Jessielynn

So I'm new to therepy I went the first time last week for anxiety thinking that if I can help my anxiety I could help my alcoholic nature she recommended some breathing exercises I don't know some other stuff but that's not going to cut it so I may 2nd appointment we never really talked much about my life in the first appointment what do I tell her that I'm an alcoholic what do not tell her I'm an alcoholic and how does that look if I tell her that I'm an alcoholic and then making the appointment give me anxiety and makes me want to drink and then missing work for the appointment gives me anxiety because I need my job and I've been having to take off a lot because my son struggles a lot with anxiety so he's been having to go to his doctor's appointment I don't really know this all makes sense but trying to treat my anxiety is giving me more anxiety that's making me want to drink more that only makes things worse in the end.... Now I haven't drank but I literally feel like I want to throw up I want to drink so bad so I am sitting in my car crying not to drink and I'm going to go inside and to anything but drink but I'm making myself feel physically sick

Dee74

I think if your alcoholism intersects with your anxiety, not telling your P-doc is like leaving out half the story.

D

trailmix

I would show them the post you just wrote. Being completely honest will only help.

Libby06

Yes. All of my doctors and my dentist know that I am alcoholic. I agree with Dee. If you don't, its only half the story. Many medications do not mix with alcohol and can be a deadly combination.

I had to be honest about my condition to get the help I needed.

awuh1

It's clear cut........yes

Surlyredhead

The only time I did not tell a Doctor that I was an Alcoholic is when I thought he was going to prescribe something I wanted or I didn't want help with that part of me( I did not want to stop yet). What ever our issues, alcoholism is a part of it and needs to be disclosed. IMHO

Cathy

least

I would tell her, yes, cause she needs to know how you're doing at home. And many meds do not mix well with alcohol.

faith823

Definitely- Your alcoholism is psyched right now that you are contemplating NOT telling the DR. Rat that AV out!

Abraham

Yes I would tell her. Also you know stopping drinking for a couple weeks will help most if not all of your anxiety. I had it to. Now with 5 months of not drinking I laugh at things that would have had me all worked up when I was drinking.

AAPJ

I would tell them something. Personally I would not use the term alcoholic with a clinical professional. Instead I would tell them you have AUD. See this link for more info

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-...s/syc-20369243

fini

i don’t see how they can possibly help you if you are leaving out 5his overarching condition.
it’s like tying their hands while screaming “help!”.

HeadEast

Yep, you should.

DontRemember

100% you should. What's the use of a psychiatrist if you immediately 'tie their hands' by withholding a MAJOR factor to ourselves as a person? If I wasn't going to tell mine, I'd have just not went and saved the cash. The best thing about my sobriety is I'm an honest/open person now. I didn't say I was an alcoholic (I don't do titles) I simply said "I had a drinking problem,among other things." Be honest. They work for/with you.

Gottalife

For your own safety be totally honest with your doctor. It isn't just that some medications do not mix with alcohol, but there are some that do not mix well with alcoholics, especially when acquired by deceiving the doctor.

A third element that doesn't get much exposure is the added element of danger some medications can introduce to an alcoholic's situation. Case in point: an alcoholic left a treatment center having been taking a prescribed medication of the type that cannot be suddenly stopped without dangerous consequences.

The meds may have fixed his mental condition but they had not treated his alcoholism and he was drinking a few hours after leaving. Then he did exactly what I would have done as someone who hates having to take medication. He threw the pills out of the window of the train. He then got a double wammy of the relapse combined with the effects of stopping the pills.

I met him two days later in a motel room. There was blood up the walls, the guy had the sole of his right foot just held in place with a sandal, it had been sliced through from toe to heel. He was psychotic and had to be locked up.

IMO, the treatment center should have done a better job in this case. They knew he was alcoholic and probably knew he was likely to drink again. But that is not the point. The fact is that medications can be extra dangerous for alcoholics for a number of different reasons and the only safe way to go is to be both super cautious and fully honest with your doctor.

Delilah1

I’m another in favor of telling your psychiatrist, it may change the treatment plan they have for you, and may open some new areas of support to deal with both the drinking and the anxiety.

As someone who deals with anxiety, I can tell you that is has substantially lessened since I’ve been sober. Mindfulness has been one of the biggest supports for me in this area, learning to stay grounded in the present and just focus on making the next positive choice has been a great strategy for me.

brighterday1234

Gabe1980

I would tell her. Getting out there and telling the right people has really aided my recovery.

Also, breathing exercises, meditation and exercise combat anxiety so well. It's about calming down your central nervous system.

I hope your appointment goes well 💕

ReadyAtLast

I know when I had a long stint of sobriety my anxiety reduced massively, almost non existent at times. My child suffers from anxiety sometimes too but I know he feeds off it from me. When I am anxious he is anxious-I don't think it's a genetic thing, more learned behaviour.

I am in the very early days of sobriety again and already my anxiety feels a little better and I know it will get more better (sp!) I don't know how long sober you are but drinking now will just take you right back to square 1 and make your anxiety worse.

Please be honest with your psych. That said, I wouldn't say I'm an alcoholic to a medical professional but would say I abuse alcohol and drink too much and it inflames my anxiety But that's just me. I hope it goes well for you.

Zebra1275

If you are not going to tell your psychiatrist about your alcohol use, then you are wasting your time going to a psychiatrist.

ThatWasTheOldMe

Alcohol use disorder and elevated anxiety tend to go hand in hand because it interacts strongly with chemical systems in your brain that regulate calmness.

AAPJ gave very good advice for the actual interaction. "Alcoholic" has a lot of connotations outside the recovery community and the accepted medical term is alcohol use disorder. The doctor should know that if you have this disorder, to use his best medical judgment taking it into account in helping the two of you make decisions about your healthcare.

If you don't mention the alcohol use disorder, he can't help you nearly as well.