Using alcohol to quiet severe anxiety.

[Oliver1969]

I am wondering if anyone became a alcoholic because it helped stop their anxiety( at least helped you sleep without panic). I recently lost my job due to alcohol and have been sober for 6 months. My AA meetings have been great; but my anxiety has been out of control and I feel in a constant state of panic....I am taking venaflaxine 150 mg. I have been to therapists and psychiatrists and we thought alcoholism was the problem, but now I realize my anxiety is a huge issue. I am desperate for any advice from people who got their life back. Any words of wisdom are greatly appreciated.

[Hidden]

Wow what a major milestone 6 months! In rehab programs, benzodiazepines are usually used to help with anxiety. Seeing as you are well past the initial withdrawal, a maintenance drug like an antidepressant is used. There is also a specific anti anxiety medication called Buspar that can be added to your medication that is not a benzodiazepine. Sometimes an antipsychotic can also help such as Abilify. It may be that you need a heavier SSRI like lexparo. Everyone is unique and reacts differently. I would speak with your doctor about adding something or changing to a new medication.

[Oliver1969 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you! Did you experience this.

[Hidden in reply to Oliver1969]

I’ve experienced major anxiety and panic and have been on Lexapro and Abilify. I am studying substance abuse counseling:).

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Have you taken Buspar for anxiety?

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I just started taking it.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Is it helping for your anxiety? I'm just wondering if I should as my doc if I could try some instead of the Benzos

[Marshall64 in reply to Hidden]

I'm talking lexapro and abilify too. What are your feelings about abilify? I have been on it for two months.

[Hidden in reply to Marshall64]

Abilify helped me, i used it as an augment to the Lexapro so it was a small amount. I was on it a couple of months, and it helped stabilize me.

[Marshall64 in reply to Hidden]

I use it the same way. I had a hard time sleeping with it but it is getting better. It helped me with negative thoughts at first but they are back. Ughh...

[Fishmonster]

Great day and god bless you on 6 months.

One of the main reasons I drank was to “cure” my anxiety. I couldn’t live without it until I realized I couldn’t continue to live that way. Last week I celebrated 12 years! I have been to numerous hospitals for anxiety and depression. Been on many types of meds. Meds affect the chemistry of your body so the affect can change over time. Find a doc who deals with these type of issues. Sadly it’s not magical so it can take time to find the right drug.

Don’t take free samples, the drug is not approved by Insurance companies and you will have to pay out of pocket for refills.

You got to find ways to relax. I had to find ways to relax and it was tough.

Meditation, slow breathing, candles, no caffeine, slow music nothing heart pounding and try to figure out what triggers your anxiety.

Take melatonin to help with sleep.

You can do it one moment at a time.

No matter how dark it gets morning always comes

[Oliver1969 in reply to Fishmonster]

Thank you,

[Purplebiker]

Yes, I currently use alcohol to calm me down. I'm hoping to see my psychiatrist and get on something so I don't drink as much. Be careful!

[Oliver1969 in reply to Purplebiker]

Thank you!

[deborah27]

you will get your life back, it may be a slightly different one. without alcohol you are facing the world without clouded vision and blurred judgement. it may at first feel very scary as your body and mind recover. reality is nowhere near as scary as you think because you are more able to deal with everything in a rational and sober way. alcohol is one way, there are many others, to try to escape dealing with things. but, it is not sustainable. it is just another anxiety causing thing that makes everything worse eventually. so, good for you, you have made a good choice. keep chatting on here for lots of support and encouragement.

[Oliver1969]

Thank you!

[anxietyandcats]

I don’t think I was an alcoholic exactly, but I definitely overused alcohol to help with my anxiety. I blacked out all the time, ended the night sobbing, put myself in danger. I couldn’t function without being intoxicated. I became a stoner for a year and was high every single day. It was the only way I could

Cope. When I stopped, my anxiety was out of control. But now, 2 years later of being completely sober, I’m in a much better place. I used to have panic attacks non stop all day, not be able to leave my room, failed my classes, lost

My friends, disassociated every day, it was bad. And now I’m functioning, going to classes every day, making new friends. Yes, I still have anxiety. Yes, it is still bothers me. But it’s manageable. And I’m hoping it will get better with new therapist and maybe changing my meds now since I think I’ve adjusted to them now. But medication can help a lot. CBT or DBT is really good. If you’re feeling really bad, maybe try an outpatient program? Group therapy helps a lot. I wish you so much luck and recovery. You can get through this.

[AZ1970]

Many people with substance use disorders also have a psychiatric disorder. You have to treat both, or relapse is likely to occur. As you are experiencing, the anxiety can lead to wanting to use to feel better. Please keep searching for a doctor who will help you with the anxiety. CBT is a good therapeutic approach for anxiety as well. Good luck!

[Crabbing]

Yes yes and yes alcohol ..Worked for many years then of course my world fell apart ..Im 53 wife , mother etc..I checked into a rehab 30 days ..my last drink was Feb..13 , 2018 ..Today i go to Dr..1st time..Very very tough to lay the bottle down tho im going to try my hardest with this anxiety so sick of it .Hoping for the right meds instead of alcohol for this condition ..Would LOVE to hear back from you plz Kim

[Crabbing]

Your story is very very similar to mine ..I was as well using alcohol to self med only to find out it was my anxiety i was hiding ..

[dannygette]

My mania was so bad it led to insomnia which lasted for three months before my diagnosis. During that time, alcohol was the only sleep aid that worked, as long as I got drunk. Obviously, this led to regrettable behavior and distrust of my family and friends. Quitting the alcohol made me sick (meaning I became an alcoholic). The pain in my stomach and organs became acute, I realized I was drinking my self to a slow suicide. It was hard to quit, but I am much healthier now. I also learned that alcohol really messes with my meds, really hindering my recovery from my illness.

[Oliver1969 in reply to dannygette]

I hope things are going better for you👌

[Crabbing]

Yes..Same for me alcohol i used turns out to self medicate also ..I went to AA as well ..Yes the truth for me was ANXIETY..I AM taking Gabapentin..Alot of people are in AA I think ANXIETY as well .....

[GodspropLizzy]

There were 5 steps and transitions when facing grief, weren't there (but i like to add; change, conflict, challenge, death and loss); Denial, Anger, Depression, Bargaining and Acceptance, right? Sounds like you are more than a few steps forward. Read the 12 steps in AA (but you must have had some crib notes or psychic powers invested in you) and although AA is not a religious institution I am sure you will find this AA site very helpful: projectknow.com/research/al...

That is, if you haven't already..............

[Suzi90]

Well said x

[urbetterthanthem]

We have all been there! Rough day very stressful...have a beer or glass of wine and relax...One could even argue that this works for a lot of people..Sometimes the alcohol gets to be too much but more important point to make would be you can handle the monster of anxiety without it. I would argue that amount of sleep and quality of sleep is one of the biggest weapons in the war against anxiety. Seems like the worst anxiety days are when you are sleep deprived and run down. Alcohol helps some people get to sleep but it actually decreases the quality of your sleep..I have found tart cherry concentrate (natural source of melatonin) and I will sometimes dabble with one or two drops of a supplement melatonin to be helpful in giving me deeper REM sleep..meditation..hypnosis...calming relaxing music and binaural tones....A hot bath with a bit of epsom salt also will help you to relax in the evening...L theanine which is in decaf green tea is also helpful and calming in the evenings..getting exercise or doing work during the day and relaxing evenings leading up to sleep really help...aromatherapy or just pleasant relaxing smells like sandalwood..vanilla..lavender..etc for some people are very calming..I believe there is a level of stress and anxiety your body is at at any given time...There are things probably obvious to you which raise it and when it gets to be at a certain point you start really feeling effects like you describe...keep a lid on it and try not to let it get to that point!..things like yoga or exercise bands are great..i find with exercise it is so helpful but ONLY IF YOU CAN FAITHFULLY DO IT...anxiety isn't going to take a day off or a week off...so for exercise..do whatever you can do that you can stick with..even if you have to make it a ridiculously easy regimine...something which is continual is infinitely better than being macho superman for a few days and then back to nothing..the anxiety monster is laughing at you when you do that :))