Alcohol Comsumption

Before my anxiety began, I was a student who drank on a regular basis and smoked about 10 ciggarettes a day, ever since my anxiety began which was due to stress and a traumatic event happening. I havnt wanted to smoke or drink due to wanting to preserve my life, but obviously i know its because im anxious about dying (which i know is silly)

I'd really like to be able to go to the pub with my friends and have at least one drink, but i can't even seem to do that and it annoys me because no matter how much I tell myself how I'm going to be okay the more I worry about drinking alcohol! My friends are slowly stopping asking me out to places e.g night outs because I dont want to drink alcohol!

BUT...I dont really want to drink alcohol that much so it doesnt bother me, just the social aspect of it, its such a dilemma.

Does anyone have any advice? on how to deal with this, or overcome my phobia I have developed?

Thanks :)

consume another drug. alcohol isn't the only social drug. good luck

Errm no to the above. Drugs don't help symptons they only mask them. You don't have to drink alcohol to go out with friends. Everyone with anxiety reacts differently to drugs or alcohol but usually when you're so worried and wound up when sober being on a substance can make you that much more anxious. Just go out and have fun sober. Not drinking isn't the end of the world.

Or have a drink at home, see how you do and then decide if you'd like to have a drink with friends.

Ed

Do you feel anxious about having even just one pint? I'm a student and I used to drink heavily and I feel like the problems I'm having arose from all the drinking. I haven't had panic attacks after I quit and I can have a few pints and not feel anxious. I didn't want to abstain from alcohol because I do enjoy the occasional drink or two. At first I had a few sips of beer and slowly started feeling more confident. It took a while but now I can enjoy alcohol again. I'm absolutely fine with the fact that I will never be drunk again but its great to be able to have a pint or two with friends. My advice would be to just have a sip every now and then. Don't gobble down a bottle of beer, just take it slow and see that it really doesn't do any harm and then slowly increase the amount. I'm not saying you should get drunk or even tipsy, though. Hope you can start enjoying alcohol like I can now: in moderation :)