Anxiety & Panic Community

Hello, I'm new and this forum caught my attention. Back in the day..early '70s I tried marijuana. It was then I discovered I had an anxiety disorder. I did not know it actually suffered from any form of anxiety before my late twenties..over ten years later. Even then, I did not understand completely. I know now the overall anxiety disorder has really impacted my life. I thought I was not intelligent and fooled everyone because I had a good vocabulary passed down from my parents. I also thought I was shy or outgoing with small groups. I felt so self focused when meeting people.
Back to the marijuana; after several times I noticed it did not relax me at all. I thought I was going crazy. Somehow, I'm not sure, I took LSD or smoked it with that one "joint". It was the most horrifying day-night-and into the next experience ever. For years I would not take an aspirin. I can not recall feeling anxious again (although now I know I was experiencing a lower level) until my 2nd yr. of college. I started drinking. The anxiety that brought so much discomfort in social situations was gone. I loved the feeling because of the relaxation.
It was not long before panic attacks that I had previously believed (and did not learn otherwise before late 20s) started hitting frequently. I thought they were flashbacks to that LSD trip. That is what they are like. I realize most feel the heart attack sensation, but understand some experience the same sensations I do. I did not relate the panic attacks increase to drinking.
I quit drinking for good in my late thirties. I did so because the hangovers were pure torture. I now recognise I was literally going through withdrawal. The alcohol would take me below normal..feeling very relaxed and uninhibited and unfocused. When it wore off, I would spike over the top of that normal line. I would feel unusually anxious, totally awkward, and hyper focused...my brain would be on over drive; my body was a wreck. If I drank..I'd feel closer to normal...It would take a lot to get back below to the relaxed stage. To feel like me, several days would have to pass.
I finally quit. I learned a lot about this before ever quiting. In fact, I quit because it hurt. Later I connected to the pattern I just described.
The benzodiazepines..Xanax for example, do work but are very dangers for those with addiction issues. I have used them, for anxiety in the past and learned they worked well for hangovers. But, withdrawal from this type of medicine is life threatening. It is much more likely one who has abused such a drug for a period of time will have a stroke.
There are so many alternatives. I tried accepting the panic attacks after I stopped drinking. I was not successful in ridding of them without help. But it is true, many are able to accomplish that. Anxiety runs in my family. My brother has Social Phobia and general "constant anxiety"...sever. He swore he would never take drugs from a Dr. that were addictive. So he self medicated with alcohol. (I know it is a drug, but he could not accept that). He had to drink more and more because he was actually worsening his anxiety/phobia and sever depression. Sorry I wrote so much..

I am no doctor, nor do I pretend to be one, but I have the same issues. I have horrible anxiety for a week or so after drinking. I have spent a lot of time freaked out and having feeling of panic, shakes, feeling like I was full of adrenaline. I think that it is our bodies way of telling us to knock it off.

thought this was just because I was getting "older" but wow. I couldnt have said it better myself. I work m-f and occasionally I like to "tie one on" on the weekends. ever since i started having this anxiety thing, i cant even begin to function after even a few drinks the next day. its debilitating. My doctor says that people with anxiety tend to be hypoglycemic due to a drop in blood sugar related to the stress of anxiety. Ill betcha the sugar in the alcohol mixed with the withdrawl symptoms (which a hangover pretty much is) is exactly what we are dealing with. which sucks because as we all know, a few drinks makes people with anxiety feel a bit better.

Hi Kyle,

I've recently started getting similar symptoms as yourself. First time it happened i was convinced i was dying and went to hospital as i'd never felt like that before. I suspect something is wrong in my brain as i've been feeling unwell even before this began, I suspect i've got some kind of pre-stroke symptoms like some brain vessels are clogging up with saturated fats, etc and need a MRI scan to confirm. I have problems with my heart also which keeps jumping around which makes me very anxious and makes me constantly on edge when it jumps i feel as it could be a heart attack. I've had one panic attack which was brought on by drinking a large coffee and then walking up a hill. It was very scary too and again thought my number was up. I have found myself becoming more anxious month by month and just pray one day i will wake up and feel my old healthy self again. How are you coping now as you wrote you comments 3 years ago?

hi I just want to say that I also drink and have anxiety. While I am drinking it seems to relax me but the nest day i seem to have bad panic attacks with the same systems as you say I also had to go to the hospital thinking more of a stroke, and this intense attacks are all of a sunnden very bad. My mom seems to think it's worse the next day after i've been drinking. But I guess I didnt want to believe that now im wondering.
she seems to think when you have a hangover is the best time to be attack with panic cause your body is already out of wack your defence is lowered even may be more sensitivre, and your paniic attacks are much worse or seem much worse.

HEY... good for you, im mikes mom reading on these because Im trying to tell him but he won't listen he doesnt realize I went through the same thing and guess what some neds did help some but not no where enough it just helped my body from recating but the mind and the stuff that brought on the attacts didnt get better till I found God, A church I loved and really felt god and a whole lot better to this day and thqat was 13 yrs ago, OH I know aIll still gfet them and I still worry but it helps knowing and having God with you..
Lori

I am so glad also to hear that there are so many others feel what i go through. i drink,but ive had anxiety disorder since i was young. i am twenty nine now going to be thirty in dec. but i wake up shaky and dizzy barely able to make it to the bathroom and when through having to hurry and get back in the bed cause im so dizzy im seeing white spots and about to pass out. my head burns and tingles also and my vision is blurry. im so scared wondering if im going to have to call an ambulance. and i hate that i do this,but i will either get a glass of sunny d with a table spoon of sugar or grab a beer and down it then another.so just know ya all are not alone.

Did you ever find a solution? I have the same exact issue, though I have been battling this for years and have not been able to gain any solutions.
It hits at weird times too, sometimes I don't get it and sometimes it is so severe that I hate life.

I just found this post, and it feels so good to be among others that have the same condition.
My daughter was diagnosed with sever panic disorder about 12 years ago. We had never heard of such a thing before.
I had always had the feelings but didn't know what they were from. My parents may have had it as well, they were both severe alcoholics who would drink day and night. When they went "on the wagon" they would be so depressed that they would sleep all day and not eat.
I have had this condition since I can remember and I have a feeling that it may be a genetic dissorder.
I have had the same discussions with my daughter as you, but she also fought it saying it was not the same. Now after years on Paxil and zanex she has finally gotten a handle on it and has even quit her meds ( over 2 years ago) SO there is hope for kids if they get after it early.
Bill

Just some insight--

Are any of y'all on medication for your anxiety and/or depression? I have been on 20mg of Citalopram (generic Celexa) for about 3 weeks now and noticed that there is a warning in the paperwork that the medication should not be mixed with alcohol. I am terrified to drink anything (I'm not much of a drinker anyway--I drink maybe once every other month) because I have heard about people going bezerk after mixing alcohol with meds. Could that be a factor in the increased anxiety and panic attacks?

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Kylie,

I had my first massive panic attack when I was 20-years-old after a three day bender in New York City. I was about to board the bus to go back home, saying goodbye to the "dream man" I met there and feeling much anxiety about it, when one of these happened and I had no idea what the hell it was.

My personal panic attacks.....first the sensation starts off in my hands and feet and travels quickly. It's such a profound numbness I almost can't believe it is only anxiety--it feels like a stroke or like I'm going to be paralyzed, probably causing more anxiety. It goes into my chest, face and neck--this is the worst part because I literally can't tell if I'm even breathing. When it's bad, the lips go too. It's like I have pins and needles all over my body and can barely move. One of the worst attacks I ever had actually caused my hands to crumble up (I looked like I was retarded or crippled) and my jaw to go so numb my speech slurred and I could barely speak. I ended up at the ER, naturally. I can handle a fast heart rate, sweating, feeling a little anxious (I always had this) but I CANNOT take the numbness.

I had one of these episodes on the L.A. freeway and almost wrecked my car. Then I began to fear them--I still do. Once extremely social and unafraid, I became agoraphobic and lost my job. I spent the majority of time in my apartment for 3 months. I was tested for hypoglycemia, a thyroid problem, all of that. Nothing was wrong. They said I was healthy, just had panic disorder. I had been on zoloft--made me suicidal. Took celexa--didn't work. Only benzos helped, ativan to be specific but I usually have to take 2 MGs to quiet the symptoms. And as they say, "If you like booze, you like benzos." (These, although a life saver when it comes to attacks, can cause rebound anxiety and serious dependancy).

Now keep in mind I've been a heavy drinker since I was seventeen and this has become progressively worse. I turned 25 and thought "enough is enough" and tried to quit drinking. Well the profound numbness wasn't as frequent but I felt like I was outside of my body, started thinking really dark things, having bad dreams, felt like I was losing my mind, deep depression I never felt before, obsessed with my breathing, felt I'd never be the same person. It feels like it never ends, but it seems that the longer I go without alcohol, each day the anxiety is a bit less (but that's only after you get over the initial hump; however, I don't think you're dealing with the substance abuse issues I am, so it may be much easier for you).

I also think the blood sugar thing has a TON to do with it. A lot of times I would eat later the next day after a bender and it would trigger the attack. I think your body is going nuts trying to regulate sugars. Sometimes drinking juice helps, actually. Nutrition and abstaining from drinking seem to be the only things that really ever helped me. I just wanted to share my experience because I have such horrific attacks (definitely not the typical panic attacks most people get) and know how much of a relief it is to hear that other people are having these problems too and I'm not the only one.

Good luck with everything.

See my post below. It sucks. Badly. I know what you're going through. Mine are intermittent too.

Kylie,
What has helped me, is hard as it was, to cut way down on consumption.
I quit my nicotine addiction 5 years ago and the panic symptoms got much worse. Doctors said i could offset the effects with drugs, but i don't even take aspirin, so that is not an option for me.
From time to time I go out with the boys and have more than one or two beers (micros) and I suffer with panic for about a week afterwards.
Drives my wife nuts, because one of the side effects is that I forget to breath and I will gasp for air intermitently. I have already gone through the work thing and now work from home and never leave to visit accounts, though I can go out socially.
I went a week without any alcohol at all and the symptoms are hugely diminished, but they don't go away all together. One of the effects when i don't drink is a flight or fight reaction to most everything...
Currently I drink one of my homebrews nightly and it has had positive effects ( I suspect because there is no preservatives or force carbonation)
Be great if they would come up with a homeopathic that would work...I haven't found one yet though Aconitum helps a bit.
I't is nice to know that we are not nuts, just unlucky in the gene pool...Thanks for the response