Using alcohol to help panic attacks, how do i stop

[Lorraine_sanders]

I started having panic attacks 7 years ago. I had been through a tough time. Ive tried everything to help myself but nothing seemed to work. Ive tried herbal remedies to tablets from the doctors. I stopped going out incase i had a panic attack in a shop. Especially in a supermarket. My doctor once told me not to worry if i was out as if i had my baby with me and say i fainted some-one would look after my baby, which made me worse. Then i started getting them at home which made me scared to be left on my own. Then one day during an attack a doctor told my partner to give me a glass of wine to calm me down, which i did and it worked.
I then made a stupid dicison to use alcohol every-day which i now depend on so i don't ever feel scared and i can go out and try and lead a normal life. But at the end of the day that isn't happening.
I don't get drunk as i know when to stop. The last time i was drunk was twelve years ago.
I just want a normal life back i've been told i need to really see a physcotherapist to get to the root of the problem then stop the wine. I wish so much this dream could come true but every-time i go to the doctors i hit a brick wall.
I can get treatment at 150pounds an hour which i really want but its the money. I want to know if anyone out there has been through the same thing and has over come it. If anyone has any advice it would be very much appriciated.

[Emmie]

Hiya,
just a little note to say i know exactly how you feel. Alcohol has become my self-medication to get me through and the doctor has recently put me on tablets which i can't drink on (which i start today) so this has kind of jolted me out of it for the time being. I am absolutely terrified as i'm sure you would be. Perhaps you should see a different doctor (one who doesn't prescribe alcohol! lol) and perhaps there is a different type of medication out there that will work for you? have you tried accupuncture? That really helped me-although there is the money issue with that too.

I hope you overcome this.
Em xx

[panicannie]

Hi lorraine, I just read thru your post and just felt like bursting out crying. I have had a pretty crap time over the years and have been suffering with anxiety for about 5. I was always the loner in school, never quite fitted in, I didn't know why then and I still dont know why now! I was shocked that a gp recommened that you drink wine to calm yourself down! thats just plain disgusting! obviously shows that the gp couldn't really give a s**t. Im actually quite lucky when it comes to alchohol. I did have a slight issue with it when my anxiety first began but as im not a big drinker anyway I just stopped before it got out of hand. I found that it made my syptoms much worse, and it was that reason I layed off. I only ever have 1 or 2 drinks if im out with friends but to be honest I tend to stay in these days as I find it difficult to leave the house. The only reason I keep going is for my two sons and partner.
Do you feel like life is passing you by? I know I do. I went to see my gp today, for the first time in months, didn't get me very far, i'm fed up of being pushed from pillar to post. One phsyciatrist says one thing and you feel your making progress then they leave and you have to start all over again with another dr repeating yourself, to then be fobbed of with somthing else! i swear if I took half the medication I been prescribed I would be fixed!! they dont know what the hell their on about, half the time they talk crap. I just want straight answers and help, not just to be thrown a prescription and sent on my way!!! I know what you mean about the supermarket! lol I will say no more on that topic as it speaks for itself ha ha! As for getting emotional support I am having the same problems getting therapy, and I certainly cannot afford the hrly fee. everything boils down to money. So there we have it! left in limbo once again.......another 18mth waiting list!..................... tc xx

joanne

[shiv]

Hi Lorraine,

I do exactly what you do. I very rarely get drunk and I don't drink in the day during the week but I was heavily relying on 2 or 3 glasses of wine every evening and I knew that it wasn't right.

So 3 weeks ago today I made a conscious decision to stop for a while and see a counsellor- not that I think I'm an alcoholic but because I was using drink as a crutch rather than something to be enjoyed which is what it should be. How long i stop for I don't know yet: it could be another week, 6 months, a year or even forever. But my anxiety has diminished to almost nothing and my ectopics and SVT's have ceased completely.

in your area you should have counselling available to all for free- well they do here in Kent, specifically for people who have drug problems or feel their alcohol usage is spirralling out of control. I would ask your doctor if there is anything like this available.

Shiv x

[scoobygirl2005]

Hi.

Welcome to the forum. You will find lots of help and support here. Sorry to hear about your panic attacks. Don't give up hope hunni, you have got to be strong, things will get better for you.

Scooby2005
x x

[Lorraine_sanders]

hi, thankyou for your message how are you getting on with the tablets? im too scared to try takin tablets. they say i have to try to find the root of my panic attacks. then i can address the alcohol side. as i only use the wine to stop me thinking i am always going to have a panic attack. i hate living this way. good luck emm love lorraine

[Southern_Belle]

Lorraine,

The only problem with alcohol is you can build up a resistance to it and need more. I would try to find a doctor that says you could go on tablets and then find the root of your panic attacks. I know you are scared of taking the tablets but aren't you scared to keep going on this way too? Sometimes the medication just adjusts our brains so that we can get our anxiety under control enough to obtain counseling and sort things through. I don't mean to stay on them forever. Good Luck.

Bel

"Our thoughts are our reality"

[louwilliams]

Hi,

I did this for about 10 years until my body had had enough and I was rushed into A&E...i won't bore you with my history but all I will say is that it is medically proven that alcohol turns into sugar within a few hours, so when you drink..you get a MASSIVE sugar rush. It can wake you up in the middle of the night or it may the next day. This alone make you believe you are having a panic attack...therefore you have one. you need to drink fresh orange juice as the vitamin C stabilises your blood sugar levels.

I feel so much better after cutting down my alcohol. there are about 6/7 units in a bottle of wine and i was drinking 2/3 bottle EVERY NIGHT so I was drinking on average 140-150 units a week and having huge attacks everyday. i now drink about a bottle a week-i still get small ones almost daily but they are manageable and i can deal with them. maybe its worth looking into this and see if you can do it. It was honestly the hardest thing i've ever had to do but it has been worth it as the panic attacks are so much easier to deal with...still shit...but easier!

hope this helps you xx

[Bill]

Hi all,
Another important thing to remember about alcohol is that it is a depressant so if someone is depressed it'll make them feel worse. That's how mistakes happen when pills are involved.

Whether it's alcohol, self harming or medication, they can be all forms of comfort that once we start become harder to stop and yes, I've tried all 3 until I found a way to stop.

They are right in saying that to cure anxiety you need to get to the route cause and that therapy is probably the best solution. In my case I saw a psychologist who pointed me in the right direction although I must admit it was up to me to stop the negative ways of coping.

There are positive ways such as EFT, relaxation techniques and meditation. It's really a case of proving to yourself you have nothing to fear but fear itself. If it might help, read "my story" and it'll show it is possible without spending extortionate amounts on private therapists.

I'd also push your doctor to find out what therapies their mental health team provide in the area because even a counsellor would be of help. Sometimes you have to really push for what you need.

[woofytalk]

Yikes! How will the longterm affects of treating your anxiety with a DEPRESSANT help? Honestly - and i'm sorry if that sounded abrasive, but common sense needs to come into play here. I could smoke pot all day long and feel great, but once i'd stop, my seratonin levels would drop to below sea level and my panic attacks would flare up like a bad case of somethin'

Drugs and even (dare i say) medication are never a panacea. If you're looking for that magic bullet, cureall - It doesn't exist. Therapy, natural remedies and a different lifestyle are the most reliable paths to recovery.

Seek other alternatives. I'm not trying to play mommy here, but alcohol is rarely an answer.

This was all said with love. :blush:

Warmest Regards,

-Rachel

[june]

Alcohol made me much worse - an ice cold glass of water sipped slowly (like when you have hiccoughs)Sometimes helps.
It must be in a glass - It is the act of going and getting a glass and sipping slowly - your mind (hopefully ) is occupied by these actions, and calms down a little.
Hope this helps you .

I have heard that you can take 1 tablet of lorazepan, just to calm the sudden onset of panic - the same as you can take an aspirin for a headache - anyone else heard of this??
Best wishes
June

[Lindalou64]

Hello Ellen I Myself Used The Alcohol When I First Got Agraphobia To Even Go Out I Had To Drink At Least 6 Beers This Continued For A Few Yrs I Didnt Drink Everyday But More Or Less.......i Did Like To Party Tho And Feel Normal As In No Anxiety,but I Gave It Up 15 Yrs Ago For The Reason I Found It Only Making My Progress Slower.wasnt Easy Still Days Are Not But I Get Thru Them...i Always Felt 100x Worse The Next 3 Days What Makes Me Not Drink Now Is Thinking Of Those Hangovers And What It Has Done To Many People I Know.what Do Ya Do Is Just Try And Stay Positive See Someone And Small Steps.some Doctors Are Quacks Where Alcohol Can Kill You And They Tell You To Drink I Have A Friend Who Seen A Doc She Just Had Surgery Told Her To Go Home And Smoke A Joint And Have A Few Beers...what An Ass.....but I Wish You Well You Can Do This I Know Its Hard...wish You The Best.......linda

[Bill]

To add to my earlier post. We all feel the need for something to make the anxiety stop. Sometimes we also drink to stop us hurting when we're in pain just as some self harm. We need relief but sometimes we turn down the wrong road.

During my bad spell, one night I drank a bottle of spirits. I just wanted the hurt and pain inside to stop but the drink made me even more depressed. I felt desperately alone. I was crying my eyes out and so drunk that I lost control. I went for the pills because I felt suicidal but my wife found out and called an ambulance. The doctor ran the usual tests and finally told me "one of them and I might not be here". This time I nearly went too far. I was told to think of my wife and her illness..hmm...what about me I thought.

Soon after I heard on the News about a similar case where they paid the ultimate price. It made me feel really sad but I also knew then that I was not alone with my anxieties and pain so I tried to turn myself around to try to prevent others also feeling alone without hope.

Anyway, my booze days are over except on special occasions, and the pills are just a memory.:winks:

[Krakers]

Gawd - I don't know how to respond to this post. I'm stricken between empathy, apathy and a whole gamut of emotions in between.

Not all that has been written above is correct (talking facts here folks, not feelings - all feelings are valid).

I'm a drinker, I've drunk more than most. Search for my previous posts on alcohol or ones I've answered - I usually kill them dead. I have no intention of doing that here.

In my honest opinion alcohol is part of the problem, not the solution. While it doesn't stop me drinking it does give me a solid grounding in what I should be aiming for.

I don't want to put anyones nose out of joint with a disagreement that would take this thread off its intended course. Better simply to say that I will answer all PM's to the best of my ability on this subject.

Take care all ............ Krakers.

[happyone]

Oh hunny,
you ring so many bells with me it is scary!
I was using alcohol about a year ago as a crutch. Not for panic as such, but just as I felt so stressed. Then I got put on anti depressants and for some weird reason I found I could drink more.
I never got to the stage of depending on it....but on wanting it really badly I did. Come 7.30 am all i could think about was chilled wine.
I have added complications in that it exxacerbates my illness (bipolar) but it is often part of the problem too.
I detoxxed a couple of times in as much as I went for a week with none....then two....then three....Three has been my most so far but it is recent but I have been told in no uncertain terms that I cannot now have any at all. I think I am at risk of losing shrink support if I do.
however.....the point I am trying to make is. You realise there is a problem. You realising it is so so so good hun.
Try going just one night. yes....initially you will have bother possibly...possibly not with sleeping or grouchiness. Then two....then three.....if you give in, don't worry, just start again and try to go longer.
Feel free to pm me hun. I also had/have two alcohol dependent parents so i know how tough this must feel.
Remeber though, you might be a far cry from being an alcoholic....you may just be realising there is a little bit of a concern. Don't blow it up hun ok?:hugs:
happyone
xxx

[jo61]

I absolutely agree with Happyone. I've been guilty of overdoing it on alcohol in the (recent) past. I found myself drinking every day, piling on the pounds and having a constant hangover. It is true that when I stopped I had trouble getting to sleep but I hope I can get to the stage when I can open a bottle and just have one glass again one day.

[Bill]

I realise stopping is an extremely hard thing to do.

When I started drinking and it led to od's and self harming, I told my wife to hide every bottle and all the sharp knives. I didn't go looking for them and I absolutely HATED it but I couldn't stop myself so I had to take temptation away from me. On occasions I did try to push her to tell me but she'd refuse and when I calmed down each time I knew she was right. The way I was going I knew I'd do something serious to myself. I felt had no choice.

To my surprise it actually worked because it made me look for safer methods. Everything is now back in its place but I no longer have those urges.

I realise this sounds terrible and it WAS terrible but it really did work for me and I'm honestly no different from anyone else. I'm just trying to say that it is possible to stop however hopeless things feel.

[chalky]

Hi Lorraine,

I am an alcoholic.I have now been sober for the last nine years.
My panic attacks started in the last two years of my drinking.I used the panicky feeling as an excuse to drink more to try to drown out the feelings.I collapsed several times with panic attacks and was hospitalized.

The severity of my panic attacks decreased drastically when I stopped drinking.Although I still get the odd one,I feel so much more able to cope because I have a sober life.

In general terms,alcohol and problems such as depression,GAD,panic attacks,etc are not happy bedfellows.

Equally,I would not condemn anyone for drinking.I just believe that we have to accept that every action has a reaction-you can't do something without there being a consequence.
Best wishes,
Chalky

[Yvonne]

Alcohol is indeed a relaxant. However, personally I don't see how it helps that much to be honest. If I had a couple of glasses of wine before I went out - maybe to face the supermarket (arghhhh!!!) then I know it wouldn't work for me. The effects of maybe one glass of wine wouldn't last very long and if I am absolutely sure it wouldn't stop a panic attack. If I drank any more than maybe one glass then I would be woozy and that aint a nice feeling when being in a crowded supermarket either.

I have heard of doctors' advising a glass of brandy for someone in shock - maybe your doctor just suggested a glass of wine as a one off - I am sure he would not have advocated that you take a glass of wine EVERY time you feel panic - no doctor would do that.

You were talking about getting therapy - yes private therapy is very expensive. However, I get the feeling you are not trying hard enough Lorraine. You have to push your doctor for these things and you have to let the doctor realise just how bad the panics are. Also, if you told your gp that you are using alcohol to help you get out I reckon he would have you on the old list to see a counsellor sooner than you can say "panic attack".

Usually there is a counsellor attached to the gp practise, if not then I am sure the doctor can get you on a list with the mental health team. It can take months to get a referral but it is worth it. Also, do you have a local MIND in your area - or some kind of anxiety support charity. Look it up in your local phone book or google and see what you come up with.Mind are a marvellous organisation and they give counselling free. Please do find out if there is one in your area.

What you must take on board is the fact that the alcohol your are drinking at the moment - can't remember how much you said you do have to drink to quell the anx but as someone said before - that will lose it's effect and you will only end up having to drink more.

I wish you well but I do think you must push the gp a bit more.

[Yvonne]

MESSAGE FOR WOOFY

Sorry folks... I really must do this.

My friend I have your programme/book whatever. It's no better than anything else I have ever read and it most certainly is not a magic wand.

The fact that it didn't help me is neither here nor there - however, I must ask why you don't publish your "magic cure" for free here on this website. !