anxiety nd alchohol

[potato4201]

my question is why is alcohol not recomended for anxiety when it is a depressent  and not a stimulant?im not much of a drinker at all, just socialy,and only drink whiskey.i dont wanna hear the obvious answers like mixing it with meds or your not 21 blah blah blah.i cant smoke weed anymore cuz of my GAD and panic dissorder or i go into tachycardia,but thats what i thougt with cigs and i can smoke and drink all the caffine i want now and nothing happends to me anymore,dont know if im getting better or anxiety is just fear that fades when you fear no more,maybe one day i can smoke it again......

[scaredjo]

as you have found out weed doesn help your anxiety so whats the point in smokin it???? everyone says alcohol is bad for anxiety too although when i have a drink all my anxiety disappears until i sober up!!! really us anxiety sufferers should stay away from all stimulants as it makes the heart race which in turn causes more anxiety. and although alcohol is a depressant it still raises blood pressure and heart rate. i cant understand why you can have all the caffine in the world and have no effects? i have to steer clear off caffine cause it makes my heart bang so theres no point me drinkin it cause i dont wanna fuel my anxiety anymore.

[MrGreen]

Alcohol can hamper the workings of some forms of medications. You might of imagined it to be the other way around. Can be that way too. Might add an extra kick to other forms of medication. Hence the warning on the labels. To ignore is to be ignorant. If people do ignore they have nobody but themselves to blame.

[jdb7560]

I know this is bad but I feel fantastic after ingesting alcohol. I mean, I feel "normal"- like a human being again. But I know it is not the answer or a good regimen to follow.

[cnote]

Alcohol can raise blood pressure, and can sometimes raise heart rate. Alcohol doesnt seem to raise my heart rate though... seems to slow it down as I get relaxed. But I rarley rarley ever drink.

Now, Alcohol used for anxiety is not a good idea... b/c using alcohol to cover up the anxiety can lead to ADDICTION. You hear about people drinking theirselves to sleep. It usually starts somewhere. There are many many depressed people who are alcoholics... b/c they turn to alcohol before going to see a Dr. to actually help their anxiety symptoms.

If you are using alcohol just to have a drink here and there, there should be no problem with that, unless you are a medication. Check with your doctor. Mostly though, alcohol with medication is def. not recommended.

So other than that, just don't drink your problems away. =)

PEACE OUT! Best of luck to ya.

[JaxRiley]

From my own experience, I self-medicated through most of the 90's on alcohol. There comes a time in nearly every drinkers habit that alcohol turns on you.....what was once fun is now hell. It is a drug that magnifies what you are already feeling. For me, I went through a period where I could not drink AT ALL. It set my nerves on fire, I wanted to jump out of my skin and I even got violent. I no longer keep it in the house...I do not enjoy the feeling of booze although I will have one, seldom two drinks if I'm out at dinner with friends. It is also a trigger for panic attacks for me. I used to love my vodka and Jack, but feel much better without that in my life.

She is a great seductress, Ms. Alcohol-but please don't fall for her temptations. A drink or two is fine if you're out and among friends, I think....but do not use it to medicate.

Just my own 2 cents, for what it's worth.

[potato4201]

i for one hate alchohol,i come from a long line of drunks,dated many women with alchoholic parents, and know what happends.i absolutly hate it.it was never my bag,im just talkin about a couple shots .as i said i drink socially i cant never drink unless its at a party.i know weed sets mostly everyone off and i cant smoke it along with doin coke or any other drugs.so i just wanted somethin to "loosin"up at a party ya know.and i know what happends when you mix meds...you can drink one beer and feel like you`ve drank 12...i just wanted to know if it would set me off like anything else,cuz some people on here say they dont have a prob with it and was curious as to why. thank for the answers

cheers

[jacqui_m]

it's pretty straightforward; those with anxiety disorders are more inclined to become addicted to whatever substance they choose to self-medicate with. from my experience, you feel amazing while you're hammed and the next morning the anxiety is worsened, sometimes doubled.
whether or not it's a conscious realization, you relate the feeling of ease to the alcohol and reach out for more when anxiety hits. since alcohol doesn't aid in balancing whatever chemicals are askew in your brain  its certainly not a medication, just temporary relief.
if anyone takes the time to read this, especially someone with a predisposition to addiction issues, the best course of action is to abstain from self medication and avoid the downward spiral into alcoholism/the graduation to other types of substance abuse.

[lupins]

Hi!  Well, I like a drink now and then but it seems to really exacerbate my anxiety over the following days.  I haven't had a drink in 4 months for that reason.  I'm just as happy to have cranberry and 7-up or sparkling juice of some sort.  Take care!