panic and anxiety from alcohole?

[worrier123]

is it me or does anyone else have this problem, i have anxiety when is comes to worrying about health issues, i love going out with my frineds and getting drunk but the day after my anxiety is soooo much worse, the chest pains, heart pulpatations, my breathing is out of sync with my heart beat and my heart beat seems irregular and of course this is al i can think of all day i just sit there worrying and feeling scared which obviously makes things worse. anyone know why this happens and if it is common or is something else wrong with me? it makes me dread going out and having a good time cos i know how i´l feel the next day

thanks for ur advise

[jusroc]

Alcohol is a depressant.
Alcohol also dehydrates the body and eats B vitamins.
B Vitamins main job is to support the nervous system.

With out the B vitamins or water, the brain does not function very well.
So finds doing the most simple tasks tough.

Because your brain has been poisoned with alcohol, your body needs to process the alcohol before it can deal with any thing else.
I believe the whole process puts a great deal of stress on the immune system and stimulates the production of stress hormones such as glucocortisol.

An increase in stress hormones for vulnerable people will cause the condition known as anxiety.

For a more exact and accurate description of the processes, check out Patrick Holfords books on stress and the one on natural highs.
Both have good information that will be beneficial to the anxiety sufferer.

For a hangover, best cure is B complex and lots of water.
Perhaps rehydration salts if you have lots lots of fluids.
Perhaps some L Theanine if you still have anxiety and lots of sleep.

Alternatively, the best cure is to not get smashed in the first place.
Take a note out of the Gracie Family book. and go T total.
Then you will be more likely to stay in tip top condition mentally and physically.

(add a good diet and relaxation techniques, cbt etc.)

[ciaran_p]

Mate, I have exactly the same problem with alcohol. I love going out with the boys, having a good drink and having a laugh. But the day after is horrible. I feel dissorientated, I panic because I feel my throat is closing up, I can't concentrate or focus on the t.v. The worst thing is, I just can't get back on the drink, which rules out having any more lads holidays. Its like it just wrecks my nervous system. Also, the fact that you know you are going to feel like this, makes me dread going out in the first place! I think you need to take it easy on the booze and not cane it (easier said than done). Also, take a couple of valium if you can get some. Obviously don't get addicted, but 2 in the day when you've woken up, really calms me down, and by the evening im fine. Finally, tell yourself its a hangover! Think people with anxiety issues just analyse EVERYTHING, when really you're just hungover. Take care

[hesson81]

yea me to. A year ago I didn't feel that way, I could drink and be totally fine the next day, now it's just different. Some time within two days of drinking (maybe 5 drinks) I can feel a horrible headache, nervousness, agitation. Along with other anxiety symtoms.

[pietpompies84]

I have the same problem love going out for a drinks. The next 2 day is shockingly bad. I get very bad chest pains and palpitations. My hangover feels like it is never going to end even if i only had a few. It is actually a total disaster. hopefully soon we can have a few drinks and not have to worry about all this :)

[RequiemOfDemise]

I used to drink, alot. I mean alot. Just about drunk every night or every other night, for years. The idea of it now, when I do drink and having panic attacks during "drunk mode" which honestly is the worst time to have a panic attack..it feels 10x stronger than a sober one.
I tell myself that I've been drunk before, what's the big deal? But to answer that...I tell myself "Heart disease, Kidney failure, Stomach ulcers, etc".
For me, no matter if i know i am safe...I go for the worst possible scenarios...which is an instant panic. Its not intentional of course, its anxiety at its best.

[worrier123]

also what i found is when im drinking and i can drink alot and i love getting drunk if im honest, cos when i am drunk anxiety seems to just dissapear and this ´who gives a sh&t´attitude comes into play and if im honest i like it cos i dont care or worry about anything health related cos im drunk and having a good time....there has been 1 or 2 times when iv been drunk and started to worry about something like a chest pain for example but it seems to soon go once i get drunk. but yea the next day is a different story it can just be hell, and even tho it happens all the time and i say to myself uv been like this loads of times u know ur just hungover its nothing else, it stil doesnt seem to make a difference to me. its horrible!

[ss_worrier]

I totally agree. I also love getting drunk and for the moment, the anxiety tends to become much easier to handle, but the moment I get home, the worries start, mainly about getting up the next day and on how horrible the day after is going to be. Hangovers in general create worry, and when you're already worried it all gets so much worse. And, like other people have already written, having anxiety while drinking is like the worst thing ever. I don't really know how to handle this, my therapist thinks I should just relax and try not to see the drinking as a big deal and just enjoy it, but it's really tough. On the one hand, drinking isn't necessary or good, but on the other hand, it's an enjoyable part of life that we too should be able to have. I guess the best thing to do is to have a glass of water between each drink in order to lighten the prospects of the hangover, and to maybe not get too wasted. Just try to remember that drinking every now and then isn't dangerous and that it's a perfectly normal thing that we should be able to do, it won't kill us.