You Can Stop Drinking Now

Anxiety causes feelings of apprehension and very real fear. An alcohol induced anxiety disorder cause by the excessive drinking of alcohol has prominent features of generalized anxiety and fear, panic attacks, and in more severe cases can cause phobias, or obsessive-compulsive behavior.

An alcohol induced anxiety disorder can last as long as you are drinking, and to aggravate the matter further, anxiety can also be a result of withdrawal from alcohol. In the case of withdrawal induced anxiety, research has shown that the anxiety will last approximately 4 weeks after you stop drinking alcohol. However, since each person has their own individual nervous system, this time element will vary.

In general, alcoholics have injured or altered serotonin systems in the brain. Serotonin is a feel good chemical that the brain distributes, and alcoholics have a shortage or drought of this chemical in the brain. The damage to the brain’s serotonin neurotransmitter is associated with several disorders, including general anxiety, anxiety attacks, anti-social behavior, and depression, depression being a hallmark symptom of excessive drinking.

According to research, excessive consumption of alcohol can cause numerous health hazards, one of which is your body’s vitamin depletion from drinking due to poor eating habits and alcohol wiping out the vitamins in your system. This alone will make you more vulnerable to stress.

The Key

Chronic abuse of alcohol ís often associated with depression and depression causes anxiety.

Alcohol can increase anxiety in many different ways, four of which are:

-Alcohol affects our mood because it depletes serotonin in the brain.  Serotonin, a feel good brain chemical, can cause anxiety and depression when in short supply.

-Alcohol causes dehydration which has symptoms of nervousness, shaking, dizziness, confusion and weakness.

-Our nervous systems have a reaction to excessive drinking.  The nervous system will try to fight off the sedative effects of alcohol, which can lead to a state of hyperactivity. The hyperactive state can lead to sleep deprivation which can contribute to anxiety.

-Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol can cause your heart rate to become elevated, leading to heart palpitations, once again causing anxiety.

So if you’ve been wondering if your drinking is causing your anxiety, if you drink excessively, the alcohol in your system, in effect, strips your body of required chemicals and nutrients, and this can lead to anxiety and panic attacks.