Heavy Drinking Can Make Your Anxiety Disorder Worse – Bustle

Can Alcoholism Cause People To Develop Anxiety Disorders?

Alcohol plays a nasty trick on those who struggle with it: even if you think you’re relaxing by drinking heavily, in the end, it may actually make you more anxious. Beyond Blue, an Australian depression organization, explains that the link exists even in those of us without alcohol or previous anxiety issues:

The temptation to use alcohol to calm down in the moment, in other words, may be offset by a worsening of symptoms later.

But the alcohol-anxiety link goes further. Research has shown that comorbidity — the technical term for the coexistence of two disorders or illnesses — of alcoholism and anxiety disorders has a bit of variation, and what starts what is often unclear. “Evidence for a causal relationship,” Comprehensive Psychiatry noted in 1998, “is not unidirectional [ie it doesn’t just go one way] as alcoholism is often observed as a primary disorder, and the presence of problem drinking itself may generate severe anxiety or depressive syndromes.” People who are alcoholics have a two to threefold higher likelihood of having an anxiety disorder than people who aren’t; but part of this, scientists think, is that alcohol can actually set off or create the conditions for anxiety problems.

A possible reason for this was uncovered in 2012, when scientists at the University of North Carolina found that heavy drinkers seem to “rewire” their brains in ways that make them more susceptible to anxiety issues. They experimented with mice, putting them through experiences that had the potential to be slightly traumatic, while also plying them with minute quantities of alcohol (but enough, in a mouse’s small body, to replicate heavy drinking). The mice who were teetotal didn’t really get very upset at the experiences; but the ones who were “heavy drinkers” were completely horrified and miserable about them, even if there was nothing actually traumatic happening at the time. Researchers discovered that the brains of the alcohol-affected mice were reshaped and a key nerve cell wasn’t working properly, creating huge potential for anxiety. In other words, if an alcoholic suddenly starts to develop anxiety disorders, this is likely why.

Things continue to get intriguing when you turn to the science on inheritance. It looks as if, according to a study on comorbidity of alcoholism, depression and anxiety in families, you can inherit a propensity to be both an anxiety sufferer and an alcoholic from a parent.

Students talk to Students: Obsessive-compulsive disorder – GoUpstate

Ana begins her morning routine at exactly 6:15 a.m. every day.

“I get up at the same time every morning, and I have to do the same thing every morning from start to finish,” the Spartanburg County high school freshman said. “And it’s the same at nighttime. I have to do the same exact thing — always, no matter what.”

Routines are a major part of Ana’s life. As a teenager with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, or OCD, she relies on routines and lists to help ease her anxiety.

“If I don’t do everything exactly right, then I feel uneasy — out of control,” she said.

The disorder effects about 1 out of every 100 school-aged children, according to the Obsessive Compulsive Foundation of Metropolitan Chicago.

Because it runs in Ana’s family, they had some idea what to look for.

“We discussed it with my doctor, and we started working on ways I could manage my feelings,” she said.

Many teens with OCD experience anxiety that goes beyond the typical worries of high school life. They have compulsions or rituals such as hand washing, keeping things in order, or checking something over and over again. These obsessions can cause significant anxiety and can often interfere with a teen’s normal life, academic performance and relationships.

Ana dedicates much of her time to making lists.

“I have a list for everything — everything,” she said. “Just packing for Spring Break means I have to make a list of every possible item I may need.”

Ana spent her spring break on a nine-day mission trip, and she spent hours making lists – 15 of them.

She said it can be frustrating to see her friends get through a day so easily while she feels compelled to spend hours getting ready.

“I pay way too much attention to the details,” she said. “It takes me a lot longer to do basic things, because it has to be perfect.”

Ana said she hopes to control her OCD without medication. Right now she spends a lot of time talking to friends and her parents, and she is open about her feelings, especially when she’s stressed or worried.

“I think that as of now I’ve mastered how to be organized, make lists, write everything out,” she said. “But I try to have ways to calm down when I feel things getting worse.”

Heavy Drinking Can Make Your Anxiety Disorder Worse

Can Alcoholism Cause People To Develop Anxiety Disorders?

Alcohol plays a nasty trick on those who struggle with it: even if you think you’re relaxing by drinking heavily, in the end, it may actually make you more anxious. Beyond Blue, an Australian depression organization, explains that the link exists even in those of us without alcohol or previous anxiety issues:

The temptation to use alcohol to calm down in the moment, in other words, may be offset by a worsening of symptoms later.

But the alcohol-anxiety link goes further. Research has shown that comorbidity — the technical term for the coexistence of two disorders or illnesses — of alcoholism and anxiety disorders has a bit of variation, and what starts what is often unclear. “Evidence for a causal relationship,” Comprehensive Psychiatry noted in 1998, “is not unidirectional [ie it doesn’t just go one way] as alcoholism is often observed as a primary disorder, and the presence of problem drinking itself may generate severe anxiety or depressive syndromes.” People who are alcoholics have a two to threefold higher likelihood of having an anxiety disorder than people who aren’t; but part of this, scientists think, is that alcohol can actually set off or create the conditions for anxiety problems.

A possible reason for this was uncovered in 2012, when scientists at the University of North Carolina found that heavy drinkers seem to “rewire” their brains in ways that make them more susceptible to anxiety issues. They experimented with mice, putting them through experiences that had the potential to be slightly traumatic, while also plying them with minute quantities of alcohol (but enough, in a mouse’s small body, to replicate heavy drinking). The mice who were teetotal didn’t really get very upset at the experiences; but the ones who were “heavy drinkers” were completely horrified and miserable about them, even if there was nothing actually traumatic happening at the time. Researchers discovered that the brains of the alcohol-affected mice were reshaped and a key nerve cell wasn’t working properly, creating huge potential for anxiety. In other words, if an alcoholic suddenly starts to develop anxiety disorders, this is likely why.

Things continue to get intriguing when you turn to the science on inheritance. It looks as if, according to a study on comorbidity of alcoholism, depression and anxiety in families, you can inherit a propensity to be both an anxiety sufferer and an alcoholic from a parent.

#ThisIsWhatAnxietyFeelsLike Shows Debilitating Reality Of Mental Illness

Approximately 12 per cent of Canadians are affected by anxiety disorders. The mental illness can take various forms, from phobias to panic disorders to agoraphobia to obsessive-compulsive disorder and more, according to Anxiety Disorders Association of Canada.

Anxiety can affect anyone at any age and can be brought on by traumatic events and stress. For those affected by the condition, anxiety can be debilitating, overwhelming, heartbreaking, and can have a serious impact on the way a person goes about their life.

That’s exactly what Sarah Fader, founder of the mental health nonprofit Stigma Fighters, wants you to realize. In early February Fader, 37, tweeted at her followers asking them to share their anxiety stories using #ThisIsWhatAnxietyFeelsLike.

Two months later, the hashtag is still going strong.

Though the message is widespread, anxiety is still misunderstood, as responses show that some still mistake it for a general state of worry. True anxiety can last for long periods of time and cause serious distress.

Fortunately, anxiety can be treated through counselling, medication and even self-help techniques. If a loved one is suffering from anxiety, The Canadian Mental Health Association suggests supporting them by learning about the illness and helping patients practice new skills. In some cases, families may even want to seek family counselling to help.

Ian Puleston–Davies on his obsessive compulsive disorder – BBC …

Ian Puleston-Davies

Obsessing about a stain on a piece of paper or fearing he will injure himself by sitting down is part of every day life for former Coronation Street actor Ian Puleston-Davies, who has Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. This is his story.

Sometimes a simple question can have more than one answer. For me, it’s: “So when did you know you had OCD?”

The obvious response is I was diagnosed at 35 when I went to get some help with a condition that had become so disabling I was struggling to get out of bed in the morning, for fear of breaking my neck.

But the real answer is, I’d known I was different from as early as seven years old. And there’s one particular memory that’s become stamped in my mind.

I grew up in north Wales in the town of Flint and have happy memories as a school boy at Ysgol Gwynedd. But it was also where I started to show signs of OCD.

Filming with the BBC, I went back to my old junior school for the first time since I’d left. The memories came flooding back.

Walking the corridors, there were the pictures of the old head teacher, and then I came across a photograph from 1969 and there I was. I’m part of the school Eisteddfod choir and we’re waving up at the photographer up on his ladder.

I’m waving, but I’m the only one not looking at camera – my eyes are down – probably worrying about some small thing – OCD captured in time.

The playing fields where I used to kick a ball around with my mates are also still there.

I loved football but for some reason, every time I was passed the ball I would anxiously check the flies of my shorts to make sure they were done up.

You can’t help noticing something like that, and I stood out. Back then, of course, I just thought I was a bit odd. Now I realise that my “habits” were in fact my OCDs.

Media captionActor’s first memory of OCD ‘playing football in school’

Here’s another question – what exactly is OCD?

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder can be a seriously disabling condition. It’s a clinically recognised disorder and those with OCD experience intensely negative and intrusive thoughts that cause huge anxiety.

That’s the obsessive bit. Then in order to quell the thought or quieten the anxiety, we repeat an action again and again. That’s the compulsion.

OCD can vary a great deal. It’s not all about washing hands. For me I can obsess about anything, from a stain on a piece of paper to the fear I’ll injure myself simply sitting down.

Then I’m compelled to do some mental checks, or perform careful rituals to quell my anxiety.

There’s part of me that knows my fears are irrational, but that doesn’t help. Once I’ve got a thought in my head, I just keep over-thinking it.

Media captionActor with OCD ‘fears injury when sitting down’

For years I couldn’t go to the cinema because I’d be obsessing about why a couple sitting behind me had decided to watch that film that night, why he chose that tie, what was in her handbag, where were they going to eat later, and so on and so on.

It feels a bit like my mind is like a whale catching all the krill. The krill being the thousands of thoughts that go through our minds every day.

Most people let them slip away, but when you’ve got OCD they get stuck and your mind can be a blur trying to analyse it all.

Over the years I’ve had help and learned to manage it, but it can still get very noisy in my head.

I’m not alone. It’s estimated between 1% and 2% of the population have OCD, although I think the figure could be higher.

Compulsions can be embarrassing, and we all go to great lengths to hide them. OCD is not nicknamed the “secretive disorder” for nothing.

Treatment for OCD

  • Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is the treatment recommended for OCD in the NICE Guidelines
  • The British Association of Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy (BABCP) is the specialist body for accrediting CBT therapists
  • There are 89 BABCP accredited CBT practitioners in Wales, compared with 4,623 in England – that means there are three times as many accredited CBT practitioners per head in England as Wales
  • Of the 89 in Wales, 33 work for the NHS, the rest are private
  • No health board in Wales currently uses private CBT practitioners to treat OCD patients
  • The Welsh Government has invested £3m in the past two years specifically in psychological therapies such as CBT for adults

The good news is there is help for OCD. NHS guidelines recommend OCD should be treated with medication and therapy.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy or CBT is the type for OCD. Research suggests 75% of those who get it see big improvements.

It is available on the NHS, but while I was filming in Wales I heard a lot of stories of people saying it’s hard to get the right level of help.

I also discovered there is a shortage of accredited CBT therapists. That’s so frustrating because I know how OCD can take over your life.

If there’s treatment out there that offers a good chance of overcoming or even just managing OCD, then I think people wherever they live should be given the chance of trying it.

While filming I met some very brave people and their families who agreed to talk about how OCD had had a negative effect on their lives.

I met people whose rituals took up 90% of their day, and those who had been driven to despair.

They were stories I recognised myself and I really felt for the people I met.

I think things are changing, but I don’t think people quite realise how far OCD can affect people and their families, and I hope this film will at least raise awareness about that.

OCD – An Actor’s Tale will be shown on BBC One Wales at 20:30 BST on Monday 3 April.

What is anxiety, which celebrities suffer from it, what are panic attacks and how are they treated?

ANXIETY disorders are very common – with celebrities including Zayn Malik and Olly Murs sharing their experiences of the condition.

Peter Andre is the latest famous face to open up about his battle with the mental condition.

The singer confessed that he would struggle to go to certain showbiz events due to his anxiety

The singer confessed that he would struggle to go to certain showbiz events due to his anxiety

The Mysterious Girl singer appeared on This Morning to talk about his battle with anxiety and praised the fellow ITV show for helping him realise what he had been struggling with for years.

So what are the symptoms, and what should you do if you think you have anxiety?

Here’s everything you need to know…

What is anxiety?

Anxiety is a normal feeling, also known as the “fight or flight” response.

When presented with stress or danger, the body pumps adrenalin through to body – allowing it to cope with the situation at hand.

However, anxiety can become a problem when this response occurs unnecessarily – either because the danger is not that severe, or there isn’t actually any danger at all.

Anxiety disorders can develop as a result of a number of factors, including stress, genetics and childhood environment.

Zayn Malik is one of a number of stars to share their experiences of anxiety

Zayn Malik is one of a number of stars to share their experiences of anxiety

There are also a number of different types of anxiety disorder, from generalised anxiety to specific phobias, obsessive compulsive disorder and panic disorders.

Some people may suffer from more than one type of anxiety disorder – for example, people with a specific phobia might experience panic as a result.

Which celebrities have spoken out about it?

Popstars Selena, Zayn and Olly are part of a wider trend of celebrities challenging taboos around mental illness by speaking out about their experiences.

For example, Will Young has spoken of his struggles with anxiety, which was reportedly the reason behind him quitting Strictly this year.

YouTube star Zoella revealed how her crippling anxiety made her turn down the chance to meet Prince Harry, while Rizzle Kicks cancelled their tour due to rapper Harley’s battle with the condition.

Selena Gomez bravely discussed the topic of anxiety during a speech at the AMAs

Selena Gomez bravely discussed the topic of anxiety during a speech at the AMAs
Robbie Williams’ wife Ayda Field addresses his crippling anxiety

Actresses Emma Stone and Jennifer Lawrence have spoken about suffering from anxiety during childhood, and Taylor Swift told NME about the stress of letting “your anxiety get the better of you.”

Selena Gomez has also spoken powerfully living with mental health problems, bringing the American Music Awards crowd to their feet with a moving speech.

Following her ex-husband Jamie O’Hara’s CBB antics, Danielle Lloyd has recently opened up about her battle with the disorder.

Danielle has recently spoken out about the anxiety she has felt during her ex-partners time in the Celebrity Big Brother house

Danielle has recently spoken out about the anxiety she has felt during her ex-partners time in the Celebrity Big Brother house

Another Celebrity Big Brother star, Nicola McLean, was forced to see a doctor and threatened to quit the reality show after a series of rows with Kim Woodburn reignited her anxiety.

What are the symptoms of anxiety?

The symptoms of anxiety can be divided into physical and psychological symptoms.

The condition can present itself in a variety of ways, and sufferers might not experience all of them.

Anxiety UK advises that the physical symptoms of anxiety are:

  • Racing heartbeat
  • Shortness of breath
  • Chest tightness
  • Dry mouth
  • Butterflies in stomach
  • Nausea
  • Urge to pass urine/empty bowels
  • Tremor
  • Sweating
  • Pins and needles


Meanwhile, the psychological symptoms include:

  • Inner tension
  • Agitation
  • Fear of losing control
  • Dread that something catastrophic is going to happen (such as blackout, seizure, heart attack or death)
  • Irritability
  • Feelings of detachment

As well as these signs, the symptoms of panic attacks can feel similar to a heart attack – as they often involve rapid breathing, chest pains and pins and needles.

How is anxiety treated?

There are a number of approaches to treating anxiety

There are a number of approaches to treating anxiety

If you think you may be suffering from anxiety, your GP should be your first port of call.

Doctors usually advise treating anxiety with psychological treatments before prescribing medicine.

Self-help techniques, lifestyle changes such as exercise and avoiding caffeine, and cognitive behavioural therapy can all help.

However, in cases where medication is deemed necessary, your doctor may offer you types of antidepressant medication to ease your symptoms.

If they aren’t suitable, your GP may offer pregabalin instead – which is usually used to treat epilepsy, but can be helpful for anxiety too.

Meanwhile, for short term relief of anxiety, benzodiazepines such as diazepam can be offered – but are not prescribed for long periods due to the risk of addiction.



People Are Questioning Whether Trump Has OCD (Video)

Donald Trump speaking at 2014 CPAC in MarylandDonald Trump speaking at 2014 CPAC in Maryland

A viral video compilation (below) of President Donald Trump repositioning items on tables has been circulating the internet, causing some to speculate whether or not the president has obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).

The footage, which  has more than 12,000 retweets and 20,000 likes on Twitter, shows the president slightly repositioning the drinks, coasters, nameplates and documents that belong to him and those sitting next to him.

“I do something similar – OCD and control issues,” one person commented on Twitter.

Another person said that the president partakes in another possible symptom: “random clapping when he walks.”

“He’s always moving stuff,” said another. “Have you ever noticed he adjusts every microphone he steps in front of?”

Trump has said before that he is a “germaphobe” and that he dislikes shaking hands because he is a “clean-hands freak” who feels “much better” after washing his hands, according to The Daily Mail.

Body language expert Patti Wood, the author of “Snap: Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language, and Charisma,” told The Daily Mail that she coaches some people to make a small adjustment before a speech or meeting to make a good impression but “not to the extent that he is doing it.”

“He is expanding his territory to show he is alpha and he is in charge,” Wood explained. “He is doing it both with side boundaries and boundaries in front of him. He is invading other people’s space — it’s very interesting.”

Not everyone was sold on the speculations that Trump might have the mental disorder.

Many people have pet theories,” commented mental health counselor and author Jeffrey Guterman under the video. “We don’t know what, if anything, this behavior means for sure, especially without his input.”

“He is literally the most focused [president] the world has ever seen,” another person wrote. “How delusional are you people?”

However, having a mental illness would not necessarily impact Trump’s ability to do his job, Burton Lee, George H.W. Bush’s presidential physician, told Politico.

“A president can function very well if he has a mild anxiety disorder or obsessive compulsive [disorder],” Lee said, adding that a president is “just like everybody else” when it comes to having mental illness on the job, according to Politico.

Indeed, they have functioned relatively well and under the radar with it. Approximately half of the first 37 presidents suffered from mental disorders and at least 27 percent did so while in office, found one study by Jonathan Davidson of the Duke University Medical Center, notes Psychology Today.

Why Do Women Have More Anxiety and Depression? These 3 Conditions May Explain

Did you know that women are twice as likely as men to be diagnosed with depression or an anxiety disorder?

Before rushing to assume doctors are being sexist—diagnosing women as hysterical simply for having emotions—we might gain more insight by considering what role women’s physiology plays in certain mental conditions. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, anxiety disorders and depression stem from “a combination of genetic, biological, environmental, and psychological factors.” And researchers suspect that, specifically, female hormones put women at a greater risk of developing anxiety disorders and depression.

Charity Triumph Over Phobia to launch Cardiff group

a bar of soapImage copyright
Thinkstock

Image caption

Sufferers of obsessive compulsive disorder can become fixated with cleanliness

A charity is hoping to help phobia sufferers in south Wales by launching the first self-help group of its kind in the area.

Triumph Over Phobia (TOP) supports sufferers of phobias, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and other related anxiety issues.

The charity, founded in Bath, said 10% of people in south Wales suffer from phobias and 3% have OCD.

Members said it “changed their lives” by helping them overcome their fears.

“The thoughts became more invasive to the point that I thought, ‘if I don’t do that, someone in my family will die’,” said Pamela Fox.

She suffered with OCD from the age of 17 and feared contamination from germs and dirt.

It drove her to the point where she could not touch anything on the floor – not even shoes with laces in case they had brushed along the ground.

Things would have to be wiped down and thoroughly cleaned before her “intrusive” thoughts could subside.

Image copyright
Pamela Fox

Image caption

Some sufferers may be afraid to seek help due to the “stigma”, says Pamela Fox

As part of her OCD, objects also had to be central – so she could only wear clothing with a zip down the middle and she changed her hairstyle to a mid-parting.

The 54-year-old was finally able to overcome the disorder within six months with the help of TOP in Bath.

“I tried to rationalise my OCD but it goes beyond that after a while. All you are trying to do is get rid of your anxiety. It drains you,” said Mrs Fox, who has since gone on to run the group.

“I was checking things all the time, all supposing that if I didn’t, something dreadful would happen.

“It changed my life immensely. A lot of people haven’t discussed their situation because of the stigma attached so to be able to go into a room and share it with people who have a similar mind, who understand, it’s a big step forward.”

Media captionHow charity Triumph Over Phobia helps arachnophobes

Olivia Lawler, 21, a third-year student at Bristol University, started going to the TOP group in Bristol two years ago.

She is trying to tackle two phobias at the same time – a fear of spiders and the other of blood or injury.

Her arachnophobia would leave her “hysterical” and unable to stay at home on her own, while she would have to flee a room if someone so much as even mentioned cutting their finger.

“It was really embarrassing – it was having a really negative impact on me,” she said.

“Now I’m able to catch big house spiders on my own and put them out of the window. With blood injuries, I can now watch Casualty and Holby City [on TV].

“It’s about rationalising. It’s improved my overall confidence and given me my independence back.”

Image copyright
Olivia Lawler

Image caption

Miss Lawler said the group has “changed my outlook on life”

The charity now wants to launch a group in Cardiff, after receiving £5,000 funding from the city’s grant-making Waterloo Foundation.

It is searching for two volunteers to help launch the group and is encouraging people who want help in overcoming their phobia or OCD to get in touch.

Trilby Breckman, TOP UK development manager, said exposure therapy, facing their fear in a controlled way, is used alongside cognitive behaviour therapy, to help change their way of thinking.

“People think there’s no treatment and they just have to get on with it. Sometimes phobias and OCD aren’t taken very seriously,” she said.

“It can be really debilitating. But the good thing is it can easily be overcome, you just need hard work and determination.”

One Man’s Outlet For His OCD Is Now A Local Bakery With A Mission

While a student at the University of Cincinnati, James Avant IV was diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder. To help alleviate his anxiety he turned to baking, and in 2014, James launched OCD Cakes, a bakery with a mental health awareness mission.

In January, 2017, he started Bakeologie, which offers affordable cooking classes. Both businesses are run out of the Findlay Kitchen at Findlay Market.

James Avant spoke with us about OCD Cakes and how his bakery helped him with his obsessive compulsive disorder. 

Staying calm in turbulent times

There are several ways to manage anxiety on your own, but it’s important to recognize when to get professional help.

Nowadays, simply tuning in to the daily news is likely to be stressful. Add on the stresses of daily life — such as handling work demands or adjusting to retirement, dealing with family issues, coping with illness, or caregiving — and you may begin to greet each day with apprehension and worry. In other words, you can become anxious.

“Some degree of anxiety is normal and even necessary,” says Dr. Ann Epstein, a psychiatrist at Harvard-affiliated Cambridge Health Alliance and medical editor of the Harvard Special Health Report Coping with Anxiety and Stress. “Anxiety signals us that something is awry or might need our attention. However, you don’t want the response to become exaggerated or to dominate your life,” she says. Good coping mechanisms for stress and anxiety can help you stay healthy during turbulent times.