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Anxiety and alcohol... is it ok?

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Posted 4/1/2009 9:19 AM (GMT 0)
I wanted to know, i mean i have drank before with anxiety but i didnt have any major issues and i was fine, but just wondering for those with maybe ocd or just when there is a issue and your anxiety is particulary high and thinking is maybe not straight or just abit messy if alcohol is something that relieves you or makes it worse?

I havent had a drink in over a year due to not really being able to go out looking after bubs and have had alot of stress but things have gotten better so i guess im feeling anxious about it because its been so long but at the same time id really love a good night out, also ive had a really bad time with anxiety/ocd the past 8months or so and hadnt experianced this previously but feeling alot better than before. Has anyone had any bad effects? Do you think its ok and will be harmless, or is it a case of messy up your already messed up mind? i dont know its been so long! sorry just freaking out, my friends birthday is comming up and i just want some advice, You guys know what i mean!

Posted 4/1/2009 10:40 AM (GMT 0)
IMHO
I believe this has to be your decision
IF you are not on meds and have a reliable Babysitter


AS you have stated you do not drink hardly at all so again I truly believe you have to find the answer to this one

Anxiety can/may/ be made worse from what I have read........

I wish you all the best and do hope you will let us know how ya make out

LYN
Posted 4/1/2009 1:23 PM (GMT 0)

Well my GF refuses to take Xanix. Whenever her anxiety starts acting up we head straight to the bar :)

I would guess though this is not good at all. The next day if she happens to have a hangover, anxiety is through the roof. She is scheduled to see her 1st therapist next Monday

Posted 4/1/2009 2:54 PM (GMT 0)

Emz84

For myself, I would not go out drinking as alcohol is a depressent and  this could kick me into  anxiety.  I would go out and drink soft drinks.  I have found I can have a good time and laugh with friends and family without factoring in that the establishment serves alcohol. If you are comfortable in choosing to drink,  then you will make the right decision. :)

Take care and do be careful.

Kitt

Posted 4/1/2009 3:00 PM (GMT 0)
I would vote against it major.

From family experience I must add. My baby brother turned to drinking thinking it would help. It did. Infact better then expected. The only problem was when one beer wasn't enough 2 then 3 then 4 then 6. Then harder stuff. He started hiding it in soda cups. Water bottles etc. We all knew it but he thought he did a good job hiding it. Lucky for us he only did this on and off for about 2 years. He doesn't do it anymore.

My oldest brother is addicted you can say he is an alcoholic. He is the reason my baby brother did what he did. My oldest brother has been drinking for years. And I mean years. Probably 15+. All because of the anxiety. For him its the only "cure" is to get drunk. Again he started off with the one glass of wine. And it went from there. He has lost his kids his wife his job. He has nothing left. I don't even know where he is at since the family disowned him with his last drunkin outburst.

It is NOT a good idea to turn to drinking as a way out. I for one can't drink as it does make my anxiety 100x worse. That sudden feeling of loss of control is just to much for me to handle. I guess you can say its at the buzz stage.

You really have to weigh the good against the bad. Does it help (for some yes)? Is it worth it. IMO No.
I strongly suggest you don't take this route instead talk to your doc and work out something that is much better and will work for the long haul instead of a short fix that could screw your life up.
Posted 4/1/2009 5:23 PM (GMT 0)
No.
Posted 4/1/2009 5:46 PM (GMT 0)
I would like to add my 2 cents here. :) I use to self-medicate whenever my anxiety got to be too much for me to handle. It made me feel better while doing it but always made the next day so much worse with terrible anxiety and guilt too. It really only postpones the core problem in my opinion so I would say no.
Posted 4/1/2009 7:02 PM (GMT 0)
I agree....it may feel better in the short term, but it doesn't help in the long term, and it may make you feel worse. I used to drink to relieve anxiety when I was younger, and I found that it just became a little too habit-forming and too easy to reach for when I was feeling anxious or depressed. And the headaches and hangovers only got worse as time went on. I have found that relaxation exercises, proper diet and exercise, counseling and meditation have been MUCH more effective.
Posted 4/1/2009 8:44 PM (GMT 0)
I think alcohol effects everyone differently and I think it depends how much you drink and in what setting. For me, a glass or two of wine in a social setting is relaxing. I do not like the feeling of getting drunk. I like to feel like I'm in control. A slightly fuzzy, relaxing feeling is ok, but nothing more. I also don't handle next days hangover. I've had too much to drink a couple of times in recent years and it was awful. For one thing, I have young children and I can't just lay around all day doing nothing. For another, the health anxiety thing kicks in because when you are  hungover you've basically poisoned yourself. So speaking from my own experience I would say have a glass of something if you wish, but don't overdue it. If you don't feel comfortable with that, drink something non alcoholic.  
Posted 4/1/2009 11:18 PM (GMT 0)
I agree with paniccu, and I'd also like to add something. Maybe go and have one drink, and have a friend there who'll cut you off if things start getting out of control. Sometimes when my depression and/or anxiety gets worse, I self-medicate with alcohol, and get out of control and drink too much. I go thinking that I'll have just one or two drinks to relax, but then I get out and keep drinking. I have friends that I've told to cut me off if they think I'm having too much. Of course, they do it in a caring way, looking out for my best interest. It helps to have someone there that's on your side keeping you from hurting yourself.

If you do go out and drink, let us know how it goes. Just know that you can't use alcohol or anything else to fix your problems. Like others have said, it's only a temporary fix, and can make things much worse on you in the long run.

If you don't decide to drink, just go and have a good time and enjoy being around friends!
Posted 4/2/2009 4:24 PM (GMT 0)
I gave up drinking when I was put on anxiety meds. I was developing a drinking problem. I would reach for the red wine when I was stressed, and that stress turned into drinking some every night. I mat have a sip of champagne if at a wedding and doing a toast, but I remove it after the sip. I'm afraid of having an interaction with meds ans alcohol so I stay away completly.

Posted 4/2/2009 4:36 PM (GMT 0)

Great advice by all and I would guess by now the outing is over so please do let us know how it went.

Gentle Hugs
Kitt

Posted 4/2/2009 10:24 PM (GMT 0)

My health anxiety actually does me a *good* turn in this instance.  Because I don't want my abilities to monitor my physical sensations or to drive to the ER if I freak out to be at all reduced, I drink very seldom now.  Let's hear it for HA! tongue (raspberry salute)

percycat

Posted 4/2/2009 11:19 PM (GMT 0)
I'm not sure if you are asking if it is okay to drink alcohol to relieve anxiety or if you are asking if it is okay to drink alcohol for entertainment when you suffer from anxiety. You also did not mention if you are taking any meds at this time. I will give my opinion on all scenerios. Alcohol is not a recommended treatment for anxiety. As others have said, it may relieve your symptoms at first but could lead to increased intake or dependence. If you are on meds, consult with your dr or pharmacist for any med/alcohol interactions. For entertainment, I guess it depends on how your body reacts to alcohol. If you are a person who can drink alcohol without ill effects, then 1-2 drinks may be okay for you. WARNING! Overindulgence and hangovers causes increased anxiety the next day for many anxiety sufferers.

-soul
Posted 4/3/2009 11:46 AM (GMT 0)
I know that the evening is probably over...but I wanted to put my 2 cents in with regards to alcohol. It took me a long time to figure this out for myself and I went through a similar process -

Assuming you aren't on any medications that interact with alcohol, I think that your answer is fairly self-explanatory. If you are stressed enough by the decision to post about it, then the alcohol will inevitably make your anxiety worse. You will be anxious that evening if you drink, one drink could lead to a panic episode once your body starts to feel the effects and then the next day you will probably be more anxious because you will be regretting the decision to drink and not feel 100% health-wise.

For me, when I am relaxed and not having severe anxiety issues in general, I can tolerate a glass of wine or something with little effect. But it really has to do with how I feel BEFORE the evening. If I find myself thinking twice about having a glass of wine or having the slightest worry about the effects during or after, then I know it would be in my best interest not to drink. If I do drink knowing my state of mind, I have anticipatory anxiety before picking up the glass, panic anxiety after drinking it and health anxiety the next day when I don't feel totally up to snuff! At this point in my anxiety life, I choose not to drink alcohol. Granted, my husband has been in recovery for 2 years, so not drinking hasn't been much of an issue thankfully :)

Also - just to add - once you go out with friends or to a party a few times without drinking, it becomes no big deal and you have just as much fun - I promise! After a while, you start to not pay attention to it anymore.

Anyway, I hope that you figure out what is the right path for you :)
Posted 4/5/2009 1:09 PM (GMT 0)
Hi

I have a problem when it comes to alcohol and 1 drink leads to a lot more. I would recommend that if you can do not drink as it causes more problems and before you know it you are a lot worse of regarding your mental state.

Take Care

Ben
Posted 4/6/2009 8:50 PM (GMT 0)
Ben had some great advice! Listen to him and learn from it. He also said, "if you can, do not drink..." Everyone can go without drinking alcohol. The first step is recognizing you have a problem. If you don't have a problem drinking, then why start one? It will only make more problems for you in the long run.
Posted 4/7/2009 4:53 AM (GMT 0)

Hi guys, thank you all for your responses! sorry its taken me so long to write on here but have had comp probs lol

Anyway.. basically i posted because i wanted to know about drinking NOT to relieve anxiety ( i wouldnt do this) But drinking when your having bad anxiety issues. I have anticipatory anxiety, and i know someone did mention about that, i mean in all honesty i have gone without drinking for over a year and i do feel great without it, i did go to a party the other night but i had my son who i brought ( was more a friends gathering) so at least i had him for an excuse not to drink and i had fun just as if i had been drunk! and i wouldnt drink to get drunk just to the tipsy stage. but i guess i do miss having that social tipsy and carefree feeling.

I have gotten bad irrational anxieties latley which i had never had before in this way where ive felt intense and i get very obsessed over these irrational things, and i guess i wanted to know if drinking during these times ( well i had a fear that if i drank my irrational fears might heighten and get messy and was scared of things becomming dellusional or something haha but yeh i guess getting tipsy is ok but i think my main prob would be the anticipation of it. I think if im in doubt and have any full on issues i just wont drink and wait for a better day when im more confidant. I was thinking though... because of anticipation and curiousity, i thought of maybe getting a drink and having it at home by myself just to "see" test it out, but i dont know maybe that would just be stupid so i dont know, perhaps i should just give it up all together... but i miss it just as a relaxing social thing. its a great way to feel relaxed and get a little crazy.. although i suppose im crazy enough for this lifetime :)

Posted 4/7/2009 4:56 AM (GMT 0)
oh and no, im not on any meds, although sometimes i think maybe i should be! Im too scared to take meds even when my anxiety is through the roof and i feel as stiff as superglue :) never have, i just handle it raw and just hang in there and try to make it out alive :)
Posted 4/7/2009 12:21 PM (GMT 0)
Good Morning Emz84

I think I understand your question and I will give you my own personal thoughts on this however I am not advocating for or against any one treatment for anxiety as there are many choices out there.

If I had to choose between going on a medication or trying to control my anxiety with a glass of wine, I would and have chosen the medication.  Medication can be controlled by dosing and the right medications have a peak blood level as well as duration in the body to help the Doctor decide which medication would be the best choice for you.

Using the medications you would also be  under the care and guidance of a physician.

Alcohol is a drug...................by choosing this drug you have no control re how much to drink and how much is to much. 

I would rather see you take the medication as prescribed by a physician then try to self medicate for your anxiety using alcohol.

Please be safe and know that we care.

Gentle Hugs

Kitt

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