 23 at the time).
I am now 32 and drink every day. I have days of terrible anxiety. I take anywhere from 1 1/2 to 3 MG of Zanax (sorry the spam filter won’t let me spell it right) a day, and I take Attenelol . For people with this type of problem I think Attenelol is great! It keeps your adrenelane from kicking into “Fight or Flight” mode, which is why you have true panic attacks.
I don’t drink in the morning. I don’t drink and drive. I don’t miss work because I drink too much, I don’t have family members or my fiance telling me I have a drinking problem, but I know I drink too much and I know it makes some days miserable. You can only chew on so many Xanax during the day when you cross the realm of being overly anxious to falling asleep.
Anxiety rules my life. I usually feel pretty good first thing in the morning. I usually avoid tobacco as long as I can after I wake up because that seems to be a trigger.
Slowly through the day my anxiety builds and usually within 3 hours after waking up I’ll take 1 – 1 1/2 MG Zanax. Sometimes that will suit me for the rest of the days. but some days I just want someone to knock me out to escape my anxiety.
It’s not like I’m have any non-brain-induced physical symptoms, but I feel like I am going to fall over dead. My heart races, I can’t sit still, I feel clostrophobic, I get vertigo, and I get warm and my legs (especially) sweat. I pace and walk outside. I have fleeting moments of “Oh-my-god-my-heart-just-stopped!”, but I almost immediately get over it.
I have always been a little anxious person and a little ADD since I was a little kid.
I know it must be the alcohol, because I drink every night to calm myself down from being so anxious all day. I drink until I am too tired and exhausted to drink any more.
I am 32 now and I know I cannot live the rest of my life like this. I’ve managed to keep a decent job and maintain my relationships with my family and friends. But I feel desperate to free myself of this crutch.
I know they say that alcoholics are in denial, but I don’t think I am a true alcoholic, I know that I am using this as a crutch for my anxiety. I would still like to think I could fix this problem and still enjoy an occasional glass of wine or beer with dinner… Like I did before I broke my ankle.
exactly the same as me i find i cant stop drinking now as im scarred the anexity will come back.
hi,i just stumbled across this site,looking,searching for the cure?for anxiety,panic attacks after drinking lots of alcohol…..ofcourse i know it doesnt exist!!but hey ,i keep looking…i dont no why i keep doing this to myself,i have suffered with panic attacks 4 ten years or more,i spose i still like to get trashed from time to time..i used to take alot of drugs,and as a result started having the panic attacks,which at first thought i was going to die,or have a heart attack,and still to this day the feelings are the same.no matter how many times i have experienced these horrid feelings,shaking,sweating,choking dizzyness i could go on and on,they never get any easier i just have to reach for the diazipam and wait till they kick in and relax me…its good to no that im not the only one suffering with these symptoms,just wish i could get over them,and stop them ruling my life…im only 30 yet sumtimes feel like im 60…they suck..but u just gotta keep going…
You’re right they do suck. I had one of my worst attacks yesterday while my fiance and i were at wal-mart. There is a program called panic away by Joe Barry, it has helped me termendously. It taught me that when I’m having a panic attack, I can stop it by letting the feelings you’re experiencing flow through you instead of trying to suppress them. He tells you to demand more of the panic, more of the anxiety, and fully trust that you are in no danger. A panic attack will not harm you. Nobody has died from a panic attack. by demanding more you actually end the fear that is causing the attack. The websiter is actually called panic-portal.com. It has definately made my life better
Very interesting. I suffer from OCD and panic attacks. I actually find that drinking around 5-6 beers really helps me cope with the anxiety. I drink slowly and take the time to relax. Something I find rather hard to do during the day. I make sure I stop drinking at least an hour before bed and drink a glass of water before going to bed. In the morning I feel fine and usually am pleased I didn’t drink that “one more”. I really am able to open up around people and my fear of public places is almost gone after a few beers. I just remind myself I am in control and I deserve a frosty beer. I also am on Luvox, desirel and .25mg of xanax. I also noticed 0 side effects from the meds and beer mixing. As long as I stay under 6-7 beers. When drinking in high volume I have actually began to worry and the hops were not enjoyed as much. Stay in control and understand your limit. Yours may only be 1 mine is 6-10 drinks but I’m also Irish. Best o luck –
You deserve a drink, enjoy your life. just stay in control. Worry = death. Now go through a pizza in crack a beer sit back and say MY TIME, I will enjoy my time. Stay calm and realize that a drink is OK. Doctors will scare the shirt from your back. If you let them.
Hey guys. My story is similar i was Mr party drank all the time had never heard of anxiety issues. Then one morning woke up and felt “drugged” dizzy sweaty shaky mind racing and over all just confused and un focused. The drinking seemed to make things worse so for about a year i tried to wait it out went to every type of physical Dr there was. Then i went to a shrink and he told me i had panic attacks and generalized anxiety. Put me on paxil and i immediatly felt better not fixed but better here ya go like 5 years later still not fixed but better. Havnt really drank much at all but now im startin to crave going out and having a nite life again including drinking and good times. Should i just stay away from that?
I don’t even have anxiety anymore now that I quit drinking for the most part. I drink a couple of beers on the weekend but never any more than 4 usually. I know that sounds pointless or boring but I’ve learned to enjoy it and I don’t feel horrible the next day. Find a girlfriend that doesn’t drink too…that helps a lot lol! I used to drink a 6 pack every night and party hard on the weekends, and every day I felt it. I was always tired, anxious and felt crappy. I was hungover just about every Saturday for years. I’ve settled down a lot since then and I feel like myself again…hardly tired, awake and alert and best of all, I feel like I can think again. Since I still enjoy drinking, I hang out with my buddies sometimes but only drink a few beers. I still like to get smashed if there is a party going on but that’s not all that often and sometimes all it takes it reminding myself how horrible I’ll feel the next day to get me to avoid over drinking. Use your best judgment and regulate how much and how often you drink. It’s been working great for me.
well im 31 and have been sufferiing from anxiety for years. about five yeaars ago i started working nights and started drinking after work my anxety became unbareable. i would get home at 3am sleep untill i had to catch the train to go back to work. i was always freaking out so i drank to make it go away, it took some time to realize that is was the alcohol triggering it. i was going to the doctor and a few trips to the er and no one said it was anxiety. i even met with cardiologist and he wasn’t sure what to tell me. the problem was i wasn’t being honest about my alcohol consumption. well when one morning i woke up and was freaking out so bad i went to the freezer to do a shot and realized this was way out of control. so i went to the doctor and told him the truth i developed trust for him over time. he put me on lexapro for general anxiety disorder. i started 5mg once a day and i worked my way up to 20mg. it completly changed my life i felt awesome after about a month.
i have very bad anexity and drink everyday to cure it im no going to aa meetings to get more help, i panic so bad with anexity and i need as much help to cope.
if anyone can help me or support me in anyway add my msn address or email me thank u.
mkdomican@hotmail.com
I’m 21 years old and recently (about 2 months ago) began suffering from panic attacks due to high amounts of stress and what not that had been building. Since those began I have changed my diet and lifestyle a lot which has helped. I very rarely drink, but last night I drank only 2 beers and felt fine, but after my buzz had worn off, I noticed that my heart rate was really increased, I didn’t sleep the entire night, I needed to take xanax this morning to help ease what is going on. I am not feeling mentally stressed, but definately feel the side effects of what even a small amount of alcohol has done to my body. I felt anxious this morning, increased heart rate, and in a daze. I have been doing so well recovering from my anxieties and panic attacks only to have this happen. Very disapointing, but I’m glad that I know now.
I’ve had generalized anxiety disorder since I was 3 years old. I spent my childhood and teenage years on cocktails of prescription drugs. Antidepressants, antipsychotics, stimulants, amphetamines, mood stabolizers, benzos. When I got off of them the anxiety returned and was intense. Drinking doesn’t make my anxiety worse or better, it makes me silly. My anxiety started when I was 3 years old, a child, way before I started drinking. Alcohol has not affected my anxiety either way. Some other drugs have, but my anxiety was so intense as a child that nothing could make my anxiety more intense than it was.
this site has been really helpful. It is reasuring to know your not alone. I suffer from anxiety attacks but since Iv stopped drinking they have stopped too. I do still drink a little say 5 pints or so and its enough to have a buzz but feel ok the next day. Its finding the right balance anyway whats the point of drinking too excess the more u spend the worse u feel in the morning its a no brainer. The worst thing you can do is cut yourself off from friends because ur worried about drinking too much it sounds obvious but its all about moderation!
I am 29, been drinking usually just weekends up until the last year or so when work slowed down and i went thru a period of drinking everyday. Also had anxiety problems before…usually drinking one night doesnt cause to much but if i drink 2-3 days or more in a row the anxiety kicks in earlier in the day and is worse. Ativan and librium doctors have given me to use on an as-needed basis and it kills the side effects for the most part but it also makes you think you can drink more often and it doesnt work as well and you need higher dosage as you keep doing it.
Someone mentioned Attenelol as a fix for the flight or fight symptom, the main reason i started to drink more was because of that – when i wanted to go out i would take like a shot or 2, then it turned into 6 beers, then 10 beers and even more to the point where i never could leave comfortably.
Now i have stopped for a little over 2 weeks and looking for a solution so i feel good and can drink once in a while and not lose my mind or get caught in these binge drinking episodes…..
One thing i have learned – take vitamin B’s…especially B1 after drinking – it helps a lot…..dont take when your drinking, your body doesnt absorb it when your drinking thus why you get deficient and get the shakes. Whole grain breads with flax seed also have a lot of B1 – really helps!
i have been drinking for about 7 years straight and developed anxiety in the last few years.
with my drinking, it got to the point where ide just drink to make my anxiety go away.
i quit drinking last year for 8 months due to my anxiety and felt GREAT!
somehow i let myself get back on the wagon and slowly started drinking again. especially over the xmas holidays just gone..i was drinking pretty much everyday, so ive quit cigarettes and alcohol again cold turkey (its been just shy of 2 weeks so far) and the last few days ive noticed i feel like crap. my anxiety has come back, im feeling depressed, getting headaches and my moods are up and down like crazy. i was wondering what was wrong with me because im on a strict diet, have been going to the gym & have been loading myself with vitamins and good food. after reading other posts, this seems to be normal? i usually take the natural approach when trying to cure things so is there anything i could do naturally that may help?
I also face the same problem. I would feel anixety 2-3 days after I drink. I hate it, but then after couple of weeks w/o drink, I end up drinking.
I have made one observation. If I don’t have workload at office, I can afford to drink and I don’t feel the anixety. If i have a lot of work todo, I feel anixety. So I steal the occasion for drinking, when I know I am not going to be loaded with work next week.
Few tips which are mentioned in the chain above:
1. Drink slowly, Drink less (know what is the limit beyond which your anxiety level increases too much. Over a period of time, you would know what is the limit you need to respect).
2. Keep atleast an hour after you finish drinking and go to bed
3. Drink lot of water, on the same day as well as on the next when you drink