Why does alcohol seem to help my anxiety?

I know that making a habit out of drinking can be seriously bad for your health and in the long run may make it worse….I UNDERSTAND THIS. but with that being said.

When I’m having a lot of anxiety it DOES seem to take it away, why is that?

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Mamapolo2016 · F

As a recovering alcoholic, I will remind you that booze is a depressant, and it depresses bodily symptoms, for a while.

It does nothing toward solving any of the real issues that are making you spiral out. It’s a lot like getting shot in the heart and putting a bandaid on your thumb.

And that eventually, you will avoid people because they might smell alcohol on you. You will freak out if a police car is behind you on the highway. Because you know it’s only a matter of time before the officer knows why they want to stop you, because they’ve seen signs of what you knew all along. You’re drunk. By legal measurement, not your own.

GhostNuclear · M

How kind fidbyou drink for, if you don’t mind me asking? Three years?

@Mamapolo2016

Mamapolo2016 · F

@GhostNuclear looking back, I see I showed symptoms for years - for binge drinking. I only “knowingly” drank as an alcoholic for about six years. I was anxious, depressed and sad. I had lost my sister and my brother, through the next two years, I lost another brother, my mother, and my husband.

I woke up one morning and realized I was committing suicide and getting closer to my goal. I remember thinking, I’d better either get on with living or its opposite. I went to rehab. I got therapy.

Only at extremely rare moments have I even thought about alcohol, and it’s been 9 years and three months.
You have to do the work, but it’s immeasurably better.

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Mamapolo2016 · F

@SomeMichGuy Yep. Life was happening while I was drinking, but I missed it. As someone once told me, “I love to make mistakes, but I try not to make the same one again.”

SomeMichGuy · M

Well, you seem to be a happy person, now, @Mamapolo2016, and you definitely deserve it. 😊😊😊

Mamapolo2016 · F

@SomeMichGuy I am a happy person now. Somewhere along the road I learned that “happy” comes from inside, not outside.

SomeMichGuy · M

Then I am glad your smile is real, @Mamapolo2016 !

Mamapolo2016 · F

@SomeMichGuy yep. I’m as happy as if I were in my right mind.