Stress Center Peer Support

I have pretty much always liked working out (basketball, jogging, swimming, weights, hitting a heavy bag, etc).
I like having a nice drink or two (JD/coke or whatever) after a good hard workout. I go from feeling all pumped up from the
workout to having a really nice relaxed feeling. Then I also still feel better than usual the next day also (probably still the
effect of the extra endorphins released during the workout). I might mention that I work out sometimes until I just about
drop over (a glutton for punishment I guess). Anyway, I hope I don't have to give up drinking completely.

Well, you don't have to give it up forever, but the problem with using alcohol is that, because it is a chemical depressant, your brain will stop producing the depressive chemicals that keep your body normal since it is getting those chemicals. Because your brain doesn't readjust itself as soon as the alcohol wears off, your liberation-inhibition chemicals are off balance, which means that you end up more stimulated than depressed, which means that you're more anxious in the end, which means that you'll need more alcohol to get the same feeling, which means that your brain will produce less of the depressive chemicals, which means that the cycle continues. I recommend trying to replace alcohol with carbohydrates since Dr. Phillip Fisher said that they are relaxers as well.

Thanks for the tip. I think I'll try more or less quitting at least until I get over this. I think it will especially be a good idea
until I go back to working full time more regularly. At least it will be doing something different than I have been.

I drink only around the holidays in moderation.