Alcohol And Anxiety The Vicious Circle
If you suffer from anxiety, you might think that a couple of drinks will help you relax.
In fact, alcohol can make an anxious person feel worse. Heres an example of a typical cycle:
- You drink alcohol
- You initially feel calm as the alcohol affects the brain
- You feel anxiety as a symptom of alcohol withdrawal as your body processes the alcohol
- You may want to drink again to try to relieve your anxiety
But this only starts the process from the beginning. As the initial calm feeling fades you can feel anxiety after stopping drinking alcohol build again as the effects wear off.
Remember the more alcohol you drink, the greater your tolerance will be. Over time you may need to drink more alcohol to feel the same effects. Over-time this may negatively affect your mental health, resulting in heightened levels of anxiety and depression after drinking.
Anxiety Alcohol Use Disorder And Alcoholism
Drinking alcohol if you have an anxiety disorder is also risky for another reason: Having an anxiety disorder puts you at a higher risk of developing an alcohol use disorder like alcoholism. Statistics show that out of every 5 people with anxiety, at least one person reports using alcohol to cope with anxiety symptoms.
As we mentioned earlier, temporary effects of alcohol can relieve feelings of stress and anxiousness. But over time, it may become tempting to use alcohol as a crutch to avoid anxiety symptoms, which can ultimately lead to alcoholism or depending on more and more alcohol to function normally. This need to drink can be very destructive physically and mentally it can even ruin relationships.
Treating alcoholism in people with anxiety can also be challenging. If you suffer from alcoholism and suddenly stop drinking, you may go through alcohol withdrawal, which can cause severe symptoms like aggression, seizures, hallucinations, and a racing heart. Those symptoms can trigger panic and anxiety, making an existing anxiety disorder worse. This is why following the guidance of a healthcare provider is so important when trying to quit drinking.
What Is Alcohol Abuse
Abuse you may be wondering what that term means? Heres the non-clinical answer. In the context of what we are exploring here, its when a person drinks alcohol with the goal of medicating their feelings.
But doesnt this make sense?
Anytime you use a substance in a way that it wasnt designed, you are abusing it. Im going to share a brief example below to help draw a mental picture.
Also Check: What’s Anxiety Feel Like
How To Treat Alcohol
The biggest problem standing in the way of effective treatments for alcoholism and anxiety is that drinkers are unable to differentiate the anxiety caused by their drinking from the GAD they had in the first place. Unfortunately, ethanol increases any baseline levels of anxiety people might have had quite literally, pre-existing social anxiety and alcohol dont mix.
Considering this fact, any treatment methods that would be recommended to a person dealing with addiction to alcohol and anxiety will depend on the specific type of the disorder. For instance, the type of treatment recommended for social phobia will vary from the type recommended for GAD. While therapy may be enough for the latter , the former would require therapy AND medication, such as Zoloft.
Different medication types also have varied approaches to treating anxiety and alcohol abuse in relation to the medication chosen. For instance, antidepressants can be used every day, while benzodiazepines are more suitable for quick, temporary relief. Additionally, it is important to find out from the health care provider if any of these medications interact with any other drug or substance that one may be using at the time.
On another note, changes to ones lifestyle may be enough to deal with or reduce anxiety in some cases especially mild ones. Making these changes would help one to cope with the situation.
Some of These Lifestyle Changes Include:
Hope Without Commitment
How To Reduce Hangxiety
If you’re experiencing alcohol-induced anxiety due to withdrawal from alcohol then it’s wise to check in with a medical professional. They might suggest medication like a sedative to help with this temporary surge in anxiety and may be able to suggest other resources for recovering from AUD.
Even if you dont have an alcohol use disorder, you can still experience hangxiety after a night of heavy drinking. If you wake up feeling gripped by anxiety, keep in mind that it might be because of the way your body and brain are processing the alcohol. If you can, rest and allow your brain to recover, advises Dr. Bogenschutz. Some people claim that drinking more alcohol helps cure hangovers, but that can only make things worse. Avoid the temptation to drink alcohol, because that can become a vicious cycle and lead to more severe problems including addiction and more serious withdrawal symptoms, says Dr. Bogenschutz.
Additional reporting by Sally Tamarkin and Melissa Matthews
SELF does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Any information published on this website or by this brand is not intended as a substitute for medical advice, and you should not take any action before consulting with a healthcare professional.
Read Also: Why Do I Have Anxiety In The Morning
Social Anxiety Disorder And Agoraphobia
The onset of symptoms related to social anxiety disorder and agoraphobia can be a trigger for some people to develop an unhealthy relationship with alcohol.
For example, a person with social anxiety might be afraid of going to a party where there will be many people they do not know. Even simply thinking about attending the gathering might cause them a great deal of anticipatory anxiety.
When these symptoms become overwhelming, the person might have an alcoholic drink to try to calm down. They might also consume alcohol at the gathering to feel more relaxed or less inhibited around others.
While alcohol might feel like a solution in the short term, this drinking behavior comes with many problems. When people use alcohol to relieve symptoms of a mental health condition, it can quickly become a “crutch.”
If they continue to use alcohol to help them feel more relaxed or at ease, they might eventually feel the need to avoid any social situations where they would be unable to drink.
Long-term alcohol use also often leads to tolerance, which is when a person needs to drink more to get the effect they want.
For example, a person might have started out feeling more relaxed after having just one glass of wine. As time goes on, however, they might find they need two, three, or more glasses of alcohol to get the same feeling.
Can You Drink Alcohol While Taking Anxiety Pills
Alcohol interactions with anxiety drugs
Youalcohol whileanxiety
Accordingly, can I have a glass of wine while taking Klonopin?
Each side effect you experience while taking clonazepam is heightened when you are also drinking alcohol. If you have shallow breathing or a low heart rate while taking the drug, then combining it with alcohol causes this to happen very quickly, which can lead to loss of consciousness, dizziness or fainting.
Subsequently, question is, what medication can you not drink alcohol with? There are antibiotics, like Metronidazole and Tinidazole, which you should not drink alcohol with. Mixing them with alcohol can lead to nausea, vomiting, flushing of the skin, accelerated heart rate or shortness of breath.
Keeping this in view, can you die from mixing antidepressants and alcohol?
Combining alcohol with antidepressants could potentially be fatal. Alcohol can cause depression itself and also keeps some antidepressants from working as well as they should. This could lead to an increase in suicidal thoughts and actions.
Can I have a glass of wine while taking tramadol?
-Projectknow.com People who are prescribed tramadol are advised to avoid or stop drinking alcohol while taking the drug. Even if the person is not an alcoholic, mixing alcohol and tramadol can lead to depression of the central nervous system.
You May Like Also
Recommended Reading: What Medicine Is Used To Treat Anxiety
You Blackout And Obsess Over What Happened
Obsessing about drinking and what you do while drinking is another sign that alcohol is giving you anxiety. “This includes being unable to remember parts of what happens when you drink and then spending time obsessing about what happened,” says Odessky. “Drinking this much definitely creates anxiety and is a health concern as well.”
Weight Loss Supplements Can Have Anxiety
Many over-the-counter weight loss supplements come with anxiety-producing side effects. Use of St. John’s wort may lead to insomnia, and green tea extracts contain plenty of caffeine. Guarana, an ingredient in some OTC diet products, can contain up to four times as much caffeine as coffee beans. And beware of any product containing ephedra it can cause increased heart rate and anxiety. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration banned the sale of dietary supplements containing ephedra in 2004.
Recommended Reading: How To Describe Anxiety To Doctor
It Can Negatively Affect Your Sleep
A good nights sleep restores our body and minds and is vital to minding your mental health. Because alcohol is a depressant it makes you sleepy at times but the sleep you get after drinking is of a much lower quality than the sleep you get when you are not drinking.
This is because alcohol can reduce the amount of Rapid Eye Movement sleep you get, leaving you feeling drowsy, low in energy and you may find it harder to concentrate the next day.
Do All Types Of Alcohol Cause Anxiety
There are no specific studies that suggest that one type of alcohol can affect anxiety levels more than other types of alcohol. While some people may believe that wine and beer may cause less anxiety than hard liquor due to its alcohol content, this is not true. Its not necessarily the type of alcohol you drink that can affect your levels of anxiety, but rather anxiety is related to the amount and frequency of alcohol use.
You May Like: Is Xanax Good For Anxiety
How Alcohol And Depression Interact
Have you ever wondered if alcohol affects your mood? Curious if there is a relationship between drinking and depression? Trying to gather information to help you make healthier choices?
If you are answering yes, you wouldnt be alone. As a counselor who works with men around substance abuse issues, I can tell you one of the most frequently asked questions guys ask is: Does alcohol make my depression worse?
The short answer to this question is an unqualified yes.
I decided to pen this piece because many people want to know about this topic. This is especially true for men a group that historically has trouble talking about emotions like depression.
That said, its important to state that the material shared below isnt confined to just the guys. The hard truth is anyone who drinks wine, whiskey, beer or any other alcoholic beverages can experience a negative effect on mood.
Over the course of time, the reliance upon such beverages can transform into abuse. Ill explain more about this below and have included a video designed to help deepen your understanding.
Ways To Get In Contact With Us
If you believe you or someone you love may be struggling with addiction, let us hear your story and help you determine a path to treatment.
There are a variety of confidential, free, and no obligation ways to get in contact with us to learn more about treatment.
Also Check: What Is The Best Magnesium Supplement For Anxiety
Lowers Serotonin And Norepinephrine
When you drink alcohol in excess, it can have a negative effect on important mood-regulating chemicals called serotonin and norepinephrine .
The more these chemicals dip in your system, the crappier you feel. If you keep drinking, these neurotransmitters struggle to achieve balance. The result is an ongoing, depressed mood.
The Relationship Between Alcohol Use And Anxiety
There is a close relationship between alcohol use disorders and anxiety disorders. Research shows that alcohol addiction and anxiety disorders often occur together. There are two reasons for this.
First, people who are experiencing anxiety may drink to numb their feelings. And there is some truth to this, as alcohol does have sedative effects. A glass of wine or cocktail can take the edge off and provide temporary relief from your problems. Alcohol can also make social situations less stressful by boosting your mood and making you less shy.
However, relying on alcohol to reduce stress and improve social situations is likely to backfire. You can build a tolerance to the de-stressing effects of alcohol and make anxiety even more difficult to deal with. This brings us to our second point.
Even though alcohol has a sedative effect, it wears off after a few hours. This can leave you feeling even more anxious than before, especially if you dont remember what you did or said. Regularly indulging in alcohol can also lead to physical dependence and damage to the body, creating more anxiety.
Recommended Reading: How Much Cbd Oil For Anxiety
How Long Does Alcohol
The length of alcohol-induced anxiety varies among each individual. One study in mice found that alcohol-induced anxiety that occurs from withdrawals can last 14-16 hours after initial hangover symptoms.21 abstract Another study in mice showed that binge drinking anxiety from alcohol withdrawals appeared to last 24 hours after initial hangover symptoms began.
If you are physically dependent on alcohol, you can experience anxiety symptoms associated with alcohol withdrawal that last approximately 3-7 days, with the first 48 hours being the most difficult. Some people can experience anxiety symptoms that last longer than 7 days.22
Curing Anxiety With Alcohol
Here is a paradox to consider: I consume alcohol to cope with my anxiety, but discovered later that quitting alcohol cured my anxiety. These thoughts are penned and shared across the internet, forums, and even social media.
Anxiety disorders and alcohol use disorder often occur together. Using alcohol to take the edge off is a common approach for those experiencing situational anxiety. In the realm of science, its known as the tension reduction hypothesis. Basically, the theory suggests that alcohol can be used to self-medicate and defend the brain against anxiety symptoms.
Initially, drinking alcohol may help someone to relax. It can definitely make social situations more comfortable to deal with, and problems seem less daunting.
The initial effects of alcohol include:
- Improved mood
- Fewer inhibitions
- Boost in self-confidence
However, positive feelings are usually short-lived and carry risks. These risks may become yet another source of anxiety-riddled fears. For one, alcohol can seriously undermine a persons logic and reasoning, leading many to engage in precarious and even dangerous situations. It opens up to the possibility of things going awry, sparking the onset of fight or flight responses, which is the signature of anxiety played on a loop.
You might drink to relax, but it actually has the opposite effect. Anxiety-related emotions and fears are heightened with continued alcohol consumption. Alternatively, alcohol use disorder can trigger an anxiety disorder.
Don’t Miss: Will Wellbutrin Help With Anxiety