Later in the sleep stages, alcohol disrupts REM sleep and paralytic sleep, which is when your body rejuvenates itself. Drinking can also cause hangovers, which usually consist of symptoms like nausea, dizziness and headaches. Chemical dependency specialist Joseph Janesz, PhD, LICDC, says there are various ways that anxiety and alcohol are linked, so it’s important to understand how alcohol affects not only your does alcohol cause panic attacks body, but also your mind. When these symptoms become overwhelming, the person might have an alcoholic drink to try to calm down. They might also consume alcohol at the gathering to feel more relaxed or less inhibited around others. One theory of why this happens is called the “tension reduction hypothesis.” This theory suggests that alcohol is used as a self-medicating method to reduce stress and anxiety.
- “However, this will certainly help stop panic attacks from intensifying and will give you faster relief.”
- Treatment can help reduce the intensity and frequency of your panic attacks and improve your function in daily life.
- Neuroscientific research implicates overlapping neurobiological systems and psychological processes in promoting the rise of negative affect and alcohol misuse.
Excessive consumption of alcohol causes dehydration, which can make you feel dizzy and increase your heart rate. Alcohol is a diuretic, which means that it causes excessive expulsion of liquid from the body via urination. For every drink you have, you urinate as much as 50% to 100% more water, and this water is taken from other parts of the body. If a person has been having a drink in great quantities for prolonged periods before, his or her anxiety may be increased when the habit stops. Anxiety disorders vary in severity and kind but generally share some general symptoms such as fear, panic, and uneasiness.
Feeling unwell?
In addition, there is a risk of an electrolyte imbalance involving decreased sodium concentrations in the blood (i.e., hyponatremia), which can reduce the seizure threshold. This may be especially relevant during alcohol withdrawal, and clinicians therefore should monitor fluid intake and sodium levels during these periods. Fortunately, several important ongoing studies will help answer some remaining questions regarding the treatment of coexisting depressive or anxiety disorders in the context of alcoholism.
But alcohol can also trigger anxiety even if you don’t have an existing mental health issue. Research shows that alcohol use disorders (AUDs) and anxiety disorders often co-occur, with each exacerbating the other. People may use alcohol to cope with anxiety, leading to AUDs, while alcohol misuse may increase anxiety, creating a harmful cycle. Effective treatments address both AUDs and anxiety together, focusing on how they interact.
The relationship between alcohol and anxiety
A night of drinking can bring up feelings of anxiety or jitteriness, even if you’re not diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. Alcohol affects the levels of serotonin and other chemicals in your brain, so it affects your body and mind in various ways the next day. Your primary care provider will determine if you have panic attacks, panic disorder or another condition, such as heart or thyroid problems, with symptoms that resemble panic attacks. By Sheryl Ankrom, MS, LCPC
Sheryl Ankrom is a clinical professional counselor and nationally certified clinical mental health counselor specializing in anxiety disorders. Drinking alcohol on a regular basis can result in your body building up a tolerance to this substance over time.