Originally Posted by
Tetrax 
All through my 20s and early 30s I guess I knew I had a problem, but it seemed manageable, and not getting particularly worse. It seemed to me drinking was the only fun in life and I was one of the lucky ones who could appreciate it! Some hangovers I had to deal with, sure, but that was mostly okay.
Now into my mid-30s and it seems something has changed in my physiology. I'm still reeling from last Sunday night's binge - I've been trying to taper all week - I just can't get straight. Had to get a bottle of vodka at 2am tonight for the panic.
It's all just anxiety and panic, post-binge these days. No 'almost fun' (if you had the day off work) easy-breezy twentysomething's 'oh let's get a takeaway and watch movies all night' thing on a hangover these days.
..
I was the same way in my 20s and 30s. Hangovers, yes, but manageable. I am now 51 and can tell you it does progress. My drinking is all binge, I am either on or off. And after each binge the recovery time gets longer. This last one had me down for a week.
As far as anxiety, I have resorted going to the hospital almost every time now because it feels like my heart is going to beat out of my chest and the anxiety is really bad. They can treat the anxiety there , it really helps as you detox. Why not try that, instead of another bottle of vodka? That just prolongs the cause of the anxiety.