Anybody elses anxiety completely disappear with alcohol?

[steve_p]

Why do you think it's called liquid courage? Drinking relaxes us and it is also a depressant! Be careful!

This 100%. Alcohol used to be the only way I could get through a flight, once I was basically drunk I really had no problems with my scary thoughts and symptoms.

I eventually got past the worst of my anxiety, but will say that the secret to long-lasting change is facing your anxiety without the aid of drugs or alcohol.

[Lifeofanxiety]

Yes, absolutely.

I have tried saying this to mental health teams and some of them have told me that i'm kidding myself because alcohol is causing my anxiety, not reducing it. When that's rubbish, the anxiety was already there and the alcohol can reduce it.

I'm on a slippery slope with it now though. I don't want to drink alcohol at all, but what happens is I try and do something so easy for people to do who don't have anxiety like go to town, go to a few shops and then come home. When out and about though, the anxiety is horrendous. I become on the verge of a panic attack and so end up going to the nearest pub and consuming a few pints of beer.

This goes 1 of 2 ways though. Either I do have the few pints, get on with shopping after and go home. Or, the bad way..... Where at the pub with the anxiety under control, I get talking to someone. As I go weeks, if not months at a time at home without talking to anyone due to anxiety, this slight bit of socialising makes me so happy that the few pints turns into another, and another, and another (as I don't want the anxiety to come back), and thats when I lose control of my drinking, end up very drunk and I end up doing silly stuff and having 2 or 3 days in bed after depressed, feeling upset and regret.

[BigBoiBenzo]

haha yes I'm pretty sure it's the same for everybody

but the crash after isn't worth it

[Happyhumanist]

I am suffering extremely badly with this. I mean I'm drinking basically everyday. I don't feel like I'm addicted, but I feel reliant on drinking before any social situation. I don't even appear drunk with it anymore, it just eases the anxiety and i'm able to 'perform' as normal. I just don't know how to stop.....