Panic attacks, fear, anxiety and countless other negative emotions were a way of life for me.
Alcohol seemed to make the fears subside for a little while - the "can of courage" and "beer goggles" made things seem easier and fun for a few hours.
Drink all evening then awake with a racing mind and a pounding heart after a couple of hours of restless sleep. Full of self-loathing and fearful of things I may have said or done.
For some reason it took me years to realize that the alcohol I thought was helping with my social anxiety and panic attacks was really the major cause.
When you stay sober for awhile some of these feelings that have been repressed with alcohol surface and try to drag you back down. It is painful at first.
The longer you stay sober the easier the negative feelings are to deal with.
No matter how long you stay sober, a single drink will eventualy lead to more hangovers, mindless fears, and worse.
Things do get better when you're sober. Just give it some time.