Scared to drink alcohol?

[estrada4175]

Hello everyone early last year in 2011 I started suffering from panic/ anxiety issues. I am doing very well now after some therapy and medication. I am off the medication and go to therapy once in a while. My problem was just being around people and getting freaked out for no reason. I am way better at that and I am able to go to work and school with no issue. My only problem is with drinking. I was not allowed to touch alcohol during medication but after I been hesitant to even drink one. As soon as I took one sip I can feel my heart racing and I would tell myself ohhh no panic panic!

Obviously that is all in my head. I have been able to drink one drink or two with no problem. but once I start feeling a little tipsy I get scared and stop drinking. I am not looking to binge drink but it would be nice to be able to get tipsy without worrying about PANIC! Has anyone suffered from this???

If you did how did you get back to drinking without a problem?

[blondinou]

Absolutely, I didn't drink a drop for a few months and at the moment I only have one or two drinks at any one time. I think it's the feeling of that slight loss of control when drink affects you, that makes me anxious. I also associate it with this time that I drank a couple of drinks and had a massive panic attack where I thought I was about to die!! I have been taking it slowly with drinking, just the odd one when I feel relatively confident and see how I go... Maybe that's the solution, gradually building it up, getting used to the feeling or being a bit woozy again?!

[haz]

Easy. I gave up drinking alcohol! I struggle to stay in control at the best of times and I don't the way alcohol makes me feel anymore. i.e. anxious and panicky.

I'm 43 yrs old now so I've done my fair share of partying over the years! :D

It's OK not to drink and I live in Scotland and I'm Scottish!

Don't give into peer pressure and drink if you don't want to. You can still have a good time. :)

[blondinou]

Yeah I was about to say this, who says we necessarily need alcohol?! I have often thought this - I don't like how it feels so why bother!

However... If you want to still drink a bit, because to be honest for me it still symbolises being fun and sociable, and it's so engrained in our culture... Then it's worth trying to sort out your worries about it.

[sherylee xx]

since my health anxiety started about 7 months ago i havent drunk any at all im to scared too :( xx

[carefree68]

Yep I used to smoke and love a good drink, but gave up smoking, 8 months ago and so the drinking stopped a bit as well. I do like a tipple now and again but like you after one I start panicking fear of losing control. I suppose its because when I am anxious I want to be completely in control, that the fear of losing/relaxing then makes me anxious, blah blah blah. Does that make sense?

Alcohol can affect our mood because it can affect the level of serotonin in the brain. Serotonin is a feel good brain chemical that when in short supply can cause feelings of anxiety and depression.

Help this helps.:hugs:

[Carys]

I don't drink either, I haven't had an alcoholic drink for 13 years. I never liked the 'woozy feeling' of drinking and I really do not miss it in my life at all. People who know me say that it is just as well I don't drink as I am already too loud and excitable at social events ! :winks:

[haz]

I used to pretend I was drinking Jack Daniels & Coke but it was just coke! Now I don't even drink coke cos of the caffeine.

I don't mind being the only sober one at a party cos I'm thinking of the next day....and possible the one after that. I'm just not willing to take the risk.

:)

[xtremx]

Hi I have drank a drop as of 2-feb-2011 as the next day i was in hospital after having a major panic attack. Felt bad from the first mouth full as was starting to get all stressed and felt really bad.

I am now to scared to touch a drop even in food stuff afraid it will spark a major panic attack ,even after having panic attacks after that day i still think it is linked to my drink on that day.

[Harribo]

Getting smashed makes me less anxious...although I go out maybe once a month to drink these days....I prefere going out for a meal or cinema with my fiance now...sad I know as I'm only 20

[LizeeeH]

I have the reverse problem.....drinking makes my HA better!!!!! so Im probably drinking wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy too much:blush:

[sebinkent]

I found that the only treatment that worked for my anxiety was alcohol!
I am now beginning to fear what I have done to my liver! :scared15: