Anxiety & alcohol ?

[jessy]

Hi friends , I have a question for you all ..

Do you drink & if so does it affect your anxiety /depression !? Also do you drink on your medication ?

I'm going to have to give up all together , as in t.total for life .
It really affects me in a bad way . I just wondered if its "just me" or if any of you have trouble when it comes to having a few drinks ??

I think it must be my medication . I feel so anxious today because I drank with my husband last night ,
Big mistake :-(

[u4ea]

Yup - and it doesn't help anxiety sufferers; well, maybe temporarily, but it's short lived and a slippery slope to self medicate.

I honestly think drinking was the "straw that broke the camels back" in my case. After a very stressful (on/off) couple years, a job I actually loved doing shut down; laying off everyone, around January 1st, 2013. With New Years, my B-day, my GF's 30th all within 6 weeks of one another, I began binge drinking hardcore! I'm not talking a few beers everyday, I could chug vodka and all - I was depressed and was living in the moment, and alcohol can give you "fun moments", but that's all they are - moments.

Anxiety and panic peaked in Feb and I ended up going to the doctors. Physical testing, several vials of blood and an EKG revealed nothing. I was given Ativan and a beta blocker to slow my heart rate...

I stopped drinking, but then noticed after a few months, the benzo being my crutch....no good, highly addictive, but I was taking very small amounts, ~ .5mgs every 24 hours.

I haven't taken Ativan in about 2 weeks now, but have upped the drinking again : \

[kelliesean]

Hang overs ALWAYS set my anxiety off.. It's absolutely a terrible catalyst for my anxiety!!

I do like to have a few cocktails on the weekends while I'm out ;).. An I'm on Zoloft 150mgs.. But if I over do it I will pay the next day with anxiety.. Grrrr

[legowelt]

Yes, I drink moderately normally. The past month I havent been working and i've drinking with friends in the evening out of boredom. I noticed my anxiety go up a lot. Haven't drank in a few days and feel better.

[sharacel91]

I feel good when I am drunk and if I didn't have my son I would prob be an alcoholic because it takes away the anxiety but the next day after I do drink it's awful I remember a beginning of the year I went out drank way to much had an amazing night next day I was awful I nearly went to A and E because I thought I was about to have an heart attack. Ever since then don't drink unless an occasion then it will only he a small amount.

[raggamuffin]

Alcohol pretty much poisons your body. The hangovers really sap key vitamins from your body and you wind up feeling like a big ball of shyte for want of a better description. Give it time and it'll go. My last hangover from last Friday lasted until midday today.

Ed

[kelliesean]

Alcohol pretty much poisons your body. The hangovers really sap key vitamins from your body and you wind up feeling like a big ball of shyte for want of a better description. Give it time and it'll go. My last hangover from last Friday lasted until midday today.

Ed

Lol!! All so true.. And I know I'm REALLY in for some anxiety riddled misery if I have a hang over that lingers a few days..grrr

Summers are difficult w all these fab BBQs n ice cold beers ;)

[kelliesean]

I feel good when I am drunk and if I didn't have my son I would prob be an alcoholic because it takes away the anxiety but the next day after I do drink it's awful I remember a beginning of the year I went out drank way to much had an amazing night next day I was awful I nearly went to A and E because I thought I was about to have an heart attack. Ever since then don't drink unless an occasion then it will only he a small amount.

I agree I don't have anxiety WHILE I have been drinking.. It's the next day! But I am sure some anxiety sufferers experience anxiety while drinking too.. I've come to learn that nothing is off limits w anxiety smh lol

[kelliesean]

Yes, I drink moderately normally. The past month I havent been working and i've drinking with friends in the evening out of boredom. I noticed my anxiety go up a lot. Haven't drank in a few days and feel better.

I agree w this too..

[u4ea]

Alcohol is funny in that sense - one night your elated and having a great, anxiety free time; then the next day it drags you through the pits of anxiety hell! That's why its so dangerous and a vicious cycle to self medicate with booze, and so many with anxiety self medicate with alcohol - myself included.

It's kind of ironic how they treat alcoholics going through withdrawal with benzos - talk about trading in one dependence for potentially another!

[u4ea]

Yes, I drink moderately normally. The past month I havent been working and i've drinking with friends in the evening out of boredom. I noticed my anxiety go up a lot. Haven't drank in a few days and feel better.

Funny you bring that up - I was just talking to friends about "how alcohol can turn even a boring night into a fun time!" Damn alcohol - so awesome yet sooooo bad!

[kelliesean]

Funny you bring that up - I was just talking to friends about "how alcohol can turn even a boring night into a fun time!" Damn alcohol - so awesome yet sooooo bad!

Exactly!! Lol.. And sooooo true how u can have an amazing night and yet the next day is just horrifying..
I have been doing EXCELLENTLY since returning to taking Zoloft about 9 weeks ago (I began to feel major relief about 3-4 weeks in).. But this past Saturday night I went to a party.. Drank too much.. I thought maybe I wd squeak by unaffected the next day (yesterday) but no! I was terribly anxious the second half of yesterday.. And today I am good so far!

[u4ea]

Yup, for people with anxiety - drink up but be prepared for the consequences! I miss the days of drinking and just getting a little headache the next morning; drinking, especially if you've been doing good wise, can definitely throw your anxiety into a tailspin.

Glad you're feeling better and glad you had fun on Saturday : ) at least for me, it's good to let anxiety go once in a while; even if I have to pay for it the next day

[kelliesean]

Yup, for people with anxiety - drink up but be prepared for the consequences! I miss the days of drinking and just getting a little headache the next morning; drinking, especially if you've been doing good wise, can definitely throw your anxiety into a tailspin.

Glad you're feeling better and glad you had fun on Saturday : ) at least for me, it's good to let anxiety go once in a while; even if I have to pay for it the next day

Haha! True :) and I believe u and I have talked about this terrible side effect of hangovers and anxiety.. :)

[jessy]

Looks like its not just me then !!

Thanks for the reply's
I'm going to have to knock it on the head altogether . I have to :(
Just another shitty thing to add to the list .

I find that a few drinks takes away my anxiety altogether , then the next 2 days are hell .
Also my medication is not good with alcohol . I can't even remember things the day after .

It's got to stop x

[lalouba_jane]

Thank God I'm not the only one! I feel like a million dollars when I'm drinking, but the second I wake up the next day I'm in a black hole for days at least. I tend to avoid alcohol at all costs nowadays.