drinking

[amber1973]

Does anyone else drink to help ease the symptoms and relax?

I drink way too much to help with a anxiety and panic attacks, I feel fine while I'm drinking then in the morning I panic more because I think I'm gonna die from drinking too much, ever pain or ache I think its my body reacting to alcohol.

I then stop drinking for a bit.

I know I'm in a visious circle.

At the moment I'm not having a drink and hoping that I won't for a few weeks.

[silver blaze]

Yes I drink Brandy at night to help me to sleep trouble is I drink too much, and then the next day feel like puke warmed up, wish I could stop, I wouldn't drink in the day I'd be on the floor, but if I could sleep better I wouldn't drink at all

[Fishmanpa]

I've taken some flak for my stance on drinking and anxiety. I'm of the strong opinion that "Drinking and anxiety don't mix".

This thread, as well as many, many, many more on this forum back up my beliefs and opinions on the subject. AND, alcohol and the vast majority of psychotropics used to treat anxiety and other mental illnesses can be a dangerous combination.

Positive thoughts

[wnsos]

I don't believe drinking and anxiety mixes either. From personal (past) experiences, if you can't stop, you need to seek help for it to get you to. I was lucky in that my anxiety of thinking i had something desperately wrong with me was what stopped me drinking a bottle of whiskey a weekend sometimes. One drink every now and then is fine but more if you can't stop? It's not good. It's a depressant for one and makes anxiety and depression worse in the long run.

[Davit]

Alcohol is a known depressant.

[Sam123]

I agree with the posts above.

[MyNameIsTerry]

The fact is that there divided opinions on this from anxiety sufferers. There are plenty of posts on here from people who say they can tolerate it without any hit to their anxiety. The same can be said on other forums from my own limited checks against my medication, Duloxetine.

There is medical evidence that contradicts such opinions in the straight case of whether anxiety & alcohol do not mix. My GP was happy for moderate drinking on Citalopram despite the PIL advising not to and I think this is important, shouldn't we trust our doctor's opinion? I did it for a week on holiday on his advice and I drank too much for it to be classed as moderate and I was fine.

There is an important issue when it comes to alcohol - how bad is your anxiety? At my worst caffeine, high protein foods, vitamin B, anything stimulating...was a trigger. Now they are not.

So, its very much down to the person. I would suggest its an exposure exercise in ERP form - start small and see if its a big no-no for you.

In terms of meds, its not quite so simple. Some advise no and tell you because they have found adverse reactions whereas some say it as a "could" which means there is insufficient evidence. It doesn't mean it won't affect you but it doesn't mean it will either. Perhaps this is where medical opinion becomes more important than posts on a forum where no ojne understands the other real anxiety status?

But this is all a pointless discussion anyway as it in no way helps the OP from what I can see.

The true issue is that the OP is self medicating. For this I would suggest you contact your GP and get some help for your anxiety. The fact you are trying not to self medicate shows you know it could become a problem if you let it and I think its great that you are not letteiung anxiety beat you to that point.

Have you tried any medication or had any therapy?

[wnsos]

Just terming it a vicious cycle is not a good sign. I have an alcoholic in my family and have worked with them. not saying op is one but I've also seen firsthand what it can do to people whether they have anxiety or not.

I would see your GP, op, and I know it's embarrassing but perhaps tell them about your alcohol intake. When I was on sertraline last, I was fine technically but I was also drinking a lot so it stopped what good the sertraline was doing (I'm on it now and just have a drink every now and then to no ill effects.) I think the main thing here is drinking to get through something or deal with something needs to be curbed, you may not feel it so but you're worth much more than that and you can beat it with therapy and possibly meds. It's a good sign you can identify it, now you need to stop for your own benefit.

Idk perhaps I'm biased but I'm not a fan of alcohol to get by. I've been there but most importantly I see it still and it doesn't help one bit in the long run. Take care of yourself, op. :hugs:

[MyNameIsTerry]

Just terming it a vicious cycle is not a good sign. I have an alcoholic in my family and have worked with them. not saying op is one but I've also seen firsthand what it can do to people whether they have anxiety or not.

I would see your GP, op, and I know it's embarrassing but perhaps tell them about your alcohol intake. When I was on sertraline last, I was fine technically but I was also drinking a lot so it stopped what good the sertraline was doing (I'm on it now and just have a drink every now and then to no ill effects.) I think the main thing here is drinking to get through something or deal with something needs to be curbed, you may not feel it so but you're worth much more than that and you can beat it with therapy and possibly meds. It's a good sign you can identify it, now you need to stop for your own benefit.

Idk perhaps I'm biased but I'm not a fan of alcohol to get by. I've been there but most importantly I see it still and it doesn't help one bit in the long run. Take care of yourself, op. :hugs:

I agree with you, it has its place in a social setting but not to cope.

When I was relapsing and was having a lot of trouble with waking early with panic someone who had suffered anxiety told me to try having a drink to see if it helped me sleep. :doh:I remember thinking what stupid advice it was! We are already struggling with negative patterns so why introduce a potentially damaging behaviour?!

[wnsos]

Exactly! And it's so hard once you get used to using it as a crutch. It helps my social anxiety to have say a drink before I go to a concert and such but drinking alone in my room made everything so much worse. :(