Panic Attacks and Alcohol

  I suffer from panic attacks occassionally.  Because they don't happen that often, I'm on no medication.  I do seem to get them after going out and drinking.  If I have only a couple drinks, I have no problem.  It's when I go and even drink sociably that I'm noticing the attacks.  I'll go to bed, and bamm, I'll wake up in the middle of the night and have an attack.  They usually only last from 5 to 10 minutes.  I know, the smart think to do would be do just quit drinking.  Easier said than done.  I'm by no means a heavy drinker all the time.  It's that I have two small children and I just can't handle alcohol anymore.  So, I'm just wondering what the correlation between panic attacks and alcohol is.  Thank you.

[HFHS MD-JM]

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Your question about panic attacks and alcohol is an interesting one.  First we need to define a panic attack.  A panic attack is a brief period of intense fear or discomfort that comes on suddenly and usually it is accompanied by symptoms such as palpitations, sweating, trembling, shortness of breath, abdominal distress, dizziness, fear of losing control or going crazy or fear of dying.  Panic attacks occur in many different situations and for different reasons.  It is important to note that these symptoms can be confused with medical illness so physical problems should be ruled out.  When people have recurrent panic attacks with anticipatory anxiety and phobic avoidance this may represent panic disorder.
The relationship between alcohol and panic attacks can be tricky.  Sometimes alcohol can be a trigger for panic/anxiety, but sometimes people use alcohol to treat anxiety.  In your case, I recommend that you discontinue drinking alcohol as there appears to be some link.  If you find this difficult, there may be a question of whether you have a problem with alcohol.  In any event, you should have a physical exam to rule out medical illness and if your problem persist without explanation, you should be evaluated further by a psychiatrist.
Sincerely,
HFHS MD-JM
Keywords:  panic attacks and alcohol