Alcohol

With the weekend fast approaching I thought I'd do a post about good old alcohol. Alcohol can be the anxiety sufferers best friend and worst enemy, as I'm sure you're already aware. A few glasses of my favourite Sauvigon Blanc can make me feel wonderful. I feel I'm slowly slipping into a bath of warm water that washes over me, causing sounds to become quieter, further away and less harsh. My feelings towards the world around me and the people in it become warmer, softer somehow and I'm much more at ease when it comes to chatting to new people. I'm filled with a new sense of confidence and purpose: 'of course I can talk to these new people' 'of course I'm going to hit the dance floor' 'tomorrow I'm going to start writing that book/apply for that job/phone that old friend.' I come home at the end of a wine-fuelled evening feeling happy and satisfied and slip into a deep, blissful sleep.

Then it really kicks off. At approximately 4 am I awaken, I feel restless, my heart is beating more quickly, I can't seem to get a satisfying breath and I certainly can't get back to sleep. What's gone wrong? Where's the confident, 'can do' girl from yesterday evening? I realise that she's gone and won't be back until next weekend. I will have to battle with these intense feelings of anxiety for possibly the next couple of days*, I'll recover of course and will be feeling quite alright again by next weekend when I'll start the cycle all over again...

Well not this weekend, my friends! After a slightly daunting social scenario last weekend, involving lots of 'dutch courage' in the form of red wine, I have suffered hideously with anxiety for a few days and this has inspired my first anxiety-busting experiment of this blog. Tonight I will be attending a birthday meal and drinks session with a group of people I don't know all too well and tomorrow I will be visiting an old friend for the night. Both are scenarios where I would usually certainly be considering having some wines. However, I will try my best not to give in, to stick to the orange juice and see if my anxiety improves after a break from the hard stuff. Wish me luck!


*If you'd like to read a little more on the actual scientific side of why alcohol can ultimately do the opposite of relaxing you then I highly recommend 'Overcoming Anxiety' which is available on Amazon. In fact I'd recommend it anyway as it gives a great insight into why our bodies are putting us through so much!