rtown
06-12-2013, 04:40 PM
Hey, I couldn't find any good answer to this anywhere else on the internet so figured I'd post here and see if anyone had anything relateable to this, because I'm sure people have.
Whenever I think about someone drinking (especially, but not limited to, a girlfriend) I get intense anixety/panic symptoms. It also happens when I see or hear about someone drinking. I even get seriously uncomfortable when people in TV shows drink, and same thing applies with all other drugs (including certain prescriptions). This has been going on since as long as I can remember, and I'm 22 now. The legality of my drinking hasn't quelled it, though I've never drank a serving of alcohol, though thinking about me drinking doesn't cause the same feelings as thinking of others do it. I really want to fix it now though because I've been dating a girl who doesn't drink often since I've been with her, but still does on occasion and I really want to be ok with it and enjoy the time I spend with her when she does drink.
For some background to try to cancel out some things that normally would explain this seemingly irrational fear, neither of my parents have ever drank more than a couple beers around me, and they are also very relaxed and never made me feel like I would be a horrible person for drinking or anything like that. My family (being mostly Irish Catholics) enjoy drinking at get togethers, but I've never witnessed anyone get over the line drunk. I've never felt in danger by someone who was drunk. But this feeling of anxiety was so strong that I've never gone to parties where the main point is everyone getting drunk. I have been to parties with alcohol where it wasn't just for drinking (super bowl, thanksgiving, etc) and just seeing alcohol makes my panic symptoms go crazy, though I manage them. I don't have agoraphobia but am slightly claustrophobic and a hypochondriac if that helps any.
Sorry that this is so long winded but I wanted to answer some possible questions beforehand. Has anyone else ever experienced intense anxiety just at a though of a situation like this? Do you think that by me drinking myself it would reduce the fear I project on other people doing it?
Whenever I think about someone drinking (especially, but not limited to, a girlfriend) I get intense anixety/panic symptoms. It also happens when I see or hear about someone drinking. I even get seriously uncomfortable when people in TV shows drink, and same thing applies with all other drugs (including certain prescriptions). This has been going on since as long as I can remember, and I'm 22 now. The legality of my drinking hasn't quelled it, though I've never drank a serving of alcohol, though thinking about me drinking doesn't cause the same feelings as thinking of others do it. I really want to fix it now though because I've been dating a girl who doesn't drink often since I've been with her, but still does on occasion and I really want to be ok with it and enjoy the time I spend with her when she does drink.
For some background to try to cancel out some things that normally would explain this seemingly irrational fear, neither of my parents have ever drank more than a couple beers around me, and they are also very relaxed and never made me feel like I would be a horrible person for drinking or anything like that. My family (being mostly Irish Catholics) enjoy drinking at get togethers, but I've never witnessed anyone get over the line drunk. I've never felt in danger by someone who was drunk. But this feeling of anxiety was so strong that I've never gone to parties where the main point is everyone getting drunk. I have been to parties with alcohol where it wasn't just for drinking (super bowl, thanksgiving, etc) and just seeing alcohol makes my panic symptoms go crazy, though I manage them. I don't have agoraphobia but am slightly claustrophobic and a hypochondriac if that helps any.
Sorry that this is so long winded but I wanted to answer some possible questions beforehand. Has anyone else ever experienced intense anxiety just at a though of a situation like this? Do you think that by me drinking myself it would reduce the fear I project on other people doing it?