Lately struggled with lots of anxiety and stress. Pretty normal feelings as a student but not sure if I should be feeling them as heavy as I do. Regardless, I often get an urge to drink in these particular instances to relieve these emotions. I'm sure these isn't an uncommon experience, but I'd like to hear from y'all if you have dealt with this and how you have handled it.
Glad you popped back in after your previous thread.
You probably feel alone, but you aren't. Maybe spend sometime with this thread and see that there are others who have walked this road you find yourself on.
Having a drink to relax is no big deal. Having to drink to deal with anxiety and stress can be. I used to struggle with this a fair bit to control stress. I still like a few drinks now and again, no doubt, but I replaced the "need" to drink with regular exercise. Heavy lifting lots of walking. Most of my stress is bled out lifting. I'd rather do that then feel like a turd in the morning.
But I get it. No easy answer. Honestly, I just kind of aged out of it, but redirecting my energy helped the most. It helps that my wife and kids keep me too busy to be indulgent!
Will add that regular and consistent sleep made a huge difference. Separate yourself from your phone/iPad around 10 pm and get 7-8 hours as routinely as you can.
Great advice. Your brain wants to stay in homeostasis so an added benefit of exercise, lifting etc is that doing something difficult will cause you to feel more relaxed later.
With alcohol or drugs it's the opposite: you artificially relax your brain causing it to become imbalanced; to correct this you'll get hormones and neurological response in the direction of stress/anxiety. Hello hangxiety.
Consistently exercising will train your brain to be more relaxed.
Consistently drinking will train your brain to be more stressed/anxious.
But reliance on alcohol to combat stress and anxiety can go bad in a big way. Again, depending on the person
It would be best to find other ways. Sleep, exercise, diet, reading, faith
Seek professional help if necessary
The effects of alcohol is not a one-size-fits-all proposition. But enough people are negatively affected, and we all know plenty of them, that I have absolutely no problem making the blanket statement that alcohol is not a good way to combat stress and anxiety. Seek other means
First of all, it shows a lot of maturity and insight to post here on this subject. You are not alone. I suffered from stress and anxiety often during my college and med school years. And often numbed the problem with booze and sleeping pills.
And then suffered from scrupulosity which is an irrational fear of hell. Again numbed the problem with booze and sleeping pills.
To me, alcohol is not the solution to anything and I enjoy a cocktail and wine.
The key is controlling the anxiety and stress and as posted above alcohol should be way down the list of possible solutions. Exercise, prayer, meditating on the goodness of God, all help.
I lost a lot of my anxiety when I finally realized God loved me unconditionally. Even when I screwed up.
And when I became completely convinced of my eternal life after death in a resurrected body in the blissful presence of God, a lot of the anxiety went away.
It still comes around sometime but instead of a drink, I tell the devil (anxiety) to go away. We are adopted children of the most high God. Anxiety and stress have no power over us. And we have control over our mind and thoughts, praise the Lord.
Be gone in the name of Jesus. And faith in Christ gives more peace than any drug or alcohol could ever do. He is the rock of my life.
No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See full Medical Disclaimer.
Lately struggled with lots of anxiety and stress. Pretty normal feelings as a student but not sure if I should be feeling them as heavy as I do. Regardless, I often get an urge to drink in these particular instances to relieve these emotions. I'm sure these isn't an uncommon experience, but I'd like to hear from y'all if you have dealt with this and how you have handled it.
Thanks
I've been there OP, as well as a lot of posters here. Curious, where are you on your faith journey?
Playing Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus in my mind and meditating constantly on the fruits of the Spirit brings peace and joy to me.
And no hangover or weight gain like with alcohol.
Really excited about seeing my deceased family members again. And never have to lose them. Be with them and Jesus forever.
What is weird is when you lose your life in Christ you gain it with joy and peace. And even though eternal life will be better than this life, because of my faith I can relax and enjoy this life better.
No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See full Medical Disclaimer.
And sorry TULIP believers, I can not believe a loving God does not offer this grace and peace to every person He created. Added that because I tried to believe Calvinism and it nearly drove me crazy.
No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See full Medical Disclaimer.
No longer Catholic but there was a great expression I remember. "Offer it Up."
Offer those feelings humbly and sincerely to the Living God. He is eternal and present. The Risen Lord went through all these things like we do. He had doubt and anxiety in the garden. He is the Bread of Life. No doubt, fear, anxiety can separate us from Him. The Holy Spirit is our Guide and Protector.
Alcohol is just like anything else in this world. It can be a good or an evil. We make that decision.
I was a heavy drinker. Used to brag about being one of the most physically fit alcoholics. It was a lifestyle where I was. No longer want or need it. I was lucky but others are not.
No longer Catholic but there was a great expression I remember. "Offer it Up."
Offer those feelings humbly and sincerely to the Living God. He is eternal and present. The Risen Lord went through all these things like we do. He had doubt and anxiety in the garden. He is the Bread of Life. No doubt, fear, anxiety can separate us from Him. The Holy Spirit is our Guide and Protector.
Alcohol is just like anything else in this world. It can be a good or an evil. We make that decision.
I was a heavy drinker. Used to brag about being one of the most physically fit alcoholics. It was a lifestyle where I was. No longer want or need it. I was lucky but others are not.
Very good point about Jesus going through what we do. I believe a lot of Christians doubt their faith because they are not always joyful or at peace and suffer from stress and anxiety. They think if they were really a Christian they would not suffer from anxiety and stress. And that is false.
No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See full Medical Disclaimer.
Not at all. I think it's fine in moderation but avoid drinking around brothers who struggle with it.
Ok, then why the anxiety with having a drink if you are stressed and want to relax or wind down?
I am not trying to play a gotcha game over your beliefs. It's just hard to answer your question when it seems like we don't have a full understanding of your issue.
If you just want a "that a boy" because you need encouragement happy to give that to you too.
Not at all. I think it's fine in moderation but avoid drinking around brothers who struggle with it.
Ok, then why the anxiety with having a drink if you are stressed and want to relax or wind down?
I am not trying to play a gotcha game over your beliefs. It's just hard to answer your question when it seems like we don't have a full understanding of your issue.
If you just want a "that a boy" because you need encouragement happy to give that to you too.
I think the situation is:
Our brother is struggling with high levels of anxiety and stress and the urge to drink alcohol to relieve it.
It's a big enough issue that he's come to a message board for help.
He has identified that this is a problem and is looking for practical help.
Not at all. I think it's fine in moderation but avoid drinking around brothers who struggle with it.
Ok, then why the anxiety with having a drink if you are stressed and want to relax or wind down?
I am not trying to play a gotcha game over your beliefs. It's just hard to answer your question when it seems like we don't have a full understanding of your issue.
If you just want a "that a boy" because you need encouragement happy to give that to you too.
I apologize I guess. I'm not in the loop on this if there's more to it.
I apologize.
Hard to know the background of these stories.
Alcohol, when used appropriately, is a gift from God. Wine is mentioned all through the Bible as a joyful thing unless it leads to drunkenness and debauchery.
I mean, Jesus was accused of being a glutton and drunkard by the religious leaders of His time. Sound familiar? Human nature never changes. Wonder what Christ would say about some of our religious leaders today?
The problem is when alcohol is used inappropriately which is disastrous. Kind of like everything from money to sex, appropriate use is wonderful, inappropriate use leads to bad things.
No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See full Medical Disclaimer.
Alcohol is not inherently evil/sinful/bad, but it is easily abused and disordered attachments to it are easily formed and hard to sever. Most recent research has found that it's not good for you, even in small amounts. Whether for the mental or physical health benefits, I would seriously considering abstinence. Having said that, I reiterate that it's not inherently bad.
Have you done any research to help you understand what anxiety is? A very basic definition is the engaging of the fight or flight response when there's nothing that merits fighting or fleeing. That's what makes it so visceral. Your body and brain are engaging overdrive but there's nothing actually wrong that merits engaging the afterburners. Another way to think of it is your walking past a bush and reacting like there's a lion waiting to jump from the bush and eat you when in fact at most there's a house cat lurking.
First thing to do is recognize the disparity between reality and how you perceive reality and then recognize that this is the result of some mis-wiring in your brain. You can address the physical reactions through things like breathing exercises and through intentionally slowing down your thoughts by reading a scripture passage at a very intentionally slow pace outloud in a whisper. Your brain will have to slow down to keep pace with your reading and it can help calm you. You can find many other good tactics online to help you get control in anxious moments.
Those are short term tactics. In the long run, you should look into a wholistic approach that focuses on regular exercise, including some intense exercise such as running or HIIT or biking, a good low carb diet that minimizes sweet/sugary foods and drinks, and prayer/meditation and a good counselor/therapist can make a huge difference. No shame in seeking professional help. Everyone is living with some degree of mental health issues. We all have coping strategies. Some are better than others.
My last suggestion is to try to remind yourself every morning and every night before bed to be thankful for all the good things in your life (attitude of gratitude), that you are not God and some things are not within your control and that your trust is in God who loves you unconditionally.
Great post. I really like the way you emphasized how we have the power to control our thoughts. The devil works on our thoughts but through the Holy Spirit in us, we have the power of discernment to reject those demonic inspired thoughts.
No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See full Medical Disclaimer.
Great post. I really like the way you emphasized how we have the power to control our thoughts. The devil works on our thoughts but through the Holy Spirit in us, we have the power of discernment to reject those demonic inspired thoughts.
Thanks and I think you are pointing out something that I should have stated. The evil one can definitely influence all of this. This is why it's important to intentiionally make your heart and mind available to our Lord and his grace and mercy. That's why I suggest that abstinence is a wise path, again, without condemning all alcohol consumption. We are all at different places in our spiritual maturity and the evil one will do anything he can to make us stumble and fall, especially when we are showing signs of true metonoia (repentance). As soon as you show signs of growing closer to God, the target on your back grows.
Great post. I really like the way you emphasized how we have the power to control our thoughts. The devil works on our thoughts but through the Holy Spirit in us, we have the power of discernment to reject those demonic inspired thoughts.
Thanks and I think you are pointing out something that I should have stated. The evil one can definitely influence all of this. This is why it's important to intentiionally make your heart and mind available to our Lord and his grace and mercy. That's why I suggest that abstinence is a wise path, again, without condemning all alcohol consumption. We are all at different places in our spiritual maturity and the evil one will do anything he can to make us stumble and fall, especially when we are showing signs of true metonoia (repentance). As soon as you show signs of growing closer to God, the target on your back grows.
And just to clarify, metanoia means changing one's mind. It does not mean beating yourself up. When you repent, or change your mind about Jesus and accept Him, everything changes including you.
No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See full Medical Disclaimer.
Great post. I really like the way you emphasized how we have the power to control our thoughts. The devil works on our thoughts but through the Holy Spirit in us, we have the power of discernment to reject those demonic inspired thoughts.
Thanks and I think you are pointing out something that I should have stated. The evil one can definitely influence all of this. This is why it's important to intentiionally make your heart and mind available to our Lord and his grace and mercy. That's why I suggest that abstinence is a wise path, again, without condemning all alcohol consumption. We are all at different places in our spiritual maturity and the evil one will do anything he can to make us stumble and fall, especially when we are showing signs of true metonoia (repentance). As soon as you show signs of growing closer to God, the target on your back grows.
And just to clarify, metanoia means changing one's mind. It does not mean beating yourself up. When you repent, or change your mind about Jesus and accept Him, everything changes including you.
There is much to be said for abstaining from alcohol, and you already know that. I can attest to sleeping and feeling better when I don't have anything to drink, but I want to make a different point.
Historical reports suggest/estimate the wine that Jesus and the Apostles drank could have been diluted to less than 5% ABV. Wine today is 3x that strong - never mind high proof alcohol options.
Diluted wine could be an answer for someone who wants to enjoy a glass socially or to unwind, without the negative impact of too much alcohol.
I'm a firm believer in learning how different things affect you by trying to abstain from it. That could be trying to go 24 hours without food, or a week without coffee, or a month without alcohol, etc. You have to be mindful of yourself during this time. If you decide to try abstaining from alcohol for a few weeks, or a few months, think about the times when you want to reach for alcohol. What are you doing? What are you thinking? What are you hoping to achieve from it? And how do you feel once the urge has passed? A few hours after that?
On the H&F board there's a Dry January threat - https://texags.com/forums/48/topics/3518919 - if you want to read about different peoples' experiences doing just that for a month.
The thing with alcohol, as others have stated, is that very few people are able to self reflect while drinking and realize how it's affecting them in the moment. And often choose "just one more." I know lots of raging alcoholics who don't think their drinking is a big deal because they lack insight. And alcohol is such a huge component of social events, that we fail to understand how alcohol affects our interactions with others - especially those that aren't drunk.
I'm a firm believer in learning how different things affect you by trying to abstain from it. That could be trying to go 24 hours without food, or a week without coffee, or a month without alcohol, etc. You have to be mindful of yourself during this time. If you decide to try abstaining from alcohol for a few weeks, or a few months, think about the times when you want to reach for alcohol. What are you doing? What are you thinking? What are you hoping to achieve from it? And how do you feel once the urge has passed? A few hours after that?
On the H&F board there's a Dry January threat - https://texags.com/forums/48/topics/3518919 - if you want to read about different peoples' experiences doing just that for a month.
The thing with alcohol, as others have stated, is that very few people are able to self reflect while drinking and realize how it's affecting them in the moment. And often choose "just one more." I know lots of raging alcoholics who don't think their drinking is a big deal because they lack insight. And alcohol is such a huge component of social events, that we fail to understand how alcohol affects our interactions with others - especially those that aren't drunk.
Great advice. Your brain wants to stay in homeostasis so an added benefit of exercise, lifting etc is that doing something difficult will cause you to feel more relaxed later.
With alcohol or drugs it's the opposite: you artificially relax your brain causing it to become imbalanced; to correct this you'll get hormones and neurological response in the direction of stress/anxiety. Hello hangxiety.
Consistently exercising will train your brain to be more relaxed.
Consistently drinking will train your brain to be more stressed/anxious.
User name checks out.
It takes a special kind of brainwashed useful idiot to politically defend government fraud, waste, and abuse.
Not at all. I think it's fine in moderation but avoid drinking around brothers who struggle with it.
Ok, then why the anxiety with having a drink if you are stressed and want to relax or wind down?
I am not trying to play a gotcha game over your beliefs. It's just hard to answer your question when it seems like we don't have a full understanding of your issue.
If you just want a "that a boy" because you need encouragement happy to give that to you too.
To very specifically address your question, consistently relying on alcohol provides an invitation into your home to a brain disease that can be much more physically and emotionally damaging than any vampire. There has been a lot of biological research on this very topic over the last two decades. The revelations are depressing, staggering, and even nauseating.
1) Stress and anxiety are not going to go away in your life. They are feelings of discomfort that one has to manage in order to live a useful life. The anxiety and stress of college life can seem difficult, but they are just training grounds for real trauma that will undoubtedly enter your life later. If you can't swing a calculus quiz, how are you going to handle that midnight phone call you get where your child has been in an accident and is undergoing lifesaving surgery to, maybe, survive.
2) The parts of your brain that are the very most basic, your "lizard brain", which includes your basal ganglia, are highly active in managing stress and negative emotions. The part of your brain that drives hunger, thirst, sleep, reproductive drive, and safety is also very important in driving our decisions on how to handle stress. This part of your brain is very active in decision making on whether to rely on alcohol to relieve stress or not when such stressors present themselves.
3) Alcohol is fantastic at making feelings of stress go away. It puts your active consciousness to sleep, and mutes your ability to think rationally about difficult things (this is the same phenomenon as "hold my beer" decision making). Your frontal cortex begins to get muted with no more than two drinks. With alcohol, your brain not only gets really good at ignoring the circumstances that are leading to the anxiety, but also drops a metric dump truck load of dopamine into your brain to create a sense of euphoria. The amount of this dopamine dump is high, but varies from person to person. For about 20% of Americans, the dopamine dump from the first three drinks of alcohol is as high or higher than the typical cocaine dopamine dump. For that section of America, drinking to relieve stress is especially risky in terms of the formation of long-term disease.
4) The combination of stress relief and dopamine euphoria literally rewires a persons brain over time. Neural connections that would usually lead to a person addressing significant stressors rationally and with healthy management behaviors atrophy and die. The dopamine makes it more likely that new neural connections that argue to your conscious brain that the way to avoid the immediate pain is through alcohol; the formation of these new connections are encouraged by the dopamine dump, which encourages neuroplasticity. Once those neural pathways are established, your brain encourages these neural pathways to get stronger through continual usage through the release of acetylcholine. Acetylcholine is a neurotransmitter that helps encourage your brain to strengthen existing neural pathways and set them in stone, so that they will permanently exist in your brain. While the connections to this pathway can ultimately become weaker and atrophy over time if not used, once cemented, they never go away. You never forget how to ride a bike. The biological changes to a persons brain when they learn to ride a bike and cement that learning into their brain for all time are very similar to the changes in the brain of a person who relies on alcohol to relieve stress.
The conclusion is that using alcohol regularly to moderate stress is a dangerous gamble that can have literal life destroying consequences later in life. When a person wakes up with the realization that part of their brain will always cry out for using alcohol / drugs for stress management, the damage is already done, and it is nearly impossible for that person to overcome the internal brain conflict when it comes to painful decisions without significant, toddler-type reliance on others for help. Many people enjoy the use of alcohol without ever finding themselves in this state. But, it is common enough of a problem and severe enough of a problem that Alcoholics Anonymous has millions of members in the United States, and most adults know of more than one person who is struggling against the disease.
Many people can enjoy the pleasure of moderate alcohol consumption safely. But, it is very important to be aware that alcohol, over time and with enough frequency, actively tries to physically change your brain in such a way that you become a monstrous zombie *******, of which willpower has ceased to be a reliable tool to combat. For some invisible minority of people, this risk is exponentially higher due to differences from person to person related to brain chemistry. It is difficult to ascertain whether or not you are in the higher risk genetic group until it is too late.
Enjoy alcohol responsibly, but treat it with respect, and know that the long term risks of disease are much higher than the short term risks from bad decision making, which are themselves quite high.
Here is some further education:
Jordon Peterson and David Eagleman talking about brain chemistry:
Huberman labs talking about the brain and alcoholism:
