Panic attacks can be triggered by alcohol. Those folks, who think that the more alcohol they drink the less stressed and calmer they become, are deluding themselves. Find out here how alcohol makes the symptoms of panic attacks worse.
Around 30% of panic (anxiety) disorder sufferers drink alcohol compared with 61% of the general population. No reason is given for this, but I guess it could be that they understand (probably through their doctor's advice) that alcohol, as a stimulant, can make their symptoms worse and help trigger panic attacks. It is known that stimulants increase some of the symptoms of a panic attack, such as the heart rate.
Now here's the interesting thing: alcohol is both a stimulant and a depressant. At low to medium consumption, it has sedative effects, whilst at high consumption it can have both sedative and stimulant effects. Although much depends on the individual and the time elapsed after drinking. Nevertheless, what this tells us is that your risk of a panic attack increases with increasing alcohol consumption.
What's the cause of panic attacks? Panic attacks are triggered by stressful events or situations which are experienced on top of higher-than-normal levels of anxiety.
In other words, if you already have relatively high levels of anxiety, and you are faced with a stressful situation, that stressful event can tip your brain chemistry into producing the symptoms of a panic attack. And stimulation through alcohol, on top of higher general anxiety, can do the same.
So sufferers who think that the more alcohol they drink, the calmer and less stressed they become, are totally wrong. They only make their general anxiety worse, and, increase the likelihood of further panic attacks.
But, even if you cut-out alcohol altogether, it won't solve your problem. A key element in panic attacks is the very 'fear' of having another attack. Because panic attack symptoms are so terrifying, the fear of having another is imprinted on the psyche, which then builds on your already heightened anxiety, to form an even higher anxiety level. It only takes a relatively small stressor to trigger another attack.
This cycle of anxiety - anxiety > fear > panic attack > anxiety > fear > panic attack > etc. - has to be broken to stop further attacks and cure your anxiety. You do this by first getting rid of that fear.
To discover just how you can break this vicious cycle of anxiety in order to
prevent further panic attacks and cure your anxiety, please go to
http://eliminatepanicattacks.blogspot.com and get your life back on track once more.
