View Full Version : alcohol induced panic attacks..
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??
I cant give any advice over that my self, but I could say what I do I just dont drink
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
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
05-06-06, 10:25
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
Thanks guys, anyone else??
nomorepanic
05-06-06, 19:52
Hi and welcome aboard.
Try reading these....
Alcohol
alcohol and panic-do they mix? (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2409)
Alcohol (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=4783)
Anxiety and alcohol (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=5142)
Alcohol (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=5347)
hangovers (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=5825)
Panic attacks and alcohol (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6371)
horrible cycle (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6359)
Anxaiety after drinking alcohol (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6960)
Nicola
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
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]
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
Im considering a change in diet actually and knocking the drink on the head. I could do with losing a few ££'s anyway. See a positive attitude from a panic.
This hypoglycemic diet looks a bit to harsh I think but maybe a few simple changes and more exercise a bit more. Keep the mind active...
Watch this space..
alisongates
18-06-06, 22:33
hi there,
i too suffer from panic attacks and anxiety related feelings. I do love and enjoy a glass of wine but i too was frightened to drink through the side effects triggering off the anxiety and panic. I have come to the conclusion 4 me as will all of this that it is all mind related, and depends on what state of mind im in at the time of having a drink. If im relaxed and having a good time laughing with my partner and generally enjoying myself having a drink has not triggered the symptoms. I find it hard to join in and socialise these days, little steps and doing something i want to do helps overcome. I use to love to go out, but all the symptoms have prevented me from really enjoying myself. I do try to avoid a hangover by only haveing a couple of drinks and plenty of water, but im trying not to let this get the better of me. I lost my dad to alchol related problems with his liver ande kidneys so i tended to be more scared of drinking. I have concluded that if i fancy a drink then i do so,but not to help with the panic and anxiety, try to exercise regulaly in small steps, eat better and drink plenty of fluid being more healthy has helped alot. I hope you get through as im trying too, i thought i was the only one with this problem....as with alot of this, this site has helped me realise that there are many of us out there all experiencing similar. best wishes, alison.[8D]
I can't drink anymore, either. Just have a non-alcoholic drink or some soda water in a social situation.
Or, if you just drink a little bit, you don't have to worry about feeling "drunk" at all.
My panic attacks used to be only the morning after a boozy session, they were initially diagnosed as epilepsy as I have things going on with my vision, I jerk my head and I pass out too.
The neurologist said that they were seizures brought on by tiredness, stress and alcohol.
So as I can't control the other two, I became teetotal for 8 years and it was well worth it just to be fairly certain that I would never experience the 'seizures' again, even though it meant that I couldn't dance as I was too self concious and all of that !
....until I started having them without alcohol, when they were properly diagnosed as anxiety related, chances are that for me it was the caffeine in the mixers rather than the alcohol.
Since then I did try drinking again, but as you say the hangover feeling is too similar to panic so I stopped, but at least at friends weddings I can drink the toast and not be worried - and I can even have a whole 2 drinks and be reasonably able to dance....its just a question of working out which is most important to you - social drinking or avoiding panic...if you were allergic to a food type, you wouldn't think of it as the allergy 'beating you' every time you didn't eat it, you'd just think of it as a way of life.
Best of luck whichever you choose....
Had to re register.
Cool posts here. Going a bit off topic, my dad and his moum suffered panic and anxiety disorders. is this the reason i have been inflicted and no matter what i do i will always suffer, or is it just a mind set.
One for the more experienced of you i think..or medically knowledgable??
Hi there,
there's some research to show that panic disorder and anxiety is often present in parents and their children. The question is whether it's herediary or from learned behavious as a child (I personally think it's a bit of both).
As for drinkin' - hangovers are HORRIBLE and while I love a few glasses and getting tipsy, the massive downer associated with a hangover is something I loathe. Alcohol is not at all good for anxiety sufferers (there's a lot of good informatin on the main NMP web page about this).
When hangovers do happen and I feel myself getting panicy (thinking, 'Oh my Gosh I made a fool out of myself! Oh my Gosh, I'm going to be sick in front of everyone and it's all because I was stupid enough to get trollied') I firmly remind myself it's just alcohol withdrawal and that I don't (and will not) make a habit out of drinking too much.
I then spend a recovery day pampering myself, listening to favourite music and focussing on things that make me happy (or watching a good weepy movie helps burn off any pent up emotion). This works as long as I'm not hungover on a work day, of course!
So in short - try not too drink to much, but if it does happen try and remind yourself it's just the symptoms of the hangover that's making you feel extra anxious. This is much the same way you'd challenge yourself if you were feeling anxious because of other physical causes, eg. I'm not feeling extra panicy because I'm weakminded, but because I haven't had enough sleep or have a touch of flue at present.
L x
Hi bmw!
I would just stick with weak booze and just afew.That way you dont get the hangover, and anxiety is not to high the next day!xxx
Probably wise...
Starting gym tomorrow. take my mind off things such as booze and get myself fitter
nick_london
15-07-06, 08:43
Hi BMW,
I've come to realise over the years that alcohol is about the worst thing for any kind of nerves. It will get you 'up there' ie over the hump of anxiety, but then you have to come back down again, and that's where the trouble starts.
I dread big hangovers because they ALWAYS bring big anxiety and panic. A good example recently was a period when I was doing yoga and not having much anxiety or panic. Then I had an evening in the pub with pals and lo and behold the next day on the bus I was very scared. It kicks hell out of your nervous system.
Nick
nice 1 nick..ive done a few of them...feeling rought hough now..cant st
louwilliams
10-10-07, 23:30
Hi,
I was exactly the same as you...social drinker, big circle of friends out every weekend. my first panic attack was after a really heavy night and no sleep. i was drinking 2/3 bottles of wine a night for about 10 years solid, until i was told this..alcohol turns into sugar within a few hours, so you basically get a MASSIVE sugar rush, either in the middle of the night to wake you up, or the next day. I've cut down to about a bottle a week (horrible horrrible horrible!) but i did it. i can't cut alcohol out of my life completely, but i have admitted to myself that if i DO drink, I have to make sure its not too much. If i DO drink too much, i drink lots of water BEFORE going to bed and make sure you drink lots of fresh orange juice the next day as your blood sugar levels are mental and you need the vitamin C to stabalise your body, Believe me this really does work. Promise!
Hope this helps xx
i thought it was down to me getting older and not being able to handle my beer/hangovers as much as in my youth.I USED to socialise once maybe twice a week and it always involved alcohol.I find that now my social life is crappy and my frends have dwindled as i let them down or leave early due to panic/anxiety.i wish i could have my sociallife back but know the hangovers are as bad as panic the next day
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