Could drinking be causing my boyfriend's anxiety attacks?

Question

Lately my boyfriend has been getting anxiety attacks. They are usually short, frequent little bursts that last throughout the entire day or two after he has been drinking heavily. Usually an amazing, sweet, laid-back guy, he gets paranoid and easily upset, and becomes convinced I am too good for him and that I am going to leave him. I noticed that they happen after a night of boozing most often, but he feels that this can't be the cause because alcohol is a depressant. Could drinking be the cause?

Answer 1

No, just the opposite.  I'm sure you've heard of self-medicating.  Your boyfriend is drinking alcohol because of the anxiety attacks because he has no other means to deal with them.  If he gets some counseling and perhaps some medication for a few weeks from a doctor, he might feel less of an urge to drink.

Answer 2

no. your boy friend has other issues and the drinking is a way to feel numb and not deal with those other problems. there is an old saying  "denial ain't just a river in egypt." you need to convince him to seek help and a little AA might be good for him.

Answer 3

Well, anything that is mind altering can certainly affect you in that way.  Plus, when alcoholics or addicts start feeling guilty, they are certain every one is going to leave them, condemn them, whatever.  My mother stayed at my house a while back and spent a good part of the time drinking.  To this day, she is convinced that my sisters and I verbally "ganged up" on her and told her that she ought to be ashamed of herself, although none of us did.

Answer 4

Absolutely.  Alcohol is a depressant as you said.  In addition it also dehydrates you.  The dehydration may cause the panic attacks.  They cause palpatations in my heart, which cause the panic attack.

Answer 5

They may not be actually causing the anxiety attacks, but might make him more vulnerable to them.  The human body is extraordinarily complex, and different people respond differently to over-indulgence of alcohol.

Chances are he would be experiencing these attacks whether alcohol was involved or not.  Anxiety disorders can be biological or environmental in nature, or both, so a mental health professional would be needed to make this determination & prescribe proper treatment.

He is correct by stating alcohol is a depressant, and in many cases, people ingest alcohol as a means of lessening the symptoms of anxiety.  But alcohol also can reduce our inhibitions, and break down the defenses of individuals trying to hide their behavior.  So it can work both ways.

Regardless, it's a shame he is drinking like this, and it is not a healthy way to deal with the challenges of life & living.  Hopefully, with your help, he'll be able to address the source of his problems and stop behaving in this manner.  But there's nothing to be ashamed of if he needs to see a professional for a while.  It might be one of the most important decisions he'll ever make.  I wish both of you well.  

Answer 6

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Answer 7

Definitely, without a doubt, absolutely.  I used to get such horrible panic attacks when I was drinking.  I was easily startled, afraid and brought to tears.  What I didn't realize was that it was the alcohol that was making my anxiety worse.  It might be a depressant but when you are coming down from a night of drinking your whole body is affected.  For instance with me it was total fear that my heart was pounding and I was going to have it beat right out of my chest.  It was my body basically detoxing from the alcohol.  Drinking can definitely be the cause.