Originally Posted by
Terminally Unique 
Over the long haul, alcohol will aggravate anxiety, and if you are not careful, it may eventually end up having the opposite effect.
Very, very, very true. At an old job of mine, I used to always drink before I went to work, trying to be a bit friendlier and chattier hoping for better tips. Eventually, it just lead to me getting completely overwhelmed in situations I'd normally be able to handle perfectly fine, throwing tantrums, etc. Even at home, after a stressful day, I'd tell myself I was drinking to "calm down and relax", but it almost always ended in a massive fit, where I'd be crying, screaming incoherently, pretty much having huge panic attacks.