As I sit here, my anxiety is sweeping up over me and my chest is tightening. I can feel panic setting in again and thinking how I could deal with these thoughts better with alcohol. I'm trying to remind myself that that wasn't dealing with intrusive thoughts, it was ignoring them by being intoxicated. Ignoring so much about my life for beer.
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I have been there. Take deep breaths, call a friend anything that you can do to not think about it.
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Thank you. I'm trying, lucky to have my wife here. I am blessed.
Andy I know exactly what you’re going through. Anxiety would creep upon me, and completely wreck whatever I was doing at the time. My dam brain would tell me to have a drink and all would be better. I had to reprogram myself, and my way of thinking. I constantly remind myself that alcohol doesn’t fix problems, it only creates problems. I will no longer allow a man made substance, control my life. Also try meditating. Close your eyes and pay attention to your breathing, and tell yourself it’s going to be alright, and you can do this. Don’t let the alcohol win. Your stronger than you think, you just have to believe in yourself. B💪
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Thank you Michael. I am trying, after today's panic attack I've got a lot of worries about work and providing for my family. I will keep breathing and remind myself it will be alright. There will be a way.
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Your welcome Andy. Bđź’Ş
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Hi Andy! I can completely sympathize with how your feeling and use to only “deal with” difficulties using alcohol as well. Have you tried talk therapy to help with the anxiety and panic attacks?
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Thankfully I am back on the schedule with my counselor. It took me years of saying, this medication doesn't work and therapy doesn't work to realize it wasn't working because I never gave it the chance. Washed the medication down with beer every night for years, and then I ended up at the rock bottom I felt this morning at 330 in the morning. I apologized so much to my wife and cried. I felt (and still do) ashamed of myself.
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I’ve learned to remember your goals and keep doing the things you love !! It will get easier. Find a hobby to pass some of the time!!
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Thanks, sir. May need to pick an old one up again, something I gave up in favor of drinking beer by myself in the basement and pacing.
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When I start feeling that anxious feeling brewing up (learned this in group therapy lol you gotta do the opposite of what your feeling) I go an a walk get my heart rate up. While i’m walking I pick out 5 things I can see, 5 things you can feel, 5 things you can smell, 5 things to touch, and it’s hard to do taste haha but you get it the 5 senses. and even if you can’t go out and walk just doing the 5 senses thing helps getting you out of your head.
Honestly sometimes nothing helps but medication, my anxiety is so bad I take Hydroxyzine. It kinda helps it at least works enough that i don’t get so worked up i need to use ya know. Hope any of that helps !
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I’ve struggled with this. For moderate mood swings just getting up to get a cup of water help. And for bad anxiety, I just step outside for some resetting.
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