What's wrong with me? Anxiety!!
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Join Date: Jul 2014
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What's wrong with me? Anxiety!!
Hi, I have been a heavy drinker for several years. I start drinking in the evening every day (5 drink avg.), start a little sooner on weekends (10 drink avg.). I have a high tolerance so not getting drunk all the time, except maybe a Friday and Sunday night here and there but definitely drinking too much overall. Typically hangovers are normal, nausea, headaches, just feel like crap but about a month ago I started having major anxiety in place of normal hangovers. I've never had anxiety or depression issues. I saw a Dr a week after it started (I have cut down my drinking since they started too) and I am apparently healthy, she just said anxiety is a funny thing and discussed long term meds but I would rather make this go away without pills.
The last week or so I had started to feel better, symptoms decreased and of course started drinking too much, not as much as before but too much I guess and of course anxiety is back.
Why does this happen?? Does this mean I need to just quit drinking? It's hard cause a couple drinks in the evening make the symptoms go away.
Symptoms are chest discomfort, tingly arms/hands/(lips/face at its worst) feeling like I want to jump out of my skin. If I keep myself busy I don't notice them.
TIA
The last week or so I had started to feel better, symptoms decreased and of course started drinking too much, not as much as before but too much I guess and of course anxiety is back.
Why does this happen?? Does this mean I need to just quit drinking? It's hard cause a couple drinks in the evening make the symptoms go away.
Symptoms are chest discomfort, tingly arms/hands/(lips/face at its worst) feeling like I want to jump out of my skin. If I keep myself busy I don't notice them.
TIA
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Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 25,373
Welcome to the site!
If you read around these forums, anxiety is a big topic.
Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant. As it leaves your system, your nervous system is trying to level out. It feels like anxiety since you have depressed your nervous system with alcohol.
Your heart races, which feels like anxiety. Your blood pressure goes up - feels like anxiety. Anxiety is caused by and temporarily relieved by alcohol. That is the Catch 22, and that is the cycle of addiction.
Yes, stop drinking and after a couple months notice the changes in how you feel. The first month is tough, just accept that and keep going.
No sense getting pills for anxiety while you are drinking. Does your doctor know how much you are drinking?
If you read around these forums, anxiety is a big topic.
Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant. As it leaves your system, your nervous system is trying to level out. It feels like anxiety since you have depressed your nervous system with alcohol.
Your heart races, which feels like anxiety. Your blood pressure goes up - feels like anxiety. Anxiety is caused by and temporarily relieved by alcohol. That is the Catch 22, and that is the cycle of addiction.
Yes, stop drinking and after a couple months notice the changes in how you feel. The first month is tough, just accept that and keep going.
No sense getting pills for anxiety while you are drinking. Does your doctor know how much you are drinking?
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Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Canada
Posts: 809
This is very normal for a hard drinker/alcoholic! And it SUCKS! I feel ya. I'd rather take a nausea migraine hangover any day over the all consuming anxiety which became my life in my alcoholism. Try taking some time off of drinking, if you can, and you will see, it gets better. Welcome to the site.
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Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Florida
Posts: 35
Severe anxiety started for me when my body finally made the change over to becoming physically dependent on alcohol. My anxiety would start around 3-4am when I started going through "mini-withdrawals". This was the beginning of the end for me. Alcoholism is progressive, and you will eventually get there if you keep drinking. In the end, my anxiety was debilitating. A drink would always cure it, which is the devilish thing about alcoholism. It was a lot of years before I became dependent, but once it happened, there was no going back to how it was before.
All the best to you,
Methodman
All the best to you,
Methodman
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Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Toronto
Posts: 3,195
I am quite sure that your anxiety problems are directly related to your alcohol consumption.
When you drink, dopamine gets released into your brain, giving you that feeling of well being and calm. The brain only has so much of it so after you have been drinking, the brain is depleted and needs time to naturally produce more. When you wake up with anxiety it's because of the out of whack brain neurotransmitters
When you drink, dopamine gets released into your brain, giving you that feeling of well being and calm. The brain only has so much of it so after you have been drinking, the brain is depleted and needs time to naturally produce more. When you wake up with anxiety it's because of the out of whack brain neurotransmitters
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Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 5,229
she just said anxiety is a funny thing and discussed long term meds but I would rather make this go away without pills.
The last week or so I had started to feel better, symptoms decreased and of course started drinking too much, not as much as before but too much I guess and of course anxiety is back.
Why does this happen?? Does this mean I need to just quit drinking? It's hard cause a couple drinks in the evening make the symptoms go away.
The last week or so I had started to feel better, symptoms decreased and of course started drinking too much, not as much as before but too much I guess and of course anxiety is back.
Why does this happen?? Does this mean I need to just quit drinking? It's hard cause a couple drinks in the evening make the symptoms go away.
It got very bad for me panic attacks all the time. the only solution was to drink more but that also made it worse once the booze wore off. yes indeed hangovers bascily where replaced with anxiety and panic. I felt like i was standing on the edge of a cliff looking down and slipping all the time unless i was totally drunk.
I did not want to quit. But I did not want to go through that hell either. I figured i'd give quiting a try and I'll be honest it did not get better for me for a long while it was a very very slow gradual improvement and it took time to heal. But It did get better. I dont really have panic anymore and my anxiety is manageable.
My 2 cents put down the booze. If you decide to keep on drinking suit yourself but know this in the back of your head that if you quit the anxiety and panic will get better along with many other aspects of life etc..
sorry to tell you but its a symptom of drinking.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 5,229
oh and I also felt this is unfair. when i first read that that was a biproduct of drinking to much i thought well how come everyone doesnt have this issue why am i the only one with this issue i thought. well lots of people do have these issues and there on pills and keep drinking and continue to not recover. some people just havent hit that point yet. others have other terrible issues instead. Regardless for me panic and anxiety where my biggies that pushed me over the edge and forced me to quit. Lucky for me thats all it was it could have been much worse or gotten much worse.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 5,229
Severe anxiety started for me when my body finally made the change over to becoming physically dependent on alcohol. My anxiety would start around 3-4am when I started going through "mini-withdrawals". This was the beginning of the end for me. Alcoholism is progressive, and you will eventually get there if you keep drinking. In the end, my anxiety was debilitating. A drink would always cure it, which is the devilish thing about alcoholism. It was a lot of years before I became dependent, but once it happened, there was no going back to how it was before.
Yep thats it exactly I hated that drill glad i'm done with it.
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Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Ireland
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Welcome to the Forum!! 
For me my anxiety in the end was being caused by alcohol, when I would try to quit the withdrawal symptoms would be unbearable and I would simply drink again, round and round I went on this cycle, but my drinking progressed.
I finally had to make the decision to get off the merry-go-round I found myself on to see some real change in my life!!
For me my anxiety in the end was being caused by alcohol, when I would try to quit the withdrawal symptoms would be unbearable and I would simply drink again, round and round I went on this cycle, but my drinking progressed.
I finally had to make the decision to get off the merry-go-round I found myself on to see some real change in my life!!
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Originally Posted by methodman1019 
Severe anxiety started for me when my body finally made the change over to becoming physically dependent on alcohol. My anxiety would start around 3-4am when I started going through "mini-withdrawals"
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Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 46
After a while, alcohol induced anxiety controlled my life. The only time I felt normal was when a grabbed a drink. My brain, body and heart would slow down after that drink and I could move on. Trouble was, that drink eventually started in the morning. When I eventually quit, the anxiety was completely gone after a week or so. I did not have a drink for over 2 1/2 years and experienced no anxiety during that period, life was good. Then a month ago, I had that one drink after my sons graduation party, a few days later another. I've had 3 occasions of indulgence since, and each time my anxiety was back with a vengeance, and has lingered almost daily since. Life was great being anxiety free and I now realize my complete sobriety is worth the effort.
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