Bad anxiety, panic and guilt after alcohol/night out. Help!!

[mumble4]

Hey. I was wondering if anyone could shed light on this problem I've had that is getting worse and worse. I have serious anxiety when it comes to how I 'must look to other people' i hate to even say that but it is true..I will avoid going places, won't eat Infront of many people, constantly feel like I let everyone down and that I can't pick myself out of feeling like a failure even though i do good in my studies and enjoy uni (I'm 19) . besides this everytime I go on a night out I have extreme anxiety when I wake up. I shake and cry over what I have said and disclosed to others for example. embarressing things more then serious!!! (even though writting this it's so silly??) and besides the hangover which is horrific but that's self inflicted obviously lol. I feel faint and tingly for a day or two after. probably the physicall effets of the drink but thought i would mention. I constantly feel like I've ruined my life and that my life is over constantly getting people to reassure me and calm me down. I know this sounds stupid but I get this for days sometime I will think I have done something stupid or silly and panic untill I can't focus on anything around me for days and I don't eat for sometimes a couple of days after due to worrying!

I feel sooo low it's ridiculous. I panic and have the nasueous worrying stomache ache for days after and I can't shake it off. all my mates joke and say they worry aswell but I think it's to make me feel better. i can't get out of it.

I know the answer is to stop drinking!! However I'm looking for any information on what people think and why some people get like this. Also if anyone else gets this???!!!

[HoneyLove]

Hi Mumble, sorry to hear you're feeling so bad. You're not alone in your problem with alcohol, it's well known to induce anxiety in all kinds of people! Some people even jokingly call it The Fear lol, it's when you feel guilty and worried about your night of partying.

Alcohol is like liquid sugar in the body, it can send your blood sugars soaring and then when they start to drop a couple of hours after you've stopped drinking that's when the anxiety can set in. Alcohol also depletes your levels of B vitamins, which are important to keep your nervous system calm and happy. It will also leave you dehydrated if you don't drink enough water the next day.

So drinking can have numerous effects on your body, and if you're the kind of person who's stress levels are already high or who's hyper aware of what's happening in your body then it may make you feel worse for a couple of days.

To totally avoid this happening you know you've got to stop drinking. Figure out if it's worth the stress or not.

You could also try taking a different approach and just drink less, have a glass of water between drinks and make sure you've eaten enough (maybe even have some snacks while you're drinking). To avoid the blood sugar crash have something to ear before you sleep (not a sugary snack, have something like peanut butter on whole wheat toast) and eat straight away when you wake up in the morning. Then snack regularly throughout the day to keep your blood sugars level. A glass of orange juice & a banana when you wake up will boost your blood sugars quickly, but make sure you have something decent to eat soon after.

To boost the B vitamins you've lost take a supplement like Berocca that will replenish them - if you're on medication make sure that whatever you take will be ok to take with your meds. And to rehydrate drink water regularly but do t guzzle it all down at once, take a drink every now and again instead.

On top of all this it can help to just remind yourself that it's just the effects of the alcohol and don't allow your anxiety to run away with itself. Don't dwell on the night, distract yourself with some exercise or something fun to get those good hormones flowing!

Hope this helps you a bit. You don't necessarily have to completely stop drinking, but if you approach it in a more manageable way then you can make it easier to have a little fun while also taking care of yourself x

[Charlie11]

Hi honey love. Do You know if you can take vitimans b slow release with Prozac. My morning anxiety is really bad:weep:

[HoneyLove]

I'm afraid I don't know Charlie, but call into your local pharmacy (or give them a call on the phone) and ask - they will be able to tell you :)

Morning is always a tough time if you're going through a stressful patch, so be good to yourself and take things slowly. Have a banana o your bedside locker and eat it straight away for a blood sugar boost, then eat a proper breakfast soon after. You'll feel a bit better if you eat and have a shower, maybe take a short walk or do a little meditation/relaxation if you can x

[Charlie11]

Thank u honey love. Will try that due bck to work after 6 months. Had been feeling great last 2 wks. Hopefully this is just a blip. :hugs:

[tamo]

Mumble4, As Honeylove says you dont need to quit all together just try to manage to consumption sensibly ( easier said than done I know ) , it will be well worth the effort .
Excellent advice Honelove .
You are young Mumble so try your best to keep drink levels safe and your future will be much happier , sorry if i,m lecturing , i tell my son the same and thankfully he does listen .

all the best

[HoneyLove]

Thank u honey love. Will try that due bck to work after 6 months. Had been feeling great last 2 wks. Hopefully this is just a blip. :hugs:

It's definitely just a blip Charlie! I can imagine you're just feeling stressed about your return to work and that's what's making you feel a bit worse for wear. If you focus on releasing that stress then you'll begin to feel better. Go to YouTube and look for videos on a tapping technique called EFT (emotional freedom technique) and use it to help you release some of those nerves about work. I've been using it lately and find that it genuinely helps bring my feelings of anxiety down!

I'm also heading back to work tomorrow for the first time in over a month, and am nervous about it just like you. I also spent some time in the country over the last week, and as time wore on and it got closer and closer to the time for me to return to my life and to work of course I started to feel worse again! But I recognise that it's just stress, it can be managed and if I keep working on relaxation and stress reduction it will release. It's good to be able to focus on that, it really helps :)