Questions & Answers
Panic
Anxiety Education
Management Services
Questions & Answers:
Alcohol and Anxiety
Q: Can
you tell me the effects of drinking too much alcohol and
anxiety/depression?
A: Alcohol is known as more of a depressant than a
stimulant. It has the effect of dampening the physical system. If
someone with anxiety/depression drinks alcohol to excess on a
regular basis, then this will most probably contribute to the
ongoing anxiety and depression. Some people with an Anxiety Disorder
use alcohol as a way of trying to deal with the ongoing
anxiety/depression. They do not realize they are making the
condition worse for themselves. Not only are there physical, but
also emotional and psychological, effects of drinking in excess. The
other aspect is that, in the morning, it is very difficult for a
person to distinguish between the anxiety symptoms and the
"hangover" from the alcohol. This contributes to the major
anxiety cycle and therefore perpetuates the Anxiety Disorder.
There is also research which links excessive alcohol consumption
with the development of an Anxiety Disorder. It is very difficult
for a health professional to ascertain which is the root cause of
the Disorder. Did the anxiety exist before the alcohol problem or
was the alcohol problem the cause of the ongoing anxiety? It is
suggested if people are experiencing the ongoing anxiety and are
experiencing an alcohol problem, then it is the alcohol problem that
needs to be addressed first. Only when the person is free of the
effects of the alcohol can the health practitioner deal with the
anxiety (if any remain). We suggest people contact their local
Alcoholics Anonymous or other similar organization to get assistance
with alcohol dependency. Many of these organizations deal with the
anxiety that can be residual from alcohol problems.
Our suggestion to people who experience ongoing
anxiety/depression is to not drink alcohol (or very limited use).
Deal with the anxiety in an appropriate way and there may be no need
to drink in excess. Excessive alcohol consumption is not worth the
effects it creates physically, emotionally or psychologically.
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