Alcohol And Panic Attack
Monday, December 8, 2008 18:15It is especially important for a person who suffers from persistent panic attacks to stop drinking alcohol . For your information, alcohol has a depressant effect on the nervous system, and drinking it neither prevents nor calms panic attacks. Instead, the consumption of alcohol, while not necessarily a trigger for panic attacks, does seem to aggravate them.
Part of the problem with drinking alcohol to stop a panic attack is that the body initially reacts to alcohol as if it were a stimulant. For the first drink or two, many people experience a quickened heart and respiratory rate as well as an increased desire to socialize or engage in physical activity. Moreover, alcohol is a vasodilator, causing people to feel hot and sweat. Therefore, alcohol can cause a panic attack in reaction to increased stimulus, especially for those whose panic or anxiety attacks are triggered by heightened sensitivity to bodily stimulation and physiological reactions.
Does the effects of the stimulant wear off, as alcohol depresses bodily processes and mood. This is the reason why people get sleepy and maudlin when they drink. There is some correlation between depression and panic attack, and alcohol can aggravate or lead to depression, causing more frequent occurrences of panic attacks. A few times, excessive consumption of alcohol can be one of the main causes of repeated panic attacks. The depressing effect alcohol consumption can cause a person to dwell on the unwanted stressors that trigger their panic attacks. Those who are depressed and have anxiety attacks already have a heightened suicide risk, throwing alcohol into the mix can be deadly.
As a result of the aggravating effects of alcohol, health care providers suggest that newly diagnosed panic attack sufferers reduce their consumption of alcohol. However, health care providers rarely suggest that panic attack sufferers abstain from drinking entirely. If the attacks are external or infrequent causes for the attacks can be pinpointed, a drink or two of alcohol for relaxation purposes shouldn’t give rise to a panic attack. A few people experience no correlation between alcohol consumption and their panic attacks. If you have frequent panic attacks, though, limit your consumption of alcohol until the panic attacks can be addressed.
So panic attack can be triggered by many things, including alcohol consumption. While a person who suffers from panic or anxiety attacks need not abstain from alcohol, it is probably very important to reduce alcohol intake. This is mostly true if you are not sure of the correlation between alcohol consumption and your own panic attacks. You will eventually understand how alcohol consumption relates to your own panic attacks, and it will feel natural to stay within the bounds of that relationship. If you notice in yourself or friends or family a relationship between alcohol, depression, and panic attacks, please seek help with handling these issues.
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