Alcohol and panic attacks.

[Izzycam]

Hello, I wonder if someone can shed some light on drinking alcohol and panic attacks.
I have had a lovely month where they subsided to a managable level,
I'm afraid I had one to many glasses of wine ytesyerday, and the shaking sweating and mind games has come back full force.

[mandyclare]

Yeah i think alchohol most definately makes anxiety/panic attacks worse as does caffeine and apparently also artificial sweeteners.

Hope it gets better for you.


Mand

[nineteen]

yea deffo, ive stopped drinking now because i had too much to drink one night and the next morning i had panic attack...started to get better, went out, had too much to drink AGAIN and the anxiety got worse the next day. im off it for good! well, excessive drinkin anyway lol

[mandyclare]

i had a really horrible experience once.. not sure if it was a panic attack or not because i didnt feel overly panicy but id had a bottle of red wine when away for a weekend and i woke in the night sweating profusely and with my heart racing at what most have been about 160 a minute.. i sat quietly for about 5-10 mins and it did pass and it hasnt since although i do still get palpatations sometimes or alot recently. I am 99.9 per cent sure it was the alcohol.. i dont think heavy alcohol comsumption and anxiety mix at all.

[cb543]

Everytime in the past I have drank heavily, for the next two days my anxiety has been through the roof! They have to be connected! I am on citalopram now and I am certainly staying away from the booze!

[Izzycam]

Yes, I agree there has got to be a link.

[NervousNellie]

This has happened to me too. Except I never have a problem WHILE I'm drinking, it's once I get home and the following day. And I think it comes from being anxious about drinking, because when I was out having a good time, I didn't panic. It wasn't until I got home and thought about how much I drank and how I felt that the panic attacks started. And they were really bad....

[sarah jayne]

Yes i definately think theres a link. Theres been a few times in the past when ive had a lot to drink and the following morning ive had awful panic attacks, the last time was aboyt 6 months ago and the panic attack was so bad i thought i was dying, i had to call my husband home from work. i'll never drink that much again !

[cymraig_chris]

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[gary_2.0]

Hello, I wonder if someone can shed some light on drinking alcohol and panic attacks.
I have had a lovely month where they subsided to a managable level,
I'm afraid I had one to many glasses of wine ytesyerday, and the shaking sweating and mind games has come back full force.

Personally, I have always found that alcohol helps whenever I've resorted to it. Likewise, I don't suffer headaches from cheese or chocolate. It's all about finding one's own limit. Obviously your body has spoken and given you the answer.

I hope you soon feel better Izzycam. :bighug1:

@cymraig_chris: Sounds like fun!. Fresh fruit and veg have a near-instant and positive effect on me. Do you know the scientific reasoning behind this tip Chris?

[cymraig_chris]

Post removed by author

[gary_2.0]

Hangovers produce anxiety effects (eg hypersensitivity - & many more)

Bananas are loaded with potassuim salts, this quickens the transfer of the water into the bloodstream, Sugar to replace lost energy this lessens the hangover.

Without the salts, most of the water passes straight through.

Bananas also promote the production on seratonin, one of the mood hormones whose low quantities are responsible for anxiety/depression longevity.

Thank you Chris. :)

[Reggie]

I always feel anxious when I've been drinking because if I panic, I want to have my meds to make me calm down and I can't if I've been drinking. I haven't drank at all for two years and I'm going out soon, not sure what I'll do. It makes my heart race when I've been drinking, even not a huge amount, and that tricks my mind into thinking a panic attack is coming on.

It's a problem, wondering if every sensation could possibily be anxiety related, sometimes I think myself anxious when there's an alternative explanation for what I'm feeling.

[maxine]

Usually ( this may be controvertial (sp?) I find drinking helps me not think about panic attacks... not the answer i know!! but for the odd occasions i go out out then i do enjoy alcohol but.... always a but lol for a few days after a heavy night on the town my nerves are shot to heck..

I know the consequences for my own body and as long as your aware of your own limits etc then don't avoid a glass of wine because you MIGHT painic... you know it's only going to reinforce that particual fear.

I came off the meds because it wasn't making any difference to my life wahatsoever.

Maxine

[Izzycam]

That's interesting about bananas, I didn't know they were good for seratonin levels, I guess I'll have to eat 20 a day from now on (only joking).
Feeling a lot better today, I won't be over drinking alcohol again ,yesterday was way too scary, I could have put shaking Stevens to shame the amount of shaking I was doing:) Shame though because I really enjoyed the crack Ha!Ha!
I guess it's one of those things that I'll have to change in my life to try to be panic free.
It's strange how one thing can happen in your life eg the onset of an illness or panic attacks ect, and your whole life turns upside down and nothing is the same again,seemingly strong minded individuals turn to jelly,mmmmm,makes you think doesn't it.

[Izzycam]

Feel 100 times better today, thank goodness.

[Ellie7]

Hi Maxine

I understand that, the tension in my body becomes so much that the only way I can relax is to have a glass of wine, I have tried reiki, massage, relaxation and nothing is working.

[Elisabeth]

Would agree re the alcohol link- always regret having any but then again it's easier said than done not having any. Same with the caffeine- find it hard to cut down my cuppa's.
Will try the banana trick- thank you.

[billabong56]

Yes i think there is as well, I had a drink problem but I gave up because of the panic attacks.You seem ok when your drinking but the next morning its wearing off. I still get panic attacks but Im sure they would be worse if I still drank. All the best

[gary_2.0]

Feel 100 times better today, thank goodness.

Glad to hear it. :yesyes:

[BabyRachel]

Tooootally a link. After it set my anxiety off after a year of silence I refuse to drink. Alcohol, caffeine. Its all gone. Im too scared to drink either. Even though I reallly want to... I want to be anxiety free more..

[Dafyddjohndavies]

definitely a link... I have been off drink for 5 weeks so far and feel so much better!!

Take a look at an alcoholics website, you will see quite quickly how alcohol has turned anxiety sufferers into alcoholics. All those feelings that we are dealing with in terms of anxiety are exactly the same feelings that alcoholics are hiding from with alcohol.

Scary!!

[Hells12]

Hi I'm new to the site but already reading these posts has helped to confirm that i really need to control my drinking and then hopefully the panic and anxiety will fade.I'm due to have an op soon though and am scared stiff so have been worrying that my drinking will escalte to calm my fear .

[moggy]

i have noticed that when i have had a drink , the following day i get all anxious and worried and panic... its good though when your having the drink cus your anxiety dissapears.. its the day after when you suffer

[moggy]

there is a link with me .. too much beer friday night , sat and sun panic attack city

[laila]

i totally agree......if i go out with me sister for a few drinks,the next night...well my PA's go through the roof!!!! And its horrible,so i try not to go out but you still have to live a little lol!! I can control my pa's most of the time now...untill i touch alcohol then i have no say and just have to roll with the symptoms. GRRRRRRR ;0( But it does end eventually! Even though i'd rather be like i was 2 yrs ago b4 these pa's started! But then would'nt we all ;0) But readin the banana thing sounds cool....so might have to give that a go as i,m havin a party in 2 weeks time for my birthday and of course alcohol will be on the menu...but not to much! So will have my bananas ready ;0)))

[Kazkirk]

I've always found that 1 or 2 just takes the edge off my anxiety but a few more makes my heart race and make me feel like I'm going to have a panic attack, which starts it on the vicious cycle - so best to find your limit and stick with it. Also more importantly be careful if you are on any meds cause I've had some scary moments after 1 glass of wine on some x best wishes :)

[catchthepigeon]

I feel tied to booze now as it is the only way I have found to take the edge off my nerves...worrying but given the option of being anxious 24/7 or drinking a few pints, the booze wins hands down.

[naomimimi]

when i went through a really dark stage of high anxiety dp and dr. the only thing that would help was to drink. which turned into a vicious cycle of drinking in the evenings, then in the morning hangerover/dehydration just made me have very severe panic attcks. then when i had a drink i would feel better again.

my anxiety has got a lot more managable now. and i am accepting that it is always going to be there at a very low level. i still drink, as my life is surrounded by drinking culture as i am a stutent, and after work everyone goes to the pub.

[fishman65]

In agreement with just about everybody here.A definite link between the two,in fact I believe the booze helped to trigger my panic in the first place,all those years ago.Drinking alcohol is very much a pact with the devil,you get the high and the relaxation while drinking....but then the low and the anxiety next day when you're sober.Sometimes I will avoid alcohol entirely so as to stay relatively clear of anxiety next day.But on other occasions I've thought 'to hell with it' and got drunk even though I knew what tomorrow would bring.

Fishy

[jude uk]

it does not take a rocket scientist to know that excess drinking can cause panic anxiety depression to worsen.
Sorry for being blunt but lets face it, there are things that those with panic anxiety depression should avoid.

While we are here lets add drugs to the DONT DO LIST

[wellshivermetimbers]

Alcohol and panic attacks for me are a funny thing. I know that drinking Alcohol can blow up the problem even bigger and make the symptoms felt with anxiety and panic attacks strengthen in intensity but i have had alcohol in the past when anxious about an event and it has worked wonders. There are however two key things to ensure when you start drinking alcohol before panic attacks.

1) Don't drink alcohol so habitually that it becomes something you MUST do before you put yourself through any situation where you know panic will more than likely arise (eg every day, every time you leave the house). I would only recommend it when you are anxious about a social event such as a family party or maybe a wedding, funeral or christening. I would not advise it when you just need to go round to the corner shop for some groceries or if you need to be sober 100% for any thing like a job interview, day at work etc...but that is obvious. Don't rely on it as a quick fix because this will start you on a rocky road.

2) Don't drink excessively if you need to at all before an event you feel anxious about as then the after effects will be magnified even more so. You would have to contend with the usual post anxiety physical sensations aswell as a hangover, headache, dehydration etc if too much alcohol is consumed.

You know they say a moderate amount of alcohol is good for you? Well it is! Becoming dependant on it and drinking too much is bad but that goes without saying of course

So i therefore summarise this by saying i am believer that consuming alcohol before an event you are worried about, a little alcohol that is, does indeed take the edge off but one glass is enough to relax you. Don't fall in to the trap of thinking the more you have, the more relaxed you will feel as i have tried this and i ended up being more anxious than i originally would have been

Good luck and god bless!

Dave
wellshivermetimbers