subject: Anxiety Attack Remedy - Can Alcohol Safely Provide Relief From Anxiety? [print this page] It can be very tempting to turn to alcohol to help with feelings of stress and anxiety. Using alcohol can work to reduce anxious feelings in the short-term. But, can alcohol safely provide relief from anxiety over an extended period of time? In seeking an anxiety attack remedy, it is important to know some of the ways alcohol may not be such a good idea to help with your anxiety for the long-term.
People with anxiety disorders frequently use alcohol as a temporary solution to help cope with fear and anxiety. This way of self-medicating is seen as a means to lessen feelings of stress. The concern of using alcohol as a quick fix is that it can become a crutch and you are not really treating the source of the anxiety.
Because alcohol is a strong depressant and can remove some anxious feelings, it is easy to become dependent and feel you can not live without it. However, you can put yourself at risk of injury due to some of the side effects of continual drinking.
Studies have shown that consuming too much alcohol can result in:
irregular heartbeat and lowering of blood sugar, both of which can increase symptoms of anxiety
becoming less able to cope with anxiety as time goes on
You may find that you do not need to give up alcohol completely, but, should be aware of how much, when, and why you are drinking. There are other ways to cope with anxiety besides turning to alcohol to deaden the pain.
In searching for an anxiety attack remedy, it is important to remind yourself that by facing and finding a solution to the source of the anxiety, you will find other ways to replace the use of alcohol. It is always a good idea to start with a visit to your doctor for a full medical checkup.
