The Connection Between Substance Abuse & Panic Attacks

Long-term alcohol use also often leads to tolerance, when a person needs to drink more to get the desired effect. For example, a person might have started feeling more relaxed after just one glass of wine. As time goes on, however, they might find they need two, three, or more glasses of alcohol to get the same feeling.

• When dealing with stressful days or nervous situations, you may be tempted to have a glass of wine or a beer to calm your nerves.
• Using alcohol to cope with anxiety can begin a cycle that brings on even more anxiety.

The Association for Addiction Professionals represents the professional interests of more than 100,000 addiction-focused health care professionals in the United States, Canada and abroad. What I didn’t know at the time was the extent to which my drinking was triggering all of it. The constant overcorrection to the flood of dopamine brought about by alcohol leaves people unable to produce adequate levels of dopamine on their own. DBT is a short-term, evidence-based treatment strategy that assists individuals in managing potentially powerful and painful emotions. Treatment options for alcohol use disorder will be detailed below. The symptoms of a hangover, such as nausea and vomiting, dizziness, dehydration, and low blood sugar, can make it hard to function.

The Link Between Substance Abuse and Panic Attacks

Whether you have a mental health condition like anxiety or not, certain behaviors can signal that your relationship with alcohol could cause concern. Dual diagnosis treatment for alcohol abuse and anxiety will work to address the symptoms and side effects of each disorder at the same time. Any reminder of the past trauma, including dreams or a random thought, can trigger a panic attack. A panic attack is characterized by the individual’s fear of losing control even if there is no actual danger. The person may have a strong physical reaction during a panic attack, which can feel as though they are having a heart attack. A question you might be asking is, “Why does alcohol cause anxiety?

It’s never too late (or too soon) to reach out for help if you are trying to cope with a mental health condition or substance use disorder. However, the long-term effects of alcohol can cause anxiety or make can alcohol cause panic attacks the symptoms of an anxiety disorder worse. Additionally, chronic alcohol use can lead to tolerance or dependence, as well as cause physical damage to the body (including the brain, liver, and heart).

Causes of Panic Attacks From Alcohol

Not everyone experiences the dreadful feeling of anxiety after having a few drinks. About 20 percent of people with social anxiety disorder also suffer from alcohol dependence. The problem is that with ongoing alcohol abuse and overstimulation of feel-good chemicals like serotonin and dopamine, your reward center thinks you need alcohol to survive. It starts ranking alcohol right up there with food, sex, water, and sleep. Without alcohol, your brain starts sending you signals to do whatever you need to do to get more of it (survive).

And Mr. B had experienced their first panic attacks 1 month after abrupt cessation of alcohol abuse. They had no history of panic attacks during or immediately after the alcohol abuse period. Had used alcohol to relieve his anxiety after the onset of panic disorder symptoms. Alcohol withdrawal in chronic alcohol use is reported to enhance noradrenergic activation and increase the likelihood of experiencing panic attacks in neurodevelopmentally vulnerable individuals. Substance abuse can have life-altering effects on mental health, including an increased risk of panic attacks.