Anxiety/panic attacks the day after drinking

[bvjens31]

This isn't really a question, it's more or less a walkthrough of what I am going through with anxiety problems and alcoholism in hopes that it might help someone out there. Had I read online about how common anxiety attacks after a night of drinking are, maybe I could have started my road to recovery sooner, and maybe some of you can.

Anyways, I am a 25-year old college student (receiving my 2nd BA tomorrow actually :D) who had never experienced anything related to anxiety or panic attacks ever in my life. I've always been a laid back, easy-going individual. Last May, after a weekend of beer pong and partying, I woke up on the following Monday and instantly felt dizzy and out of breath, like I was going to pass out or fall over. I didn't know what it was. I thought maybe I had hit my head during the previous weekend's festivities. A couple days later I still had a dizzy feeling so I had my ladyfriend drive me to the ER for fear of having post-concussion syndrome or something. They gave me something for my nerves (Loreazapam maybe?) and did a catscan and everything was A-OK. I had no idea why I was feeling like this, but I finally told my mom about it and she googled it and thought maybe I was having some panic attacks. Over the next couple of months during the Summer, my roommates and I's drinking continued, and so did my anxiety issues (always the day after going out). At first I tried blaming them on stress or my girl or anything else besides drinking. I didn't want to think for ONE SECOND that my favorite past-time (drinking and being social with the wonderful people in my life) was actually the crux of my least favorite past-time (anxiety attacks.)  

Before I had my first one last May, I had heard of people having anxiety problems (my ex-girlfriends mom took meds for them) but just scoffed at people actually having to take medications to control their thoughts. What pish-posh I thought to myself. Well, after 1 year of having these #$%^$@ panic attacks, it's not pish-posh anymore. I have finally come to terms with the fact that it IS my drinking that is causing these (and smoking a pack of marlboro lights on the weekends in the bars does not help!!!!)  I don't even really get typical hangovers anymore like I used to, well maybe I do, but they are being over-shadowed by the PURE AGONY of the anxiety attacks. Sometimes they go on for the whole day. There are several different reasons about why people have panic attacks, hypoglycemia is one, but I have finally realized that it is my drinking style. Thank God I'm getting out of college so I won't feel the need to go out and get belligerent drunk with my buddies anymore. I know that being in college is no excuse, but hey, it's fun!!!

All this being said, I am working on curing myself. I have always been a type of person who needs to be in control of my own life/mind/health and this anxiety **** has got to stop!!!! I am going to start taking daily doses of St. John's Wort and B complex, to see if that helps. I am also going to get back into my workout routine once my job starts in a couple of weeks. I know that an active lifestyle will help me on the road to recovery, as well as those supplements. But I am starting to realize the #1 thing that will cure these attacks is to stop drinking. Every time I have one of these day-long attacks, I swear to myself that I'm done drinking. But the truth of the matter, is that after a few days, I feel my equilibrium has returned to a pretty awesome level, and I forget about how the major anxiety attack I just had a few days ago made my life complete hell. That's how **** works. Out of sight, out of mind. If I don't have one for a few days, I start thinking I'm invincible again, and we go party. I need to grow up and realize that there is a cure to feeling this PURE AGONY! And it's in the form of alcohol abstinence. It's going to suck and I'm sure I'm gonna miss the bars. But I will not miss these anxiety attacks.

I will keep my progress updated on this forum, because I now know that there are TONS of people out there who are suffering through the same problems that I am currently faced with. We all know the cure, deep down, we just don't want to accept it. To those reading this, hopefully I have calmed you down a little. I know it's hard. It sucks. It's hell on earth, in your brain, and it feels like there is no way out. There is. I think. So I'm going to try the B complex and the SJW and try to keep the drinking and smoking under extreme control.

Peace and love and freedom of YOUR MIND.
Take care,
C

[bvjens31]

I guess I wanted to discuss my issues a little more, in hopes that I will get some feedback from any of you individuals out there (whether you are suffering from anxiety or if you're just a curious web-surfer). I have been looking online for cures to this and have learned that there is no "magic phrase" that you can tell yourself to calm down. I have tried a lot of the home remedies that most of the forums suggest, but none of them work. I'm talking about deep-diaphram breathing. I'm talking about telling yourself that you're ok and it will pass. I'm talking about laying flat on your back and just trying to chill out. I've tried reading. Nothing works. Even if the anxiety is in the back of my mind, it's still in there, waiting to creep out and make my life hell for the rest of the day.

There is no magic or mystery of why I feel like this and why lots of other people have anxiety issues after a night of less than healthy drinking. It is the plain and simple fact that my drinking habits are starting to take a toll on my physical and mental health. And that is something that I don't want to live with. I want to be healthy and happy. I want to know deep-down that I am going to have a fulfilling life and that nothing bad is going to happen to me that could have been prevented. I know that many of you out there want the same thing. If quitting heavy drinking seems too daunting right off the get-go, try to stop smoking at first. Take it one step at a time. I've read that smoking raises blood pressure and therefore exacerbates anxiety/stress, so it's a no-brainer that the social-smoking needs to stop. I also read that it's a good idea to cut out caffeine (no more Diet Mt. Dew  *cry *throwfit *repeat).

So if you are reading this looking for how to stop anxiety and panic attacks after a night of drinking, the simple answer is to STOP drinking. If you want an alternative solution, one that doesn't involve alcohol abstinence or mind-enslaving medications, continue to read about how I am going to try combating this terrible, terrible condition.

1) Stop smoking cigarettes (they taste like **** and you wake up in the morning feeling like a bobcat pooped in your mouth)
2) Start taking daily supplements of B-complex and St. John's Wort. (A mutivitamin is probably a no-brainer)
3) Get into a more active routine like working out 3 times a week or going on jogs. Being physically active works wonders for the mind. I don't know what it is, but being active gives me this feeling that is just plain good. I imagine this feeling will help keep anxiety at bay.
4) Go to websites and forums such as this one and read about what other people are going through and inform yourself on what may or may not be causing your situation. Try different solutions until one works. I can't imagine that any of the proposed solutions will have any negative impacts on you. (Except maybe prescription medications)
5) Let yourself go and just accept the fact that you are having an anxiety issue. Don't sweat it. You have had them before, and you didn't die, so you aren't going to die now. Relax. Life is good. It may not seem like it's good now, but you know that deep-down, life is AWESOME and it makes you smile a little bit knowing that you will once again believe that. Little self-pep-talks like that should help a little. Like I said before, there is no magic phrase to alleviate this ****. But maybe this type of positive thinking will help some people. It is helping me a little bit by typing it, so maybe it can help you.
6) Cut caffeine out of your daily routine. I imagine this is going to be VERY difficult for a lot of people. People need their morning coffee, their afternoon soda, or evening "whatever people drink in the evening". But caffeine obviously is a stimulant, therefore it probably does nothing but enhance your feelings of anxiety and impending doom.
7) Be open and honest with those close to you about your problems. Don't be afraid of what you're going through and don't be afraid to tell a loved one what you're going through. Chances are, that anyone you tell with be sympathetic with you and maybe even try to help you themselves. Granted, you really have had to experience a panic attack before you can begin to help someone else through them. I truly had NO clue about anything related to anxiety until I had my first attack. All I can say is "wow, they really suck". Talking to people has helped me somewhat. If it's the day after a night on the town and I feel edgy and anxious and like there's a bomb ticking in my brain, it helps a little to actually tell people that you feel like ****. Something as simple as a "man, these anxiety attacks are so fun, I don't know what I'd do with myself if I didn't have them", will hopefully put your mind a little more at ease if you're around other people. There are certain people in your life who will just naturally calm you down by being around them, and there are others who will just annoy the **** out of you and make your panic attacks worse (find the latter group of people and stay away from them when you're having an episode). But I guess it just all depends on the day. Some days when I have them I want to be around my girlfriend and I feel a little safer. Other days I want to go buy a crowbar from the Ace Hardware down the street. haha totally kidding, but you know what I mean (yap yap yap yap). Don't be afraid to be honest with your condition, they are common. Hell, maybe even one of your closest friends has been going through the SAME thing without you knowing. Maybe you can both get on the same page and work with each other to fight this awful plague of mankind. :)
8) Drink lots of water. Drinking heavily dehydrates you to begin with, so if you can take dehydration out of the equation, that is one less thing you will have to go through and will take a load of stress off your body. (Wow, I'm trying to sound like a Doctor, even though I'm NOT. 100% Network Technician here :) )   So yeah, drink water like you drank beer the night before and you should be able to stay pretty hydrated.
9) Don't use any type of illicit drugs. I have not had any experiences with cocaine or marijuana in like a year and a half, but I can't imagine that using that stuff while going through anxiety issues is even close to what you're gonna want to be doing. No brainer.
10) Stop drinking strong spirits. I read this on a different site and must be honest when I say I have no idea what a strong spirit is. I'm guessing it's like 80-proof booze that tastes so delicious with Coke. So cut out the Whiskey/Diets or Appletinis. Stick with light beer (if you must drink.)
11) Reply to this post with your own story or questions.

Well, I am going to stop rambling now. I really hope this has helped some of you. If there is anything more that anyone wants to know, don't hesitate to ask. I'm pretty open with my experiences and I will be even more so if it can help others. If you take nothing away from this post or if none of those 11 things have helped you, then I guess all I can say is that everything is fine and life is great. Yeah, it sucks now, but it will pass. And you know it will. You have just trained yourself to think like this. You have trained yourself to have anxiety attacks the day after drinking. You were so scared for your life of getting them when you started, that you slowly developed a compulsion to think like that, to let your heart race and your mind go out of control. But you are in control, and you always were. Give it time. Get some professional help if nothing else.

Later all.
:)
C

[bvjens31]

Ok so sorry if I seem like a total wad, but I am really enjoying the thought that I might be able to help just 1 other person. Then my work is complete. :) So, to add a couple more possible helpful hints in dealing with anxiety attacks, music might be one of them. Listen to music that calms you down. Stay away from your Pantera albums. (Unless you find if very inspiring.) One song in particular that is just b-e-a-yootiful is a song of the soundtrack for the movie Gladiator. I'm not sure what it's called but it's by Hans Zimmer with Lisa Gerrard singing. It's incredible. One sec, I'm gonna google it to get the actual name.....oh, duh...it's called Now We Are Free. (be sure to acquire this song LEGALLY) :)

Close your eyes, listen to it, and let me know what you think.

C

[JSGeare]

Its all about the booze, cowboy. Do what you want with vitamins and SJW and anything else, but, at the end of the day, its all about the alcohol. Strong spirits? Spare me. Alcohol is alcohol. Whether gulping 3 martinis or chugging 12 beers in an hour, it is the alcohol in whatever form you take it that works the "magic."

So, to put another arrow in your quivver, consider going to some AA meetings and getting on a program.

I appreciate all the work you have put into your messages and wish you the very best.

[hope_for_more]

My daughter's pdoc also said that since alcohol is a depressant you have to watch that too.  She says that the depressant effect hits about 3 days after drinking so sometimes people don't make that association with their depressed feeling.  Sucks huh!

[Jimdeez]

I can see where ur coming from man, Im 22 and loved to party, until I started having panic/anxiety attacks.  Ive cut down on the drinking a lot, but thinking I was fine drank the last few weekends.  Wasnt smart been waking up in the middle of the night again and last night I was having aching pains in my arms.  I definately think you should take it easy on the boozin, I was supposed to go out partyin tontie but I will pass on that now after I didnt get any sleep last night.

[worried826]

I got hammered last night for the first time in a while and my anxiety is bad today.

[lefrye13]

hi!  i really want to thank you for your message(s).  i am a 22 year old female.  i drank pretty heavily thursday night, had a terrible panic attack yesterday, and i am still feeling major anxiety today.  i'm just hoping it will go away soon.  i've been drinking A LOT of water, and i took a nice, relaxing bath.  taking slow, deep breaths helped a lot too.  i'm gonna go to the doctor later to see if i can get something to help keep me calm, but i tell you one thing...i am NOT drinking like that again.  really, i wouldn't mind if i never have a drink ever again.  it's not worth feeling this way.  i have said that i'm never drinking again after a crappy hangover, but this has gone too far.  it's great to see that someone knows what i'm going through...for a while i felt like i was the only one that was going through this.  i know now that it's just the alcohol, and i know what i need to do about it.  thanks again!  have a great day!  :o)

- lindsay

[duckandcover]

This is a direct cut and paste of my response to someone from a very similar thread.  Take it for what it's worth:

"Anxiety is such an awful feeling that it's difficult for me to understand how anyone can deliberately go BACK to a trigger that would cause a full week of it.  I noticed the exact same thing early on when my anxiety phases began and today I have a 1 glass of wine or 2 beer limit.  On most days it's zero.  Anxiety *****.  I do what you can to avoid it.  If you're not sure if you're addicted to alcohol, there's  a good forum for it right here on medhelp.  Go talk to people.  Get educated.

Good Luck "

[king2mp]

Haha, I know the exact song you're talking about. It is sooo chill. But man, as I was sitting here reading this, I just was struck at how similar our situations are. You made your first post about a month before I joined the site, but I was going through the same thing at the exact same time.

I have drank heavily daily for a year or so, but due to some stressful situations, I began drinking a lot more in the last few months. One of my roommates was no longer going to b