Carrying alcohol as a deterrent to panic attacks

[flumpy]

When you suffer from panic disorder and don't really know what's wrong, you'll do anything to have a feeling of normality and escape the fear that follows you about. I discovered this whilst having a panic attack and rushing in to the pub and gulping 3 double whiskies down. The panic attack went and I stopped shaking. Also, I felt quite nice. Yes, alcohol felt good. I started carrying a bottle of vodka round (disguised as water) for the next ten years. Having only just realised my condition and not yet had help, I still do in fact. I rely on that bottle being always there to get me through and it works. However, on rare occasions it was forgotten with frightening and in one particular case, hilarious consequences. I was wondering if anyone else used alcohol as a crutch or for that matter, anything else? If so, please share and I'll post my 'hilarious' story later...x
By the way, although i always carry alcohol i rarely use it. It's just the idea of having a silver bullet that will 'cure' the ensuing panic attack. I realised that this was quite possibly a psychological thing but didn't question it. That's why i was wondering if other people had used sthg to stave off panic attacks on a regular basis?

[BabyRachel]

Your one of the very few people who alcohol works for! For me and most, alcohol increases the panic!

I've only carried around alcohol to make a situation more interesting. I used to take vodka to school in a water bottle and when I was out and about i'd mix scotch whiskey in with a coke from mcdonalds. Or just carry around a flask. lol.

[Deanyboy]

I didn't carry alcohol around with me, but I used to drink wine at night alot and it most deffinatly "cured" my anxiety for that time, I started when I was 14, (I'm now 23) then stopped around 6 months ago after having a migraine aura with no headache, I've been a nervous wreck ever since!! :weep:

[direction]

i've done this before, although not to the extremes you've gone through. nontheless, i also find that alcohol, applied at the right amount, can keep me calm through-out the day. i also cannot go out for any social night out without drinking first. however, now once i've passed my comfort limit, i know this because it's followed with a panic attack. so now i use valium. & don't go out very much.
alcohol. what a bitch.
i think you've turned it into some kindof safety blanket. it's become ritualistic now. it can be broken, i'm just not sure how to advise how, sorry.

[pheetuz]

Hi Flumpy.

I know how you feel about carrying the alcohol around with you, i used to be much the same but with valium instead.

After starting CBT though i was advised that i should stop carrying the valium around with me as it was a safety behaviour and was therefore perpetuating the cycle of anxiety and panic and as a result i no longer carry the valium with me.

If you do find help in the form of CBT then i think that carrying your alcohol is going to be one of the things on top of the list of things that needs changing, dont let this put you off getting CBT tho :)

Whats this hillarious story anyway ??? I want to hear it =P

/Pete

[Macchiavelli]

it is a tempting idea, one I have considered many a time but in the long-term it is not good

[Anxious_gal]

I'm the same with my sedatives. I rarely take them but carry them everywhere with me! If I'm really anxious sometimes I'll hold it in my hand.
if i go somewhere and forget it , my anxiety goes sky high!
I think your fine as long as your rarely drink the alcohol.
I'm the same way too with my cigarettes!

[bomberbeamish]

im the same,, i wont leave the house with out bottle of water, my diaizpam, a paper bag and a reasurring book,, they all fit in my bag and are always there,, i never use them ,, but wouldnt go without out them,, i never go a mile away from home , but i have to take my phone to.
they are saftey routine,and doctors and mental health would tell you to try and stop it, but i cant see the harm in it. ive also been know not to lock doors when i go out in case i cant get back in,,,, incase your thinking hmmmm mite pay her house a visit, lol,,,, i got a big dog, lol

[Going home]

Yes its something i do too but with brandy and lemonade and carry it in a small plastic Sprite bottle (because the bottle's green it doesnt look as if i'm carrying a sample around!) There's more lemonadethan brandy I have to say but its enough to take the edge off if i'm not doing too good when outside, but nine times out of ten I don't drink it but am comforted knowing its there in my bag for emergencies. Things like rescue remedy don't work for me i'm afraid and taking tranquilisers space me out and make me feel like i'm not in control, so a small sip of my brandy mixture helps if needed :)

[Macchiavelli]

it is good that people are not actually taking them though, just something they carry with them

[flumpy]

Thanks for replies, I'm glad and not entirely surprised that I'm not the only one. If I was sipping constantly from the bottle I'd be worried but it really is a crutch to help...however, if forgotten then a panic attack is inevitable for me. I discovered this when I was doing a plumbing job for someone and got an electric shock off a wire. This was enough to start a panic attack cos I naturally thought a heart attack was imminent...so I went to my van to where the vodka was kept and it wasn't there. By this time, my heart was really racing. The discovery of no vodka just increased the tempo and the adrenalin was taking over. I went back in and just came clean and said 'got any booze, i'm having a panic attack!' Luckily, he got some whisky out and I fired it down me...after about 7-8 gulps my panic eased quickly. The cure had worked on probably the severest panic attack yet! I carried on and did the job and when the bloke came round to pay me later we had a good laugh at me getting an electric shock and drinking whisky out of the bottle at a customer's house! Not your everyday stuff. He said he'd been to get a bottle of wine himself cos he'd seen how I terrified I'd looked and wanted to calm his own nerves!
So if you DO have a crutch, do NOT forget it!! :doh: