Drinking to help you cope with stress and anxiety.

Is it okay to drink alcohol to release stress?

Research has shown that many people use alcohol to escape from stress and anxiety. In fact, it is well known that alcohol actually causes more stress in the short and long term. Although alcohol has the power to calm you down and make you feel more relaxed in the moment, it is medically classified as a depressant, because it slows down your brain, and changes the way you think, feel and act. Studies have indicated that alcohol may act as a negative enforcer to increase stress and anxiety. However, alcohol can also be a positive enforcer that eliminates unpleasant experiences or bad memories for a short time.

You may develop a habit of reaching for the alcohol every time you feel anxious or stressed. You could end up drinking more and more, just to relieve anxious feelings and relax for an ever-shortening while.

Why some people drink to cope.

People drink for many various reasons. Some drink to try and relieve the symptoms of mental health issues, while others may drink to celebrate, socialise, relax, or just drown their sorrows. However, the pleasant effect of alcohol is unfortunately only temporary, and drinking isn’t the only way to cope with stress. There are many ways to work through anxiety and stress in life, mainly by addressing the issues head-on, instead of suppressing them by using alcohol, which could lead to alcohol dependence.

How an anxiety disorder can affect you.

In some parts of the world, alcohol has become known as a favourite coping mechanism, and is commonly used to try and manage stress and anxiety. This is often used in social situations, especially if someone is prone to being shy and retiring, to get what is popularly known as ‘Dutch courage.’ Bear in mind that stress and anxiety go hand in hand, and there are certain factors which can lead to one, or both being triggered in the conscious mind, which initiates a desire to drink.

Depression.

Alcohol is often described as a depressant, which does not mean that alcohol itself will make you depressed. What it does is suppress and slow down the body’s central nervous system – the system that lets the brain tell the body what to do. That means that alcohol makes you less coordinated, more accident prone, and less aware of danger.

A hangover after a heavy drinking session can lead to issues such as low blood sugar, dehydration, nausea, severe headaches, and liver pain – that leaves you struggling to move, and think clearly. A measure of what is known as brain fog, may also set in, and affect your cognitive abilities (thinking clearly) in a negative way.

What the experts say.

Mental health experts agree that drinking to cope will not help you to deal with anxiety and stress. The truth is that you may land in a cycle of drinking more and more in a futile effort to keep calm. It is highly recommended that you consider engaging the services of a competent counsellor to help you create a new mindset and eliminate harmful thoughts, which may be holding you back from fully coping with anxiety and stress.

There is also the potential that therapy can help you move away from the AUD - alcohol abuse disorder spectrum, and take back control your life.