Anxiety & drinking?

[AWTTY]

Well first- thanks to those who welcomed me.

as an anxiety guy for years (GAD) I have found myself drinking more. Which I know is not good long term. Anyone else?

[fauxartist]

yep....did it for decades...and if I hadn't of quit when I did...I would not be writing this now. I judge no one for what they choose to do. All my family and some friends drink....it's not a problem for me, I just know i don't....because I can't for one thing, I have the disease, and the other main reason I self medicated was so I didn't have to deal with my stuff. I drank and used till my brain didn't think about stuff anymore. All my ghosts from the past, and hamster wheel in my head spinning thinking stopped.....the problem was....everything came back when I sobered up and I was sick, hung over, and broker....so...I quit...went to therapy, and ACOA. Along with some other recovery stuff.

[AWTTY in reply to fauxartist]

Thanks for your reply fauxartist. Yes......I too have the same deal where I can use alcohol just to completely stop my brain from freaking out. It works to a point....until it stops. I've told my therapist more than once, sometimes the only things that can get me to calm down are a Xanax or a few stiff drinks (never around the same time!!!). I also feel that vibe where I think if I completely removed drinks from my "self med" routine- I would be flat up against a wall. I guess I am almost afraid to quit completely because I am worried my anxiety would come back to the levels I was at before I got things more under control. I *can't* go back to there. I remember once walking into work I literally froze solid in my tracks and broke down because I thought a bump in my mouth was cancer. Good gravy. What a stupid mental illness. Can't I just lose an arm or something!!?? (kidding- but somedays not so much)

[fauxartist in reply to AWTTY]

I understand what your saying, something is better than nothing...no judgement here, not my place to do that. I am just wondering if you've told your therapist your drinking to calm your anxiety....and they have said nothing? I have never had that experience so I guess my question to the therapist would be...is there an alternative to drinking that will give you the same relief...medication isn't the cure all either, and some people manage without it also, I cannot. I take SSRI's.

I cannot begin to tell you the long term damage drinking does to the body. I've seen some of the old timers in sobriety dying from the after affects of long term drinking, even though they have been sober for years, the damage had been done.....so I would say finding an alternative for your health sake may be a good idea.

[AWTTY in reply to fauxartist]

fauxartist - Um...ugh. I have told my therapist about the need for a stiff drink to "relax" and I got the "head nod". I think I was underplaying to her the extend of how much I could drink on a bad day. Yeah- I am worried about body damage too. Ugh. I am on that odd precipice of wondering if I need to admit (yet another issue) or if I just need to build a better self-care practice. Thanks...

[fauxartist in reply to AWTTY]

AWITTY...it's not a social stigma here....and it's your own business, and if your finding it's becoming a problem and more of a need than even just for medicinal, then it's okay to address that you may have the disease...I do....so what...it's no different that those with heart disease or diabetes...it is what it is...and yeah a pain to have to deal with another issue...but that's our life....we are warriors and survivors and have been given challenges many could never understand...but you have support no matter what you feel you need to do...

[Priscillar307]

Hi, i completely relate to this! Definitely becomes not so much of an outlet, but a need. Like “oh I’m feeling super anxious I’ll just have a drink” which leads to another & then another. Something I’ve learned along the way is to really analyze my feelings, as silly as it may sound, analyze how u feel. Ask yourself these questions:

1. How do i feel right now?

If the answer is “sad, bad, negative feelings” then try restricting yourself from drinking bc this is how we start becoming more dependent on it & harder to stop

& if the answer is “happy, great, etc” then move on to the next question:

2. If I’m happy & great then why do i need this drink?

If u answer “bc everyone around me is drinking” then again restrict yourself bc as being someone that already drinks as an outlet then it’s not the healthiest to keep drinking. I guess the goal at the end of the analyzation is to stop drinking or adding substances into ur body & not needing anything to stimulate u. Not sure if this helped or not but i go through the same things as well!