View Full Version : Do people suffering from anxiety have to be tea totals?
Just would like to know your opinions. Drinking makes me feel very bad the next day, so I drink very little, and only occasionally. When I see people of all ages having a drink and a good time It makes me think "my anxiety wouldn't allow me to enjoy myself with a few drinks", so it's like my life it's ruled by my anxiety in certain circumstances. I would like to overcome this fear, because that should be part of the therapy overcome things or situations that triggers fear and be able to enjoy myself with a few drinks now and again, but I have come to terms with it that I will never be able to do so. Nevertheless I still enjoy myself without a drink ,and on the other hand I know excessive drinking is bad for you so in that respect I am glad I never allow myself to overdo it.
littleme92
24-04-13, 09:24
I drink but not often and I rarely ever get drunk! The last time I got drunk was New Years Eve and I had the worst hangover New Years Day! I think it's ok to drink within moderation but if it doesn't make you feel good then it's best not to! Just remember when other people are drinking and you're not that they will have a hangover and you won't!:)
theharvestmouse
24-04-13, 10:38
Since I developed anxiety I avoid drinking, I can have one drink or something and know I'll be ok the next day, any more and I know the next day I'll have worse anxiety than normal.
You made me laugh about New Years Eve, I did the same I drank a tiny bit extra than normal and next day I felt like dying, and I drank gallons of water before going to bed I wasn't drunk neither, perhaps the fact that I was working all day in New Years Eve and a bit stressed up affected the way I felt the next day.
One thing I have experienced with drink is that if you are tired, stressed, worried or with a mild headache the drinking will affect you the next day big time. That is why when I have a little drink I make sure that I am happy, rested and feeling physically well (not very often for us sufferers), if not my anxiety the next day will be overwhelming. Thanks for your post!!
---------- Post added at 09:55 ---------- Previous post was at 09:47 ----------
I was wondering if the confronting feelings of anxiety the day after having a little drink is the solution, because that is what people have to do to confront anxiety and panic attacks feelings to deal with the symptoms until they pass and not be scared. Wouldn't it work for us when feeling a bit "hangover"? I don't know about you but I get one with four low alcohol beers:emot-drunk::emot-drunk:
Hi Star,
You could try another approach that would still allow you to drink, but obviously it's best to keep it to a minimum if it makes your anxiety flare up.
You know that alcohol can set off a few anxious feelings, but it's your fear of those feelings that really makes it take off, so you do have some aspect of control here - you can control how you react to the way alcohol makes you feel. The first thing you can try is to just accept that it's the alcohol making you feel that way, it's not anything that's going to get out of control. So if you feel a bit anxious then just say to your self that it's just going to last a little while, you've been through it before and you'll be fine again soon. Accept the way it makes your body feel, but don't allow your mind to enter into the fear of it.
You can also learn to manage your drinking so that it doesn't take as much of a toll on you. Make sure you eat plenty before and also during drinking if it's possible, never drink on an empty stomach or hours since you've eaten. Drink some water or soft drinks inbetween alcoholic drinks. And make sure you drink some water before going to bed afterwards.
There are a couple of reasons that alcohol makes us feel bad. One reason is that it burns up pretty quickly in your body and sends your blood sugar levels up. The resulting drop in blood sugars can spark anxiety or other sensations that might make us feel anxious (like feeling shaky or cold, or sometimes even heart palpitations and hot flushes). The simple way to combat this is to eat and bring your blood sugars back up again! So eat a good breakfast, and have regular snacks. Don't avoid breakfast, and eat straight away when you wake up. If you can maybe have a snack before you go to sleep after drinking.
Alcohol also dehydrates us, so obviously it's good to rehydrate the next morning. Don't just guzzle down loads of water though, drink a little bit regularly and rehydrate slowly.
Alcohol will also deplete your B vitamins, which are responsible for a happy nervous system and less stress. So it can be a good idea to replace them with a supplement like Berocca or something similar. Make sure that any supplements you take agree with any meds you might be on, ask your pharmacist to be sure.
So doing a couple of these things can lessen the impact alcohol takes on us, as well as simply accepting that it'll make you feel bad for a while. It's really best to take it easy and not go out on all night drinking binges, but manage how much you drink, be aware of how you're treating your body and mind :)
Oh and avoiding things that can worsen anxiety the next day is also best, so avoid caffinated drinks or too much sugar!
Amazing as this may seem but you do not actually need alcohol to have a good time!!!
I agree with flossie
I stopped drinking about 9 years ago, partly because I just didn't enjoy it any more and partly due to interaction with medication.
Can't say I've ever missed it, but then again I don't socialise much as I'm a miserable sod :)
I agree with flossie
I stopped drinking about 9 years ago, partly because I just didn't enjoy it any more and partly due to interaction with medication.
Can't say I've ever missed it, but then again I don't socialise much as I'm a miserable sod :)
I'd much rather spend time with a sober miserable sod than a drunk miserable sod :D
I agree with flossie
I stopped drinking about 9 years ago, partly because I just didn't enjoy it any more and partly due to interaction with medication.
Can't say I've ever missed it, but then again I don't socialise much as I'm a miserable sod :)
Brilliant!!!Ditto:D
Of course you don't need alcohol to have a good time! But it is nice to enjoy a drink now and again too, there's nothing wrong with it and I don't think there's anything wrong with learning about how to manage alcohol responsibly when you suffer with anxiety.
Personally I can't have any alcohol at the moment because of balance problems, and I miss it. I don't actually drink much at all, but I missed being able to have a glass of champagne at my sister's wedding or a cocktail with a friend on the weekend.
We're all different in the things we like to do to have fun, I think it's OK for someone to ask if they need to steer clear of alcohol if it's something they enjoy.
I don't drink either, and haven't for years, not because of the anxiety but just due to stopping anyway. I have just as much fun going out as when I used to drink, with the bonus that I can drive home rather than spending £40 on a taxi, and no hangover in the morning.
It's worth noting as well that doctors reckon alcohol can block SSRI's from working properly, which explains a lot about the heightened anxiety the next day.
Of course you don't need alcohol to have a good time! But it is nice to enjoy a drink now and again too, there's nothing wrong with it and I don't think there's anything wrong with learning about how to manage alcohol responsibly when you suffer with anxiety.
Personally I can't have any alcohol at the moment because of balance problems, and I miss it. I don't actually drink much at all, but I missed being able to have a glass of champagne at my sister's wedding or a cocktail with a friend on the weekend.
We're all different in the things we like to do to have fun, I think it's OK for someone to ask if they need to steer clear of alcohol if it's something they enjoy.
I wasn't making judgements about anyone wanting a drink, just trying to suggest that alcohol isn't the only factor in having a good time.
People seem to think that those who don't drink alcohol are boring etc. I don't drink much because i know that if i do i really suffer! It's happened a few times and i don't want it to happen again. I be constantly sick for about a day and feel like i'm going to die. For me it's much more then a hangover!
So when i do drink it's not much. I remember in New Years Eve, my friend commented that i wasn't drinking much. And she drank a lot of wine and ended up with a horrid hangover and the next day she said she was stupid to drink so much. It made me thankful that i was sensible and kept to a limit!
I don't drink....I stopped a few years ago when I had a bout of dizziness and decided that feeling wobbly was horrible.
The other reason I stopped drinking is that I didn't like the effect it had on me. At first I'd feel happy and tipsy but very very quickly that would go and I'd get depressed. Feeling really down about myself and my life.
The following day the anxiety would be really high - esp my HA as I started panicking over what I'd done to my body by drinking.
Everyone's different and there's nothing wrong with a drink in moderation but, for me, I've felt better since I stopped.
I drink. It may make me feel worse the next day, but I know all my flatmates feel bad too so it's not so bad. I do have a good time when sensibly drunk and it gives me nice memories to look back on and hilarious photos. I've nothing against those who don't drink though, I don't do drugs, some don't do drink. Stick to what you believe in.
I have a few drinks on Friday and Saturday nights and generally feel fine the next day. I guess it's about moderation and getting to know how you respond to different things. I know if I drink too much and get dehydrated, my anxiety will be bad the next day.
Certain foods also make my anxiety worse, as does caffeine, so I moderate these too. Some people choose not to drink and that's fine. I enjoy a drink but know my body pretty well so it rarely affects me negatively. If someone feels they have to drink to feel better, I would suggest that there are far better ways.
Pip
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.5 Copyright © 2024 vBulletin Solutions Inc. All rights reserved.