Cards on the table time: I love a good 'sesh'. Popping down to the local and having a few beers with friends (along with some rather inappropriate conversations…) can be a great distraction from the hurly-burly and stresses of modern, day-to-day life. Well, so long as it’s in moderation; if you’re deliberately using alcohol to cope with your problems, I heartily advise you get proper help.
Once in a while, however, a few jars with friends can be a great tonic (no pun intended). One pint turns rapidly into another, and then another, and so on, until you are singing aloud to the Vengaboys and telling anyone who will listen - as well as those who won’t - how much you love them. And if you know your limits and accept that the next day you will probably feel rough, who gives a f**k?
You will be familiar with that queasy nauseousness and pounding headache that follow the next morning. But have you ever woken up with an overwhelming sense of panic and anxiety, too?
The term ‘hangxiety’ only came to my consciousness in the past year or so. According to Urban Dictionary, hangxiety refers to the ‘overwhelming guilt, stress and worry you experience the day after drinking excessively’.
It goes without saying that you do not need to have been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder (as I have) to get these feelings, but if you have then it’s probably fair to say that they will be amplified. Depending on how much I drink the night before, they can be either a moderate irritation or a not-moving-from-the-couch debilitation.
So just how does alcohol increase feelings of anxiety? Some digging on the interweb throws up fascinating answers. Without going into too much science, drinking alcohol initially results in feelings of calm and contentedness, not to mention reduced inhibitions. It triggers feel good chemicals in the brain, such as dopamine. When you stop drinking, though, withdrawal symptoms start to take over - as with any other drug. This is why your anxiety levels rise and if you throw poor sleep into this rather toxic equation, it is little wonder that the next day, feelings of agitation and depression abound.
What’s the takeaway from all of this, then? Well, for me, moderation is the key. What you do not want to be doing - and what I have fallen into the trap of on a couple of occasions - is to try and overcome those withdrawal symptoms by drinking more - a so-called 'hair of the dog'. Yes, it can reduce symptoms in the short term, but it is most definitely NOT an advisable course of action, and indeed can lead to dependency.
Have a few bevvies, have a few laughs, enjoy yourself. Heaven knows there’s so much to be gloomy about in the world at the moment. Escapism is good. But try and keep it in moderation, drink water or alternate with soft drinks, and use your wellness toolbox to get through your anxiety the next day. Now, where’s my can of Tango?
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