Will a little bit of alcohol make me freak out?

[hazmatz]

Hi,

For the past year I've been dealing with a random panic disorder that plagued my life. After I quit doing all drugs and going gluten free, however, my panic attacks have completely stopped. It has been 2 months since I had my last panic attack (yay!) but my question is, if I have a small drink every once in a while (a glass of wine or two) will I have a hard time controlling my anxiety the next day? I guess my concern is that by drinking I'm burning out my dopamine receptors and that it will ruin all the progress I've made battling panic so far. Or maybe I'll have a panic attack while buzzed (dont believe this is possible though considering alcohol works on gaba) so Is that how it works? I would hate to know that I can't have a little drink every once in a while when I'm out with my friends. I RARELY drink. I believe the last time I drank alcohol was 4 or 5 months ago, so I do not do it often and do not use it as means for coping with my anxiety.

Thanks in advance to anyone who can contribute

[lior]

I don't have personal experience with panic attacks. But I would say this:

Try it in small doses. You can have just half a glass of wine one evening, and see what happens the next day. If there's no effect after a few days, you're safe to maybe have one glass on another day.

Usually when you drink just a little bit, there's no long term affect on your health, and other health issues don't get affected.

From personal experience, while I was on Citalopram I couldn't drink without feeling really depressed the next day, and I didn't want to drink for months after I came off it either. Even now I still feel a bit rubbish after drinking. It is a kind of poison - make sure that the short term pleasure it gives you on the night is worth the rubbishness the next day.

[Fishmanpa]

It's my opinion and research backs it up that alcohol and anxiety don't mix. Why take a chance?

Positive thoughts

[UntilTheDawn]

Hi hazmats, people are funny creatures and totally individual. My worst panic attacks were triggered by alcohol...HOWEVER... Not whilst actually drinking, and I drank a LOT, and did use it to mask my anxiety, so it sounds like that bit isn't a problem for you. Have you got an understanding mate you could go out with one to one, someone you could tell your feeling a bit fragile and would like to go for a drink with, your a bit worried in case alcohol proves to bad for you but would like to have one to see if you're good with it?

[SADnomore]

Since you so rarely drink anyway, what's the point? Why would you "hate to think" you can't have a "little drink" when out with friends? Peer pressure, maybe? Or do you feel as though you need to be "buzzed" to enjoy an evening out with them? ... Have you tried going out with them and just grabbing a Coke for yourself at the bar? You might want to sit back and see how the evening goes. Is there not one other person in your group that stays sober sometimes, what do you think would happen if you suggested doing something with them that doesn't involve drinking? Pay close attention to whether there is pressure to drink alcohol, and how you deal with that. Will your panic-free peace of mind end up taking a back seat to getting a buzz on? Only you can answer whether that's a real possibility, and a chance you want to take.

[hazmatz]

You have a good point, SADnomore. I suppose a big portion if it is pressure. And although I know its possible to have fun without drinking, I know from previous experience (before I had panic disorder) that drinking enhances the experience, as sad as it may sound. I'm not looking to get smashed / wasted drunk, I just was wondering if a small portion would do any real harm. I go out all the time without drinking. Its just hard being a young adult around lots of people whose main pastime is drinking.