problem with drinking to calm anxiety.

[kallie0509]

so i have this problem...when i ever i start to feel anxious (which is everyday) i will have a few beers and it really calms my ass down, but sometimes a few turns into several and several turns into way to many. i was recently (only 2 weeks ago) put on zoloft(25mg) and my anxiety still comes everyday and then i reach for a drink and i know that i shouldn't be drinking on the meds but i do. i don't drink nearly as much as i used to before the meds but i feel like its just too hard not to because i've relied on it for months to calm me down when i feel panicky and it does. i wouldn't call myself an alcoholic, i was a drunk for a while (and i do believe there is a difference). i have gone from drinking in excess 7days a week to drinking only several beers maybe 4 days a week. actually i'm starting to feel light headed, dry mouth and short of breath right now and will prolly go grab a drink and i know that i shouldn't. i should just deal with these feelings, but i have for 15 years(and i'm only 25) and it's just been too damn long to simply deal with it!

[daza.theman]

i have the same thing , i have had panicks since i was 15 , im 34 now and have always hid behind the bottle , i rarley leave the house , its not good , im ashamed of my self , but after so long its become a bad habit , i cry most nights because of what i have done to myself . but last thursday i seen the doc for the first time and she put me on 40mg of proponol aday , up to 3 times if i need it , but dam it makes me feel so spaced out , anyways , i still have my drink, sorry i no its not helped , not much has helped me either , maybe we are alkys

[audio_hype]

your not alone
I dealt with my anxiety problem through drink
being young and scared of social situations it began whilst out
I was nervous/ anxious and I drank and drank
I then begun drinking after a hard day or at harder times.
but my drinking became awful, made me change my behaviour made me panic more
my partner could not live with my drinking
I would stay in and drink
yet he would ask how can I be anxious in a quiet house - doing nothing
but I do
I worry about the future. About death. About myself, even about worrying.
I cannot break the cycyle
I am not drinking in the week now
however I think about it all the time.
It isnt the alcohol I crave, but the effects it has on me (short term)
it got so bad I had a liver function test.
The normal is 5- 60 max
mine came back as very abnormal nearly 300
I am women, 24 who drank wine and beer in my mind 'occasionally'
not first thing, but everyday
however the more stress I felt the more i drank.
I had to go into hostpital for my drinking and was given a 7 day detox.
however my anxiety was not treated.
now I am not looking at the behaviour but the cause.
I am looking at managing my anixety.
staying out of difficult situations
switching off / little excerise

swimming is great: when you heads under water (bath)
it drowns out all the noise - its great.
alcohol just dappens the nerves, once thealochol wears off the anxiety will come back twice as hard.
drink with caution if you suffer with anxiety.
best of luck
ruth