Comments on: Alcohol and Anxiety – the spiral of worry

By: Scotty boy

Scotty boy — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 21:26:06 +0000

Hello everyone, like others its good to kow im not the only one. I have suffered from alcohol related anxiety for 14 years, i have lost many girlfriends, happiness, and the freedom to conduct my life without constraint. Its always at its best post drinking, the only way out is to drink again. This leads to insomnia, and generaslly feeling absolutely awful. Recently i had to leave a stag do early, as i was 400 miles away without my home comforts, and flipped.

Im now left unable to face going abroad as if i drink (and going abroad normally involves that), my anxiety will become unbearable, drink again, and eventually go into meltdown. Has anyone experienced this? Is there any techniques apart from the extreme obvious, stopping drinking!!!!!

Im currently considering medication, which i have tried to avoid since suffering from this for fear of becoming reliant.

Any helpful tips would be much appreciated.!

By: dave

dave — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 08:16:27 +0000

Hi, I have been abusing substances my whole adult life, just like all my friends have. For me though I think its made me bi polar or something. I look back on my past and realise that most of my formative years were spent so smashed out of my face on drugs and alcohol. I was much more confident then generally and didn’t realise that i was setting the life trend that meant i had to be drunk or high to gain the confidence to pull. I wouldn’t even attempt it until i felt i was suitable drunk enough and it would all flow so naturally. Looking back i realise that what i thought and what is/was was two very different things. Ignorance is bliss rings so true i almost wish i wasn’t aware of my failings.

Now, years later (im 32) i’m a civil engineer and i’m trying to start my own business on the side as well. On one hand i’m a perfectly intelligent, capable and confident man and on the other i’m a mewling mess and poor imitation of myself.

Last night i went out promoting my new business with some extremely sexy and friendly promotional girls. It was great fun! We all had a few drinks but I wasn’t able to join in the promoting until i’d had way more drinks than them. After they left i went to meet my friends and had 1 measly line of shitty coke and then BAM! I crashed soooo fucking hard that i my mates all think… i don;t know what they think but they can see how uncomfortable I am and that i’m a nervous wreck and while there all chatting up some drunk essex twat girls and having a laugh, i’m desperately trying not to run away cos i feel so frigging awkward/anxious.

This happens just on drink too sometimes.

My ex girlfriend, the only true love of my life is now 7 months pregnant with some vegetarian, non drinking copper dude who loves all things mountainous and outdoors. They’re a perfect match and this sucks soo bad for me as i love/loved her soo much and she’s the only girl i’ve ever had the confidence to pull sober in my life and we did so many cool things together. Triathlons, hiking, snowboarding/skiiing, running and all things active that i love.

I broke up with her in Canada when we went for the winter olympics season in whistler. I went out and got smashed after work with all my work mates and spirialled away from her soo fast that i just dumped her like a cunt, on her own in a foreign country with know one else and hardly any money. What a total shit! I then spiralled so far out of control that my awful behaviour to someone im suppose to have loved back fired on me soo bad. Yes i made lots of friends and yes i had a great time but underneath the outgoing self confident exterior that i portray so well now lies this timid, fearful excuse for a man made of cast iron. One knock to the wrong spot and i crack into this mewling mess desperate to run home and get away from the world.

How the hell do i regain the INNER confidence I had when i was in the army and met my one true love so that I might one day find happiness again?

By: carol

carol — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 12:27:28 +0000

i understand no person should have to suffer like this keep your heart up and i will pray for you to get better we are a very unforgiving nation who do not realize drinking is an illness i suffer so bad myself you are not alone chating here keeps me sane i so want to stop drinking my mum would die if she knew but if i can stop she will not need to why are drinkers treated like vile people we all did it because we have unsolveable problems we all want to live happy lives but the stesses of life debt and partner problems take some of us down a long lonely road try to look and think what in the past has made you happy do the best to create this i know it may be hard with little money i had to give up my job but god feeds the birds and they dont earn a penny if you ask him for help he will answer good luck

By: Davie

Davie — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 14:30:13 +0000

I was out on the piss last night and feel hungover and anxious today. I’m 43 and have had these symptoms since my early twenties. It all started when I split with a girl who I had been with for three years I was broken hearted. Life moves on I have a great partner and three kids and a busy job. My anxiety has never left me but I do cope better and have recognised things that make it worse. Alcohol is the worst thing ever for my anxiety but I still drink the bloody stuff. All my friends don’t have these symptoms just me. Give yourself some praise that you’ve stopped the heavy drinking its the first step to getting better,well done. All the very best for 2012.

By: spencer

spencer — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 17:42:41 +0000

hi everyone im a forty yr old guy whos not had a particularly easy life and consequently use to drink like,everyday and wanted t let everyne know its a massive no no.2 mths ago i made the decision to stop drinking all the time and now just moderately drink socially a few times a week .its hard as i was use to drinking everyday but the anxiety is slowly but surely getting easier.i will NEVER go back t drink heavily again

By: abingedrinker

abingedrinker — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 17:18:52 +0000

Hi everyone, yes me too to all of the above but my mother is an alcoholic), and i care for her. I hate what this drug has done to my mother and to the family yet i go out with my girls friends and cannot say no or limit my drinking. I have just had a weekend away with 8 girlfriends , we all drank copious amounts of booze but on the last day of travelling home i felt sooo paranoid and was saying stupid things everytime i opened my mouth because i was over anxious about everything. Its such a horrible feeling and having been home for 2 days now everything in my life seems a disaster my home life my mum, yet nothing has changed since before i went away?! I felt my friends wr talking about me ( as they were actually bitching about one of the other girls) so i thought they were also bitching about me too.
Everyone thinks i am really confident & outgoing but after heavy drinking i rip myself to pieces. Worrying that i am boring (because i was really quiet on the last day) and that i am stupid ( because i was saying and doing stupid things as my brain was pickled!)
Its two days since i had a drink and i just thought , oh while i feel so bad i mite pour myself a drink , but i am not going to i need to get out of this. Wish you could buy willpower !!

By: Needtochange

Needtochange — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 17:51:18 +0000

Hi,

John N – I read your story and thought how its so true, you don’t have to drink every day for it to damage you beyond repair. I drink 2-3 days a week and drink so much I can’t stop throwing up, obviously alcohol poisoning. I’m on day 3 of my 7 day sobriety challenge and hope to carry it on ibndefinately as I don’t want to die young or become really sick.

Lou – I read what you said about the bubble in your chest. I get this when I’m anxious and feel like I’m swallowing air and have to burp to relieve it. My husband goes mad with me burping but if I don’t I feel my chest will explode. I think mine is definately related to my anxiety.

Toni – you sound eactly like me. A mum who thinks she should no better but keeps up this cycle of binge drinking, blanking out and the spending the next few days with palpatations wondering if I upset anyone or said anything stupid and that everyone hates me. I’m glad I’m not alone and it makes me see its just the drink.

Kelly – yourt story also resonated with me. I went out on Friday, drank a bottle and a half of wine, missed my train home, spent another £25 on a taxi, then realised I’ve lost my purse with two checques for £70 in which were wedding presents. Too scared to tell my husband and ashamed of myself.

As I say I’m doing a 7 day sobriety on day 3 now. Wish me luck

By: Louise

Louise — Sun, 05 Jun 2011 19:56:47 +0000

i am so sick of having anxiety and paranoia after i have drank. i was at a work do last night and only drank 2 and a half glasses of wine and ended after not drinking for 6 days, it went straight to my head and i ended up drinking the dregs from a colleagues glass – disgusting i know! I did it in front of people as well and i am so ashamed. i am so worried that i said something i shouldnt. i have black outs of the evening where i cant remember what i said or did. i just know i woke up in bed this morning feeling terrible and worrying manically all day- it makes me feel like im going mad! i really think i should cut out alcohol altogether. I have OCD as well, which i have had for 20 years which obviously doesnt help. i find lately once i have one drink i want more. i dont crave it, but its like pringles once you pop, i cant stop- until i feel sick! I hate this paranoia, it makes me feel physically sick, worried, and i get terrible head aches.

By: Bobby

Bobby — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 01:56:06 +0000

Recently went to a festival called glaston budget drank heavily for 3 days and have had very bad anxiety for few days after. I have also had a sensation in my left wrist like it is being squeezed. Is this nerve damage or is it brought on by the anxiety. if anyone could help would be great. thanks bobby x

By: Kelly

Kelly — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 22:15:03 +0000

I have a big problem with binge drinking to relieve anxiety/stress/underlying mental/emotional issues. It’s kind of like which came first the chicken or the egg. I don’t know if my anxiety comes first then the binge but I am sure that the anxiety is AWFUL the day after a binge. I too am a 39 year old woman with a little boy and a husband. I can go 3-4 months without incident and then I go out and get completely trashed. I live in a small town so I make a complete butt of myself and of course everyone talks. Last night I went to a wedding and ended up going from the restaurant to a bar to my mom’s boyfriends house (my mom lives with him) because I was to scared to come home. Apparently at some point I was passed out in my vehicle in a bar parking lot and someone called my husband and when he got there I was gone. I don’t know how I got to my moms house but I didn’t drive there. I then got into an arguement with my mother (not a good relationship even when I am sober) and the fight became physical. Cops were called and they gave me a ride home (husband sitting up waiting for me). Most of the time I am healthy, eat right, work out, have a part time job, keep my husbands books, online classes, keep a clean house, cook most meals at home, etc. I seem to have alot on my plate and tell myself it would be good to have a few but I cannot stop alot of the time. It is always alot of drama and I am tired of my behavior. I dont know if the drinking is a symptom of the non-mother figure in my life even though she is alive or if it is something else. Today I have terrible anxiety, fear, humiliation, embarrassed, worry, self loathing and all the above. I feel crazy……..This has to stop. I have soooo much energy and this seems to be the way I wear myself out about every 3-4 months. I have a problem relaxing unless I am totally wasted drunk……I am scared of meds due to my mother and sister having Rx addictions which started as anxiety meds. I have to do something because what I am doing is not working. My husband told me to call a pyschiatrist tomorrow after I get a new key made for my car since I lost my keys last night……Nice!!!! I am wondering if anyone else feels like they are going to bust at the seems and feel that the drink helps with that and if they have found a med to help with this feeling. Thanks