"Hangxiety": Have you had this?

[Anxiety Man 1]

Hello everyone...Has anyone ever heard of, or experienced, "hangxiety"?  This is a horrible feeling of anxiousness, or even full-blown panic, that comes with a hangover, in susceptible individuals, such as myself.  This can also occur while drinking.  I'm 43 years old, and I have only begun experiencing this in the last year. I, basically, have to give up drinking alcohol because of the negative effects.  It's as if I've acquired an alcohol intolerance.  

An example of what happens, like clockwork, is that I will drink (more than two), eventually falling asleep.  Then, in the middle of the night, usually within about two or three hours of falling asleep, I will wake up with anxiety symptoms, or a full-blown panic attack.  That is to say, a racing heart, sweating, disorientation, chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, weakness, depersonalization, and sometimes ending in a bout of diarrhea. Usually, it's just the racing heart, and it's difficult, to impossible, to fall back asleep.

Thanks for any input!

[bin_tenn 1252]

Some people tolerate alcohol well despite having anxiety. For others, the alcohol exacerbates/triggers anxiety. Yes, it's possible that one may have strong tolerance and eventually develop limited tolerance, as you're describing. Doctors often advise against using alcohol at all for someone with anxiety, and for good reason! If you wish to continue alcohol, that's entirely up to you, but my personal recommendation (I'm not a health care professional) would be to slow down and eventually stop.

[Iugrad91 501]

I don’t drink often, maybe 2-3 times a month. Usually only 1-2 glasses of red wine. If for some reason I have more than that I get the hanxiety. Mostly because I just feel blah the next day, which makes me lay around and not do much, which means my brain has time to think about all those things I worry about. When my brain is tired like with a hangover it seems to disable any sensible thinking abilities I have on a normal day. 

[AbeLinkedIn 41]

I can't drink because of my medication but I have heard of this before. Both Bin and Lugrad have excellent points. Your brain isn't running on all cylinders during a hangover. 

[Nutmegbella 91]

4 hours ago, Anxiety Man said:

Hello everyone...Has anyone ever heard of, or experienced, "hangxiety"?  This is a horrible feeling of anxiousness, or even full-blown panic, that comes with a hangover, in susceptible individuals, such as myself.  This can also occur while drinking.  I'm 43 years old, and I have only begun experiencing this in the last year. I, basically, have to give up drinking alcohol because of the negative effects.  It's as if I've acquired an alcohol intolerance.  

An example of what happens, like clockwork, is that I will drink (more than two), eventually falling asleep.  Then, in the middle of the night, usually within about two or three hours of falling asleep, I will wake up with anxiety symptoms, or a full-blown panic attack.  That is to say, a racing heart, sweating, disorientation, chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, weakness, depersonalization, and sometimes ending in a bout of diarrhea. Usually, it's just the racing heart, and it's difficult, to impossible, to fall back asleep.

Thanks for any input!

I am just like you. But I continue to have my drinks every Saturday. Sunday morning, I have the racing heart, the loose stomach, high anxiety.... at first I was put off for a few years. But then I saw that there are certain types of alcohol I just can’t drink because the symptoms are much worse and I’ve ended up in the ER. But my go to every weekend that I only experience mild effects is whiskey. I over did this Saturday and I am here dealing with anxiety from it. I feel like my stomach issues have carried on to today and usually it’s just the day after. And I feel like I’m breathing in thin air. It leaves me feeling dizzy. 

I would like to stop but it’s what helps me distress. I had a really rough Friday. I told myself I should only have a night out drinking once a month. I went two weeks. And I just needed to go out. I wasn’t going to drink but once I did I didn’t stop, and I didn’t stop to drink water like I usually do. I drink a cup of water in between drinks but it was pure alcohol till I felt the effects. Then I finally had a bit of water and coffee. Welll the morning after I was having the shakes and high anxiety. Felt like that until I ate. Then it was loose stomach with a bout of anxiety. I couldn’t fall asleep last night until I got in a good workout that finally helped me knock out. And today I’ve felt like crap. And the breathing in thin air sensation is starting to give me high anxiety  will that stop from going out next Saturday? Nope.

 

[Anxiety Man 1]

Nutmegbella, that sounds almost identical to my experience. And, yes, my Monday’s are miserable if I’ve had a bender weekend. There’s been times when I’ve debated going to the ER or walk-in clinic.

I have been to the doctor about it, and got the usual medical checkup. He didn’t sound overly concerned, but told me to cut back. I am definitely cutting way back. It doesn’t even take much. Like I said, more than two. 

But, I’ve just never, personally, known anyone that experienced this. Although, “hangxiety” is definitely a thing. It took me all day to feel normal again, as it always does, but now I’m exhausted. 

Tonight I took ashwaghanda and am going to bed early. No alcohol. 

Thanks for your replies!! I enjoy reading the input and it really helps. 

[Anxiety Man 1]

1 hour ago, AbeLinkedIn said:

I can't drink because of my medication but I have heard of this before. Both Bin and Lugrad have excellent points. Your brain isn't running on all cylinders during a hangover. 

Great user name, btw. I love it. 😄

[jonathan123 2367]

Alcohol is depressant. Fact! If you are an anxiety sufferer then drinking large quantities of alcohol will make you more anxious and depressed as the effects wear off. This leads to more drinking to overcome the depression. It's a vicious circle. If on medication of any sort then drinking is out, unless the instructions tell otherwise. But many sufferers enjoy a drink of wine in moderation. That's the answer really, in moderation. But how do you know what is 'moderation' for you? If you get uncomfortable symptoms then obviously it's not.

[Anxiety Man 1]

1 hour ago, jonathan123 said:

Alcohol is depressant. Fact! If you are an anxiety sufferer then drinking large quantities of alcohol will make you more anxious and depressed as the effects wear off. This leads to more drinking to overcome the depression. It's a vicious circle. If on medication of any sort then drinking is out, unless the instructions tell otherwise. But many sufferers enjoy a drink of wine in moderation. That's the answer really, in moderation. But how do you know what is 'moderation' for you? If you get uncomfortable symptoms then obviously it's not.

Oh, I know. More than two, approximately, and I get those symptoms, especially as it wears off. I've heard it having to do with rushes of adrenaline, cortisol, glutamine, and depletion of serotonin, and blood sugar, when you've overdone it. It obviously amplifies my anxious state. I probably am not aware of my level of anxiety, as with the proverbial frog in boiling water, I am unaware of my true condition. Though, I have much knowledge and many years of experience with this, it never ceases to show a new face.

[JOYCICLE 654]

Drinking dehydrates us  very badly.  Dehydration can make us feel extra anxious. I'd suggest, if you really want to keep drinking, to be sure to hydrate well before and during the alcohol intake and see if that helps at all. One of the reasons I gave up drinking was the hangovers ' hurt more than they used to'.  Hank Jr was right!   I'd feel desperately ill like I had a flu oncoming after just a few drinks. It was just not worth it. 

 

[Anxiety Man 1]

On 5/21/2019 at 10:03 AM, JOYCICLE said:

 ...hangovers ' hurt more than they used to'.  Hank Jr was right!   I'd feel desperately ill like I had a flu oncoming after just a few drinks. It was just not worth it. 

 

That's exactly right. I don't know what's changed, or if it's elevated anxiety, or some combination. But, it's become hardly worth it anymore. Not, necessarily, a bad thing.

The way it made my heart race and feel short of breath, upon waking in the middle of the night, I did wonder if it was a more "ominous" heart issue. But, I'm "normal" the rest of the time, even during cardio exercise and working out.

[Ms.Honey 12]

I get this too, I’ve always thought it was from being dehydrated. If I wake up like that with my heart racing (which leads to me having a panic attack) I force myself to get up and drink a couple of big glasses of water. Even better, I try to proactively drink a ton of water before bed. It helps. I don’t drink often, it’s been disagreeing with me more and more lately.