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Alcohol???

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Posted 11/16/2014 10:30 AM (GMT -5)
Hi all.. Just want to say first that I do not drink alcohol often at all, only socially once a week maybe...

It was my best friends hen party last night so I obviously had a few drinks. I feel absolutely awful today, not from the drinks but because my anxiety is like a million times worse! Have been feeling my pulse constantly, convinced I'm about to have a heart attack! Its horrible :(

Just wondering if anyone else is a lot worse the day after having a few drinks? I know the obvious answer is to just stop drinking but is there any specific reason I feel so bad the next day??

Thanks in advance for reading + any input :)
Posted 11/16/2014 10:51 AM (GMT -5)
Hi CT

I used to drink a lot back in the 90's but I very rarely do now because if I do my anxiety and depression is so much worse the next day and following week.

Hibee
Posted 11/16/2014 11:04 AM (GMT -5)
Thanks Hibee :)
Glad it's not only me, puts a downer on my nights out because I know how much I'll be suffering the next day :(

No more alcohol for mee!! :)
Posted 11/16/2014 11:12 AM (GMT -5)
Hi. I don't drink anymore (got that desire out in my single days lol), but other people have had the same experience you're having.

I know Park12 has talked about it, as has Deborah.

Physically, your blood sugar lowers after the alcohol is absorbed. Low blood sugar can cause anxiety amongst other things. It also dehydrates us which doesn't feel good. As ppl w/health anxiety, just feeling "off" can trigger us.

Drink a lot of water today & eat well. You'll be ok. Lesson learned (maybe? hehe).

Have a nice day,
Lisa
Posted 11/16/2014 11:21 AM (GMT -5)
Ct,

I miss drinking socially. Since my anxious bout started about six months ago, I haven't drank. But even when I did, I rarely got "drunk" because I would be more anxious the next day, as alcohol is a depressant.
Posted 11/16/2014 12:25 PM (GMT -5)
Hello, I used to drink just about every other night, this was maybe three years ago, then the hangovers just started ruining my life, I would have no energy the next day and my anxiety was 10 times worst like you. I'm actually afraid to drink anymore and have recently only to have horrible anxiety the next day again, it's just not worth it. I will say I miss the buzz, it was fun. But I think I was drinking to cover up a lot of pain. sad
Posted 11/16/2014 12:50 PM (GMT -5)
Thank you all for your replies, helps alot! :)

Have to live without a drink from now on i'm guessing! darn! Haha :)
Posted 11/16/2014 1:41 PM (GMT -5)
Yup, I definitely run across trouble with alcohol. I don't drink to a point of drunk, but even just a couple glasses of wine gives me trouble. I have a real problem falling asleep and then the next day my anxiety is super awful. I enjoy having a glass of wine with a girlfriend or my husband, but I've definitely made it a much more rare occurrence.
Posted 11/16/2014 1:48 PM (GMT -5)
I actually had a dream the other night that I sucessfully drank , without having any anxiety!! I must really want a glass of wine:) Although in the dream, I was not drinking wine. Weird.
Posted 11/16/2014 5:55 PM (GMT -5)
In addition to all the good information, remember that alcohol dehydrates your body dramatically, and that is a very big contributing factor to feeling downright lousy....




M.
Posted 11/16/2014 6:36 PM (GMT -5)
Some have mentioned the physical damage that alcohol does....dehydration, hangover etc
There are side effects from medication as well.

But maybe it's because its so easy with alcohol to lose control....and control is something that gets taken away when anxiety takes hold.
Just a thought.
Posted 11/16/2014 8:17 PM (GMT -5)
You are definetly not alone. I used to experience the same issues the day after partying and drinking. I do still drink on occasions however I dont drink as much and not so much of the hard stuff any more. I noticed I feel fine the nect day now. Hope this helps.
Posted 11/17/2014 5:03 AM (GMT -5)
The thing with me is that if I'm actually in a slightly anxious mood anyway, the alcohol seems to calm me down a bit.. Makes me more confident, and not so nervous around people etc. So the drinking think isn't a problem for my anxiety until the next day.

I think I'll have to stick to drinking at special occasions.. (Christmas is coming up!!) :)
Posted 11/17/2014 9:01 AM (GMT -5)
Hey CT.
What a bummer! So sorry you're having a tough time! I think minimal alcohol consumption is ok as long as you're adding a lot of water to the mix. By minimal I mean like 2 beers or 1 glass of wine. At least those mathematics work for me.
Posted 11/17/2014 10:20 AM (GMT -5)
Thanks TMA.. I think that may be my problem, I always forget to drink water while I'm drinking alcohol. But also my quantities by the sound of it! Lol.. A typical night drinking for me is probably around 9/10 drinks, which are normally double measures of spirits (I love Southern Comfort!) haha :)

Maybe there's my problem!! tongue
Posted 11/17/2014 10:27 AM (GMT -5)
Oh my!! I'd be in the hospital if I had 9/10 drinks like that! Yes, maybe cut back a bit on the amount of drinks and have lots of water. I bet if you were still alive after drinking 9/10 drinks you could probably get away with drinking 3 beers or 2 glasses of wine and be relatively anxiety free the next day. :)
Posted 11/17/2014 10:38 AM (GMT -5)
Ooops, is it that bad?? I suppose I never really thought I drank a lot because in my groups of friends people tend to drink more than me!
But yeah I think I will have to try that.. lots more water and a lot less alcohol!! :)
Posted 11/18/2014 8:57 AM (GMT -5)
No worries CT! :) I'm sure it's just a cultural difference. My husband has been to Wales and said if we ever go there, I better expect to drink....a lot! :) You are going to be just fine!! Best wishes for you today! <3
Posted 11/18/2014 5:25 PM (GMT -5)
CT -

As the others have told you, alcohol can and does increase our anxiety the next day. Drink lots of water and take a couple aspirin! Hope you're feeling better!

9/10 beers would knock me out! Haha - and I am not a small dude! I haven't drank in years but I would be pretty much drunk out of mind at about 6 beers - yep, I'm an amateur!

If you say the alcohol calms you down and if you feel the need to continue drinking, I wonder if you are "self-medicating"? Not saying you are - this can be such a scary thing because it has the tendency to spiral out of control. I am speaking from my own experience with drugs (hanging head in shame). If you are having "social anxiety" or just anxiety in general, talk with your doctor. I'm sure he can prescribe you something to help you with this.

There's nothing wrong with "social drinking" as long as its done responsible. And if it is giving you anxiety issues, you can still hang out with your pals - just have a Coke!

You have received some excellent advice from everyone else. Hope you are finding this forum a place of comfort for you, as I do!

Wishing you a blessed evening!

Cornell

Post Edited (Cornell) : 11/18/2014 3:50:10 PM (GMT-7)

Posted 11/18/2014 6:03 PM (GMT -5)
When I drank it was full on a binge, 12 beers and a pack sometimes two packs of cigarettes. I only smoke when I drink so have to catch up I guess. And I wonder why I felt so bad the next day? Oh man I don't miss that at all.
Posted 11/18/2014 9:12 PM (GMT -5)
LOL deb.... It was the same thing for me... My lungs would be on fire from the cigarette smoke.... Dehydrated.... Swimming and pounding head...... Fluttering heartbeat.....anxiety nightmare!
Posted 11/18/2014 9:52 PM (GMT -5)
I'd like to remind everyone that our dear friend CT is 23!! When I was 23, 9/10 was the norm! Now at the OLD age of 34, if I get past 4 drinks, I'm in trouble.

CT, you obviously know now that alcohol can increase your anxiety. Maybe cut it down by a few and add a little water. Be prepared and remember the next day that you drank, so the anxiety is a side effect and not something scary happening!

;-)
Posted 11/19/2014 12:32 AM (GMT -5)
Ahhhhhh, to be 23 again...before I even knew panic disorder existed.
Posted 11/19/2014 5:40 AM (GMT -5)
I am indeed only 23 but I'm starting to feel too old for all this socializing + drinking lark!
Much rather be in bed with a hot chocolate these days!! :) haha.

Cornell - Thanks! I am definitely much better than I was on Sunday.. Luckily my hangover didn't last more than a day! I understand the self-medicating thing, I have done it before (also not alcohol). That was what started my whole anxiety thing in the first place!! But I definitely will not become dependent on how alcohol makes me feel because I know I always feel so awful afterwards! (again, sound like a 60 year old, not a 23 year old haha)

But I also do the 'only smoke when drink' thing.. Maybe that has an affect on how bad I feel too??
Posted 11/19/2014 7:28 AM (GMT -5)
Oh yes, yes! There's many smokers/former smokers here. Cigarettes will stimulate you and make you feel jittery!

Mom- oh to be 23 again is right!! Haha! Sometimes I look back and don't even remember what it was like, it's feels so long ago.
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