Anxiety levels & alcohol link

[craigj1303]

Hi All

Out of interest, I just wanted to get other peoples experiences with their anxiety levels and alcohol. I have often been suspicious that alcohol (moreso the after effects of too much!) contribute greatly to my personal feelings of anxiety.

Also, although I quit smoking 5 years ago, I occasionally have a slip and have a few cigarettes whilst drinking socially. I am also intrigued if anyone else does this and that maybe everytime I do that, if my body is continually going through withdrawal symptoms of quitting nicotine, that may also contribute to anxiety?

A couple of weeks ago, as part of my recent drive to try different things to rid myself of anxiety for good, I decided to start keeping a diary and recording the following for each day:

Alcohol Units consumed:
Cigarettes:
Kalms tablets:
Anxiety level (rated 1-10)

The last time I had an excessive amount of alcohol and a few cigarettes on 20th Dec, I experienced higher levels of anxiety the following two days. As each day passed after I recorded increasingly lower levels of anxiety until 27th Dec when an old friend visited for Xmas. We had a bit of a drink binge and again, the following day, anxiety level was up, and the usual restless nights sleep followed the next night.

I am now wondering if alcohol could be solely to blame for most if not all of my anxiety? I do enjoy a drink and don't really want to give it up completely, and it does seem to be when I have loads rather than just a couple of beers.

What are your experiences with this?

[theharvestmouse]

It's a medical fact that alcohol causes heightened feelings of anxiety and depression, google it.

[craigj1303]

It's a medical fact that alcohol causes heightened feelings of anxiety and depression, google it.

Yes, I have read this on the net before. I'm just interested to understand why alcohol never used to effect me the same way through my younger years 16-30. I never used to suffer anxiety of this kind after a night out of the booze!

[Rennie1989]

Alcohol is a natural depressant and has been proven to worsen anxiety and depression. All you have to do is walk passed nightclubs on a Saturday night and see for yourself the negative effects it has on people.

I am very conscious of the alcohol I consume. If I feel fine then I'll have a drink, if I feel anxious I drink in moderation, if depressed I leave it alone. I used to react very badly to alcohol and went sober for a while, but now I understand my limits.

It only takes a few days for the nicotine to leave the body, but traces can remain for months. Your best bet is to not smoke at all, even if it's with a drink. The nicotine could be raising your anxiety levels.

[phil6]

Hi Craig,
Yes, I am thinking the same..
I look forward to a few beers or a glass of wine as it kills my anxiety and helps me to enjoy a few hours. There are some social events that make it almost impossible not to drink and to be honest it would be quite uncomfortable for me to give it up completely. I feel a little more relaxed and can forget my troubles for a while after a drink. This is normal, but I do think we have to be careful.
Just like regularly taking tranquillisers can easily become a bad habit, so can drinking.
It is also absolutely the case that getting drunk will have a bad pay back the next day with both your mood and your anxiety.
I think we should take the attitude of all things in moderation. Giving it up all together is your choice but if that makes you miserable and less likely to socialise then it might be a bit extreme. Have a drink, but don't get drunk would be my advise. A bit of self control is what I am aiming for. I also try not to drink just to get rid of my anxiety, as that feels wrong. It is true however that if I am going out for a meal then a glass of wine will help my appetite as if I am feeling anxious, it usually kills my appetite.
I gave up smoking a long time ago and don't miss it.
Phil

[craigj1303]

I'm really gonna try and stop even the occasional cigarette. It's almost like I just do it to re-live a little bit my youth or something daft, or maybe I think it's part of letting my hair down and losing the anxiety for a bit. Whatever it is I always regret it big time the next day, it tastes foul, and I have to go through a few days of irritability where I am withdrawing nicotine again. I do this every 2-3 weeks. Ridiculous!

As for the alcohol, I agree phil, drink, but don't get drunk will be something I will have to try and do. Trouble is after the first one or two the will power disappears:D

[Fishmanpa]

Don't get me started on this subject!

I just cannot imagine drinking or smoking when suffering from a disease like anxiety or HA.

Answer me this... Why is it you can Google a symptom or niggle you have an believe what Google says but when you Google the link between drinking, smoking and GAD/HA you don't believe it?

Positive and Real thoughts

[phil6]

Fishmanpa
I do agree that using drink to self medicate is not sensible.
I am 60 years old and fairly fit and physically well. I have GAD.
I have never had a drink problem, in fact until later in life I could never drink very much and if I did, would sub offer the next day.
I think that avoiding the anxiety by self medicating in this way is not going to help, and so if I am anxious I don't drink. If I am feeling OK, I do enjoy the temporary loss of inhibition when socialising and this has not done me any harm.
Of course I am aware of acceptable amounts and excessive drinking is always going to lead to problems, but in moderation, for me it's not a problem.
If it is obviously giving you increased anxiety or depression the next day then it would be sensible to quit it and see if that helps.

[HappySadPunkDude]

I found that alcohol really makes me feel depressed the next day and so
now I only drink every few months and not every weekend like I used to.

[Leem]

Hi guys,

I used to be really into my alcohol. Once I was forced to stop drinking (through a stomach problem) and started eating healthily and got really into fitness. Never felt so good as I did in those 3 months or so. Think that says it all.

[poppyet]

Yes! After I had my daughter at 20 my anxiety/depression grew worse than it ever had. I turned into a full blown alcoholic to deal (I had never seen a doctor and was self-medicating, though I didn't realize that at the time). I was a *heavy* drinker for 9 years after that and in the 4th year of that heavy drinking my panic attacks the next day after a binge were killing me, so I'd drink more to make them stop. I began to see a doctor and was still drinking on my meds and the panic attacks were getting worse and worse. Finally I thought 'ok, this heavy drinking is causing my problems to be so bad I don't even want to live' and then I met with a different doctor who prescribed an anti-anxiety medication that saved my world. Suddenly I didn't need the drinks. I still drink on occasion (and not take the meds if I plan to have a drink), but if I over do it you better believe it's panic-attackville the next day. In the past year I drink less and less and in turn my anxiety has lessened so much I don't even want to drink. I've gained a lot of weight by cutting drinks down to special occasions, but it's so much better.
Of course, I'll have a few drinks tonight, it's NYE (eastern standard time:winks:), but I won't over-do it for sure. It's not worth it.