Stress Center Peer Support

I used to drink and enjoy it, I didn't drink because of the anxiety, I just drank to be sociable, however one night after a rather big nite and 1 to many and a very anxious day I decided I'm not drinking again.

A year later I still havent because I'm scared, and why I don't know, I can honestly say giving up didn't do any good to my anxiety, sure I don't have the hangovers so can't have panic attacks like I used to but I still have generalised anxiety.

Are you scared of alcohol?

Celeron,

It is not a bad thing to be sober. I sometimes wonder if I would be better off w/o even social drinking.

Everyone tends to deal with things differently. In '98 when my girlfriend of 4 1/2 yrs decided I wasn't the one I turned to social drinking, which turned to everynight for almost two months and hangovers a few times a week. Being from a family where Alcholism prevails, I luckily caught myself.

There is nothing wrong with alcohol, however it certainly cannot be used as a tool to fight anxiety. I think I do this too from time to time because it helps me become more social. I am very reserved in public, but I get a couple in me and I am good to go.

Now, recently I have found that after drinking with some of the anxiety I have faced in the last 6-8 months that I have felt worse when sobering up, rapid heartbeat and of course the anxiety, so yeah, I think about it, but not scared yet.

If you truly want to enjoy a cold one, then have one, not 4 or 5, just one. See how you feel, etc.

I am in no way supporting alcohol, but just saying that if you want to, you'll have to face your fear, just like those who are scared to shower, or go out in public.

I not only get nervous about drinking, but I get nervous being around people who are drinking. I work in a job that requires a lot of socializing and that happens to include alcohol. That is a huge struggle for me. I did used to drink quite a bit when I was much younger and now it's been 20 years. I go and socialize (and hate it), but it's very difficult for me.

Maybe if alcohol wasn't an issue for you you wouldn't even be stressing over it? Alcohol is a depressant, so even though after a little buzz we might feel a little better, it can get out of hand. I've decided that I don't need alcohol in my life. I've used it in the past to calm my nerves, but what I've learned is that after the initial relaxed feelings, what tends to happen is all the emotions I've bottled up come pouring out and it can get pretty ugly. I'm not trying to be preachy or say that alcohol is bad period, but I'm am being honest. I think for those of us, including myself, who have alcoholism in our families, maybe it's a better idea to not play with fire so to say. I know that there are some folks out there who can have a ****tail or two and that's that, but personally, I don't like who I am when I've been drinking. I've made a lot of bad decisions and done things I regret when I've been drinking. And I've also noticed that when I did drink, it was to get drunk and numb my pain or stress or whatever, so isn't it better to just feel our feelings and let them go and move on? Isn't that why we came to this program?

Yes, I did have this symptom too! I enjoy a glass of wine or two, or a martini once in a while - maybe once a week or once every two weeks, certainly nothing excessive, or like I was in my 'younger years'.

But, one of my biggest symptoms has always been an issue around food and drink. That if I put something 'bad' into my self that I am going to do some sort of harm. I've had to talk to myself and 'test the theory' to see if that's true and it's not. If I overindulge in anything (alcohol or food), I can feel sluggish and yucky the next day, but my fear came from thinking I was undoing my own recovery! Can you believe that?

Even now, after going through the program and the coaching, I still sometimes have to watch my thoughts around food and drink. I can scare myself and berate myself instead of looking at food and enjoying it, or taking the pleasure in sharing a glass of wine with my husband.

No, you don't have to drink, but the choice should be yours - not your fear's.

Ronda

Ronda, I agree with you. My biggest issue with drinking is that I want to decide whether or not to have a drink, rather than being afraid of it

The best advice my coach gave me was to look at the drink before I drink it - really look at it. As I look at it, I remind myself that I'm having a drink because I will enjoy it, it is my choice and I am sharing in an experience that I want (I don't ever drink alone, so for me it's always a social thing).

It is taking time, but we'll all get better at it with practicing the 'right' thoughts!

yep i am scared of it...if you read my profile you can tell what it did to me..
but i almost missed my flight from germany and had 3 years to go before i retired from the military. after weeks of drinking because it was my last overseas assignment..i fell asleep after i checked in and they moved to another areato load the passengers..it scaredme so bad i never drank again..i drank for 15 years..i know that GOD took the desire away from me and it as him that helped quit and as i fell asleep and woke up it was gone...hope that helps you some...just remember what you have there is a way to get the tools and skills you need to help you through the hard times and you will a journey ahead of you that you will enjoy.take care and hang in there and GOD BLESS.
DON

I'm the kind of person who needs to control their state of consciousness constantly. Even though drinking can be enjoyable if done intelligently and responsibly, I still get a little anxious when my state of mind changes.

I umderstand too. I used to drink pretty frequently and this year I wasn't feeling well and had to go on antibiotics that absolutely did not allow alcohol for a couple of weeks. My anxiety started getting worse and now if I even try to have a few drinks the after effect is horrible. The next day I have major anxiety and trouble sleeping. I am worried that maybe the years of social drinking may have screwed up my system and that my sleeping problems and anxiety are now worse because of this.