big trouble

I have posted here quite a few times. but I was just thinking that it might be possible that a lot of my drinking problems might be caused by anxiety. Also I just wanted to check in for anyone who cares. Thanks for listening.

caladan

Since I've been sober I've come to realize that a lot of my anxiety was actually caused by drinking.
But thats just me.

You should see your Dr. to determine if you should get meds for anxiety.

It's never a good idea to self-medicate.

Golfman

Anyone who cares? we all care. Have you thought that maybe you drinking has caused your anxiety? Just curious, not trying to bluff you into anything. Certainly your anxiety is caused by something. So is your drinking. Maybe, just maybe, you could go to an AA meeting and start looking for the answer, it's there.

Your in sobriety,
Ed

Salsa

Hi BT. It's also possible your anxiety is caused by your drinking. I suffer from anxiety too and it was far worse back in my drinking days. I always thought it was helping, but it was really just making it worse. I wish ya all the best!

CarolD

Glad to see you again BT!

I ditto caladan

Keep in focus...you too can recover!

came2believe

For me, it was the reverse of what you are suggesting. Rather than my anxiety causing my drinking (which I *thought* was what was happening), my drinking was a HUGE cause of my anxiety problems!!

I also have a mood disorder which was not properly medicated due to my drinking and the fact that I preferred to drink rather than take my meds.

Once I quit drinking and became compliant with my meds... my anxiety all but disappeared.

Luck & love

barb dwyer

good to see ya again, bt!

for me - the anxiety didn't hit till then next morning.

some alcohol (meaning chemical) the rest - wondering what I'd done the night before.
had I locked the bar?
did the till balance?
was my car outside?
did I owe apologies?

big trouble

Thank yoy everyone, I understand a little that drinking causes anxiety. But I think that I may have it natualy. I am not sure, but today I am a depressed, my dad was in the hospital for heart problems. The one thing that I do knowis that I get very nervous lately.

GlassPrisoner

Quit drinking for a few months. You may find the anxiety and depression lessen or go away.

Did for me.

Good Luck and God Bless.

big trouble

I know, the worst part is, I know what I need to do I just don't have the will power to do it. I wish that I was born with that skill......

CarolD

I am sorry your Dad has health problems
and of course you are concerned. Hugs

Will power? Pffft!
Sobriety takes don't power...

You don't take that first drink.

Take care

GlassPrisoner

I didn't have the power, or skill. I thought I did. It almost killed me trying, and took damm near everything in my life away from me.

I gave up. I surrendered. I walked into the rooms of AA, and got better.

fuster

Hello, Big Trouble:

You say you feel depressed lately? Before that you said you felt anxious lately.

Can you tell us if you are still drinking? If not, when did you stop drinking?

Thanks, that would help me understand your situation better.

I have not seen you mention stopping, so unless I see otherwise I have to believe you are still drinking. Based on that assumption, it is impossible to tell whether you have anxiety in the form of a treatable disorder or whether you are feeling things due to consumption of alcohol, or a combination. You have to get off alcohol completely for at least a couple of weeks for a psychiatrist to assess your anxiety levels and see what they think is going on.

All of us alcoholics and addicts, I think it is fair to say, feel too much anxiety from time to time, and it generally gets less as we log in more years in recovery. On the other hand, active alcoholism and drug addiction means more worry about things beyond our control, plus worry about things we mess up because of our disease.

Denial is part of the disease. It comes in many forms. Including reasoning our way to deflection of the problem elsewhere, such as saying a mental health condition is making you drink, so you don't have a "drinking" problem. That may be true but the only way to find out is to stop drinking and get a mental health evaluation by a psychiatrist familiar with substance abuse.

ay100

I understand and emphatise with you. I am a chronic panic disorder sufferer and this state of mind drove me to alcohol.

Alcohol is the fastest way to recover from a panic attack yet it is addictive. Many people who suffer from anxiety become heavy drinkers or alcoholics without actually intending to become one.

Tazman53

BT not having the will power to quit drinking is part of the disease of alcoholism, I am an alcoholic and spent 10 years hating myself because I did not have the will power to stop on my own, the only way I was able to get sober was to put myself into detox, the only way I have stayed sober is AA. The by product of AA is GOLD!!! I am happier then I have been in over 30 years.

In regards to any mental condition, be it paranoia, anxiety, or what ever, until one has quit drinking for at least several weeks as others have said there is no way to tell what is causing what, the one thing I will tell you though is that any problem I had while I was drinking was far worse then that same problem was when I quit drinking. There were also problems that totally dissappeared when I quit drinking.

In other words what I am saying is, no matter what problem I have or had it was worse when I was drinking and better or gone when I quit.

BTW glad to see you back hon, so did you schedule your detox yet?

Did you leave the woman abuser? (I will not call him a man, because men do not hit or abuse women!)

TorontoGuy28

I think anxiety contributed to my alcoholism, but in no way is it responsible for it.... Right now, I am not anxious at all (just over 2 weeks sober)..

Sammer

My anxiety has greatly decreased since I stopped drinking. While drinking I would obsess and do continual loops about issues...build mountains out of molehills. The longer I go without drinking, the more I feel in control of my life. The uncertainties don't bother me as much. I am much more accepting and not as stuck as I once was.

Tazman53

You know Big Trouble in thinking about it I would be anxious as hell to if I was in your situation whether I was sober or drunk.

Wondering whether or not my lover was going to knock the snot out of me or just scream at me when he gets home would make me anxious every minute he was not there.

Big Trouble have you ever thought that getting the snot beaten out of you or being treated like a dog might very well be why you are anxious?