Using alcohol to help panic attacks, how do i stop
I started having panic attacks 7 years ago. I had been through a tough time. Ive tried everything to help myself but nothing seemed to work. Ive tried herbal remedies to tablets from the doctors. I stopped going out incase i had a panic attack in a shop. Especially in a supermarket. My doctor once told me not to worry if i was out as if i had my baby with me and say i fainted some-one would look after my baby, which made me worse. Then i started getting them at home which made me scared to be left on my own. Then one day during an attack a doctor told my partner to give me a glass of wine to calm me down, which i did and it worked.
I then made a stupid dicison to use alcohol every-day which i now depend on so i don't ever feel scared and i can go out and try and lead a normal life. But at the end of the day that isn't happening.
I don't get drunk as i know when to stop. The last time i was drunk was twelve years ago.
I just want a normal life back i've been told i need to really see a physcotherapist to get to the root of the problem then stop the wine. I wish so much this dream could come true but every-time i go to the doctors i hit a brick wall.
I can get treatment at 150pounds an hour which i really want but its the money. I want to know if anyone out there has been through the same thing and has over come it. If anyone has any advice it would be very much appriciated.
Re: Using alcohol to help panic attacks, how do i stop
Hi,
I did this for about 10 years until my body had had enough and I was rushed into A&E...i won't bore you with my history but all I will say is that it is medically proven that alcohol turns into sugar within a few hours, so when you drink..you get a MASSIVE sugar rush. It can wake you up in the middle of the night or it may the next day. This alone make you believe you are having a panic attack...therefore you have one. you need to drink fresh orange juice as the vitamin C stabilises your blood sugar levels.
I feel so much better after cutting down my alcohol. there are about 6/7 units in a bottle of wine and i was drinking 2/3 bottle EVERY NIGHT so I was drinking on average 140-150 units a week and having huge attacks everyday. i now drink about a bottle a week-i still get small ones almost daily but they are manageable and i can deal with them. maybe its worth looking into this and see if you can do it. It was honestly the hardest thing i've ever had to do but it has been worth it as the panic attacks are so much easier to deal with...still shit...but easier!
hope this helps you xx
Re: Using alcohol to help panic attacks, how do i stop
Hi all,
Another important thing to remember about alcohol is that it is a depressant so if someone is depressed it'll make them feel worse. That's how mistakes happen when pills are involved.
Whether it's alcohol, self harming or medication, they can be all forms of comfort that once we start become harder to stop and yes, I've tried all 3 until I found a way to stop.
They are right in saying that to cure anxiety you need to get to the route cause and that therapy is probably the best solution. In my case I saw a psychologist who pointed me in the right direction although I must admit it was up to me to stop the negative ways of coping.
There are positive ways such as EFT, relaxation techniques and meditation. It's really a case of proving to yourself you have nothing to fear but fear itself. If it might help, read "my story" and it'll show it is possible without spending extortionate amounts on private therapists.
I'd also push your doctor to find out what therapies their mental health team provide in the area because even a counsellor would be of help. Sometimes you have to really push for what you need.
Re: Using alcohol to help panic attacks, how do i stop
Yikes! How will the longterm affects of treating your anxiety with a DEPRESSANT help? Honestly - and i'm sorry if that sounded abrasive, but common sense needs to come into play here. I could smoke pot all day long and feel great, but once i'd stop, my seratonin levels would drop to below sea level and my panic attacks would flare up like a bad case of somethin'
Drugs and even (dare i say) medication are never a panacea. If you're looking for that magic bullet, cureall - It doesn't exist. Therapy, natural remedies and a different lifestyle are the most reliable paths to recovery.
Seek other alternatives. I'm not trying to play mommy here, but alcohol is rarely an answer.
This was all said with love. :blush:
Warmest Regards,
-Rachel