Drinking and Anxiety

[tlj02002]

I just read a topic saying that Drinking can cause Anxiety attacks; however, I've only had anxiety for 3 months. It came upon me rather fast. I was taking Pretasone for a plant rash and BAM one day i was fine, the next i had an anxiety attack and now have GAD. I am on Zoloft and Clozapam every day twice a day. Now I know that you aren't supposed to drink while on these medications. However I feel my symptoms are worst at night, since the initial attack (and all other attacks) have been at night. I find that if i have a few beers, I forget about my problems, and feel less stressed. Not to mention that ever since I have been on the medication I have had weird, vivid, realistic dreams. I just want them to go away.  Now I'm worried about having an alcohol dependency upon having a zoloft and clozapam dependency. This really sucks. I want to go back 3 months and be fine again... But i fear this wont happen again.

[suzi-q]

Don't drink...even though it will make you feel fine for the first few hours, it will make it worse.  I went to a wedding on Sunday night.  I drank wine...a lot of wine...more than I should have.  Needless to say, when you are on these meds, one drink equals 2...so I really did myself in.  Here it is 2 days later and I am still feeling lots of anxiety and nausea.  Trust me, don't drink...it does NOT help in the long run. I am living proof of it.

[tlj02002]

Thanks for responding to me bip; it's just really hard, i went from a very outgoing individual, who was always up for a party. To someone afraid to go anywhere sometimes, incase I have an attack in public. I know i shouldnt' drink while on the medication, and it could be the reason for the vivid dreams, but it makes me feel normal, gets my mind off of it, and i then convince myself that if i can drink then i don't have an anxiety problem. I know it sounds really bad, and I'm not a huge drinker, but a few beers here and there make me feel alot better. Above all, i just really hate this feeling, I don't want to be on these meds and I don't want to have anxiety. I wish sometimes that there were a medical reason for this, and not mental. I think i'd be able to handle that better.

[bip]

I think everyone reacts to anxiety in different ways..... I would take day by day and try not to drink with meds cause it will react to them......Just say to yourself Im fine and I dont need a drink I know its hard easy said than done.... You are having side effects I think its the few beers you are having well you are taking the meds giving you werid dreams or it could be just the meds....