Alcohol And Anxiety: Can Drinking Cause Panic Attacks?

Restlessness is especially common during early alcohol withdrawal when the body adjusts to the absence of alcohol. Panic attacks are frightening, and many people try to cope with them using alcohol. Unfortunately, this method only keeps you trapped in a cycle and can worsen your panic attacks over time. Panic attacks are unnerving, but there are strategies that can help us prevent them. Since alcohol can directly trigger panic attacks, these positive habits to help us quit or cut back can help us maintain emotional stability. When we drink, we might feel calm, happy, and carefree, but shortly afterward, the pendulum swings the other way.

• He decided to stop drinking because of the unending insistence of his family and coworkers.
• Contrary to popular advice, stimulants such as caffeine or sugar, or even smoking, can make both the hangover and the anxiety worse, so avoid them.
• The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned people about caffeinated alcoholic beverages because they can be unsafe.

Treatment & Support

Through both her clinical work and her personal OCD diagnosis, she’s learned the importance of making empathetic and accurate mental health content available online. She lives in Portland, Oregon but you can find her almost just as often in Mexico or in her birthplace, Tokyo. Clinicians should be vigilant to psychiatric comorbidities in the patients who have alcohol use problems, especially in the abstinence period. Alcohol is a natural disinhibitor — meaning it can cause you to make choices you may not make while sober.

Racing Heart

It is common in those who participated in binge drinking and experienced a blackout as memories are hazy or nonexistent. Hangxiety typically is accompanied by other hangover symptoms such as headaches, nausea, and fatigue. Feelings of anxiety typically subside with proper hydration and rest, as well as talking with a friend to help with memory. But in some cases, hangxiety can lead to panic attacks and thoughts of suicide. In one study, 35.8% of alcohol-dependent men (and 60.7% of women) reported feeling anxious.

Healthy living

You can also enjoy non-alcoholic beers or wines, or make mocktails such as Virgin Mojitos or Cranberry Spritzers. Cocktails are typically made from a blend of spirits and fruit juices. Cocktails can be a deceptively strong drink, as they often contain multiple shots of alcohol and taste sweet and sugary because of their fruit juice base. This can lead us to drink more than we can handle because the drinks are tasty.

How To Reduce Alcohol-Induced Panic Attacks

• You can learn various techniques for managing your panic attacks along with other challenging withdrawal symptoms.
• Clean Recovery Centers understands the role that alcohol use can play in mental health, and offers a treatment path that addresses both conditions.
• If any of these sound like you, it’s important to reach out to a mental health professional –– preferably one who is substance use disorder certified, Oeswein says.
• Increased alcohol consumption to self-medicate anxiety can create a harmful cycle, worsening symptoms over time.

Endless Mountain Behavioral Health Center offers support and care during Mental Health Halfway house Awareness Month and beyond. By implementing these strategies into daily routines, individuals may find themselves better equipped to handle stressors without resorting to substances like alcohol. Venlafaxine is a serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) that increases both serotonin and norepinephrine levels in the brain, improving mood and reducing anxiety. Saya graduated with her Master in Social Work (MSW) with a concentration in mental health from the University of Southern California in 2010.

• This is because studies show that five sessions of breathing training over the course of four weeks reduces the severity of panic attacks.
• Over time, alcohol decreases production of the neuro-transmitter GABA (a chemical in our brain that helps us feel relaxed).
• The result is dampened brain activity, which can give you short-term relief from the symptoms of your mental illness.
• Members of Rula’s clinical leadership team and other expert providers contribute to all published content, offering guidance on themes and insights based on their firsthand experience in the field.
• The symptoms of low blood glucose include trembling, an elevated heart rate, and feeling anxious or in a low mood.

• Various resources recommend a maximum of one or two drinks per day, though it may be more beneficial to eliminate consumption if possible.
• When you stop drinking, the withdrawal symptoms are a result of your body continuing to crave the stimulation that alcohol once generated.
• However, drinking alcohol, especially heavily and over a long period of time, can actually increase your anxiety.
• These episodes can be extremely distressing and may lead to avoidance behaviors.
• Understanding the connection between alcohol and anxiety can help individuals make informed choices about their drinking habits and seek the right support when needed.
• Heavy drinkers are more likely to experience these attacks compared to moderate drinkers or non-drinkers due to alcohol’s impact on neurotransmitters in the brain.

If these strategies aren’t enough to help you manage alcohol-related panic attacks, you could benefit from professional mental health treatment. If you’ve tried reducing your alcohol use but haven’t been able to, or if panic attacks are disrupting your day-to-day life, it may be time to contact a therapist. For some, alcohol may have the opposite does alcohol cause anxiety effect and directly or indirectly lead to a panic attack. Even though alcohol is a depressive and not a stimulant, it can still cause some symptoms that may mimic a panic attack, including heart palpitations and increased sweating. If you’re already at risk for panic attacks, these could make you feel more anxious. Since alcohol can have lasting effects on our brain chemical balance, we might experience a panic attack even days after drinking or longer.

Although it takes time, you can learn to live a sober lifestyle with fewer or more manageable panic attacks in the future. If you’ve never had a panic attack before, then it is important https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/warning-signs-of-drug-use-and-addiction/ to undergo a physical health exam to make sure that this is what is occurring. Your physician may also inquire about your substance use habits, and it is important to be honest.