alcohol induced panic attacks..

[BMW]

Hi

New to the site, and I am in my 30's. I have suffered with panic attacks for 10 years on and off. The problem I find is that I have developed a fear of drinking (but I love to drink in a social capacity with friends ), not so much the drinking but the hangover effects because they are so alike the sensations of panic attacks. It gets really bad through the night as I dream multiple dreams at the same time and have a very uneasy sleep. I awake through the night a bingo..the sensations start. It's making me not go out with friends and family as I cant handle the after effects. I never used to suffer with ordinary hangovers in the past, so I cant differentiate between them and a panic attack. But one thing is for sure, the alcohol induces my panic attacks.

I have tried to overcome it by dismissing the feelings and not allowing it to overrule my life but it is time that heals alcohol, not your mind so I generally have a crap day by riding it out. I used to be very sociable but this is knocking the stuffing out of me and is changing my personality more and more.

Anyone offer any advice??

[MadKad]

I cant give any advice over that my self, but I could say what I do I just dont drink

[giddy]

Hi BMW, welcome to the site. I had a similar problem with alcohol and just don't drink anymore. I guess the only way to stop these horrible feelings is to stop drinking or cut back and only have a couple of glasses, not enough to give you a hangover.
Love Helen

[Meggy]

Hi BMW -
Heck, now I wish my hanadle was classier, like "Mercedes" or "Silver Ghost". Maybe I'll reincarnate myself.

I absolutely do not want to be offensive. Everyone here has been so kind to me I certainly feel that spirit and want to be kind too. I'm offering what I'm going to say, please know, in a kind spirit.

Foist off, I can't drink alcohol because of medications I'm on. In fact I've never been attracted to drink because when I start getting high and since I drank so seldom I was a very cheap drunk, one beer and I was obliterated IOW, but I'd start feeling panicky when I started feeling high. Out of control. But I needed something during a period of my life to relax me and I had the mind set of better livng through chemicals. Next I tried marijuana. There are theories the tokes I smoked there was speed in it, Ketamine, it was "skunk", but whatever it was? I do know I sure found out the misery of severe paranoia because that was the effect. Next up on the chemical agenda was that tea the Filipino's drink I read extensively is exactly like Valium with the draw back if you drink it daily you turn yellow. That wasn't a problem for me tho. I drank it once and passed out. I turned to biofeedback. But it doesn't sound like when I had panic attacks drinking, which occurred just when the high hit, is what you're experiencing.

I was between marriages when I turned to chemicals for better living. I got married right out of HS into the Monster Marriage for 18 years and once I was out of THAT - I intended to have some fun. All my single friends, small in number at that time so I couldn't be too picky if I wanted to go out, drank, with no problem. I quickly got to the point where a drink on the table made me nearly fearful knowing I'd have panicky feelings once I started feeling high. I quit drinking but that didn't go over with my single "friends" well. Now why is that? If I want to sip a coke, what's it to them? There is some dynamic there I have never gotten but often people who drink insist that I drink and I can't now because of medications which is a relief to have a firm excuse and if I could I wouldn't. My nights out with my friends ceased to be fun. Plus friends who know drinking makes you feel lousy don't insist or pressure you nor should you feel pressured to drink because you're in that company.

I despise feeling lousy. That's why I'm here. On another thread a man talks about wishing there were a magic pill and I've had those very same thoughts, fantasies of the magic pill, which doesn't exist for anyone EXCEPT - maybe you. I'm trying very hard to ease into this but if you feel ill enough to post you feel rotten when you drink, the obvious question is then why do you? I ask that in kindness because I don't think you'd post this, if you didn't think eventually someone would ask you just that question. I don't feel bad towards you. I think you're seeking an answer but you're asking yourself the wrong question. But I think you probably know it too. That's okay with me also, sometimes getting to the answer doesn't come in one big hop but in steps. It certainly is for me, teeny steps.

Gretchen

[lizmarshall]

Your not the only one i think to suffer with this, i had the same sort of thing but since having hypnothearpy it's not not been too bad, getting too drunk makes it happen to me so i just have enough to get tippsy and i find that i'm fine.

hope this helps.

Liz

[BMW]

Thanks guys, anyone else??

[nomorepanic]

Hi and welcome aboard.

Try reading these....

Alcohol
alcohol and panic-do they mix?
Alcohol
Anxiety and alcohol
Alcohol
hangovers
Panic attacks and alcohol
horrible cycle
Anxaiety after drinking alcohol


Nicola

[tara]

I can deffo relate to drinking and the "day after" effect !

I gave alchol up for 2 years then started drinking like a fish and was ok for a while but then the anxiety kicked in, so now I have a few glasses of beer (maybe 4) and thats it. Tara xx

[BMW]

This is good advice, but what is the cure..Do I just stop drinking (and I am not a big drinker, just social occasions) and let it win or what? Pisses me right off!!

When I awoke with the panic sensations I had a diazapam which made me dozy then sleep. I have been refraining from taking one for ages but I just couldnt handle the level of panic as it came up on me in my sleep and i awoke and bang, have that, so i needed the diazapam, but feel really let down that I took it.

I guess I will just not drink for the rest of my life..Let the **** win!![V]

[Meggy]

MadKap -
I have NO advice to your last post but by golly am I sympathetic. I have had a very active life and have enjoyed it tremendously. I loved to hike, cook, go to events with my many children, had a car I finally l loved, many things and then? I got epilepsy. My first doctor's appt he said for your LIFETIME you may not:
-drive
-cook alone
-must be wired up when you go to bed
-can not walk alone
-someone must be in the bathroom WITH you when you shower
-after I caught my shirst on fire cooking and sz/ing? I have to have a babysitter with me now when I cook
-because of my occupation I will never be deemed safe to work again
-Fine, I'll volunteer. Nope, too much liability after I fell and knocked out a front tooth
-I can't hike alone or further than 1/4 mile off a road
-I was a competitive swimmer. I have to have designated lifeguards, wo are never available to swim in our natural hot springs pool
-I had to start taking medications that make me feel like puke, and they still don't stop my sz's but I'm reassured at least they keep me alive. Somehow that consolation prize doesn't help when I feel lousy, my cognition at times is in my shoes, my coordination went out the window and my memory loss is ridiculous.

That list is a lot longer too but I'm sure you get the idea. In a DAY my life changed this much. It was overwhelming, I just can't/couldn't make that many adjustments plus feeling lousy in that short period of time particularly considering this is for the rest of my life! I started hoping I'd die young. PISSED! I was in shock! But what REALLY PO's me is when someone on the epilepsy forum I've been on for a long time says something saccharin like - epilepsy has taught me many things, it has been a blessing. GET REAL! Don't white wash this horrible disease, please.

I've already posted this, I tried to commit suicide after 3 years. People were in the house, I left my door open as I swallowed 90 pills so maybe it was the "cry for help", in fact I'm sure it was, but for me? I'm getting the maximum help I can get now and it is NOT enough. I cheat. I'm not telling you to cheat. I strongly try to live each day in the moment. Not think about my tomorrows and have moderate success.

Epilepsy forums are so volatile. Actually I've been on two. I'm shocked people here are so nice. Not all this volatility. I don't have to reread my posts a billion times to make sure I didn't say one little offensive thing. About a month ago? I posted I was so proud of myself because I figured out I could drive to 3 places I often go to by driving across the pasture behind my house. There are no cars in the pasture. I can't wreck my car there's nothing to wreck it into unless it's the herd of cows and my 3 llamas who are quite skittish when I make my trips to the back doors of these places and gallop away, problem is they're not insured (wink), so what's the harm or foul of that? It has given me a tremendous feeling of freedom. Recapturing some of my life, just driving in a pasture, being able to access 3 stores I go to. I posted that? Wow did people come down on me. I was so thrilled I'd figured out this way to shop and one woman said I was still risking vehicular homicide. How? Running into a cow and turning it into a human?

It is my life. If I want to swim and take a chance of drowning, it's up to me. If I want to drive in a pasture and not risk other's lives by doing so, what's the harm. If I sz in the shower who gets hurts? Only me, I'll risk it, I like privacy. I have had to modify my life quite a bit. But I am not giving UP my life. What if you drank less, or had less stiff drinks? I don't know, I've never been able to hold by booze so I'm not much of an expert in this but I do understand why you're feeling as you do - if that's any consolation at all.

Meggy