Alcohol & Anxiety

[shaslove]

Hello.

I struggle with anxiety and I have been drinking too much to aleave it-I have a hard time sleeping most nights.

How do you help yourself sleep? I’m going to cut down the alcohol.

[fauxartist]

Many do and have self medicated and it's understandable when you have not gotten another way to handle this disease. Are you in therapy or on medication to help with your anxiety?

[shaslove in reply to fauxartist]

I take Ativan PRN. I have tried several meds but nothing works but Ativan. I have terrible insurance so therapy is not attainable.

I know drinking isn’t good but my anxiety seems to never stop. I hate it.

[fauxartist]

Go online and start looking for clinics in your area....check for websites with referrals...I had no insurance and no money and found a clinic that had a sliding scale payment. They are there , you just have to look...I paid 10.00 a session.

I am a recovering alcoholic....and will not tell you what you should or should not do. I can only tell you from my personal experience...no judgement what so ever from me. I am dual diagnosed...that means I have both diseases of depression and alcoholism. One in three alcoholics also suffer from depression. People here for some reason don't talk about that really....but I am open and honest about it. For some reason it's just considered another stigma I guess. Another label to deal with. I don't care, I'm open about it, and knowing that alcohol is a depressant....it's pretty simple math why someone with depression should not to drink. However you say you have anxiety....so I don't know what to tell you there.

[Hidden]

It is a proven fact that if you consume alcohol and it's in your system when you go to bed, that it will disrupt your REM sleep. REM sleep is crucial for mood, thus it becomes a vicious cycle and partly why alcoholics struggle with depression. I would cut back on alcohol to 1 to 2 a day and try not to drink at least a couple hours before bed. You should notice a difference fairly quickly.

[RiderontheStorm]

Like you, ONLY Ativan works for me. I suffer from anxiety and panic attacks. Prozac made it even worse. I did not think having only having 1 drink a night with the national news would make much difference but it does!! Since cutting back on both alcohol and coffee I have been doing better and even sleeping better with not always needing to take an Ambien! Taking the first step to stop is the hardest. Good luck.

[fauxartist]

being an alcoholic....not sleeping is not a reason I struggle with depression. You don't have to have a reason to suffer from depression...it's a chemical deficiency in the brain.

[Want2BHappy3]

I don't know what your goiing through, but iam on the receiving end of it. You should go to AA meetings to get that part under control then maybe the anxiety will be better? It's my boyfriend and our relationship is very strained right now. We barely talk, our conversation really goes BAD real FAST. Get help before ALL your relationships are in trouble.

[Sunsetgazer]

I too suffer from anxiety and I am also an alcoholic since 2012. I have been since January determined to cut the alcohol out. I have been without alcohol for the past 5 days and decided last night to have one (Friday night). I shall go back to not drinking until next Friday or Saturday. I have terrible sleeping and in all honesty even not drinking I find myself waking at 2/3/4am and being awake until time for work as I am with a skinful. I have not noticed a difference in sleep without the alcohol☹️. But how I cut down if your interested I am fairly spiritual so I have been taking the opportunity whilst awake at 2am to watch every YouTube video I can find on alkaline body’s, raw vegan, and spiritual chakra and third eye reasons on why not to drink. I have found that they explain the reasons why not to do it much better that the bog standard don’t drink it does this to your body videos. It’s scared me poop less and after a good month or so it’s finally gone in I look at alcohol now and feel VERY negatively about it. In fact I felt very guilty last night whilst drinking and after when I was feeling the effects.

[Lymeforyears]

Hi shaslove, I get the whole anxiety and alcohol vicious cycle. I am 50 (self medicated for most of my life). and though I have times with sobriety I have to be honest I do have my slip ups. I did go to a 30 day program and for now go to alcohol/anxiety groups when I can beat the anxiety but it is difficult. Constant struggle. What i do to help sleep is magnesium. Some people use melatonin or valerian root etc. Please consult your doc before trying anything if course. Good for u for wanting to cut down and I hope you find sleep relief soon 💛