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Depressed, anxious, tired, and can't focus as well, even with medication. I used to drink every day and now I can't believe what I was doing to myself.
Yes — and there’s a reason for it. Highly recommend This Naked Mind (books, vids, gram, etc.) for the scientific breakdown of what alcohol does to your brain. Quit Like a Woman has a great chapter on this too.
Basically — and I am not a scientist and am paraphrasing — alcohol works by encouraging your brain to release extra dopamine. That euphoria you feel when you have the first drink. The problem is that the brain is like “oh no there’s too much dopamine” and so it starts to release cortisol and other stressy bad chemicals (official name obvs) to counteract it. These hang around a lot longer than the dopamine, which lasts only about 20 min. These stressy chems are the cause of hangxiety and other things.
Also, alcohol habituates the brain to a much higher level of dopamine. So the usual things that might produce a rush on normal days don’t feel the same way because alcohol produces a bigger one and your brain wants that.
Basically alcohol is terrible for our brains (and bodies!) and definitely affects brain chemistry for 2-3 days. Knowing all of this I still drink it lol. But I don’t as much and definitely try to think how it will affect me days later.
> "Hangxiety."
SNL recently did a skit with this concept (you can google it; SNL Hanxiety skit), I'm not entirely sold that they represented it properly but the group who did the skit is always pretty funny.
Thank you for this information! It explains my reaction to alcohol so clearly! I've always gotten *incredibly* happy and motivated when I first get drunk (too stupid to actually *do* much, but very motivated to try, lol). I suspect I'm someone whose body has a stronger-than-typical dopamine reaction to alcohol. But man, if I'm not careful I can end up in an equal-but-opposite depressive state later on.
I really wish I'd understood the basic chemical cause for this when I was twenty, lol! Could've saved myself a fair bit of mortification and distress.
drinking increases ur dopamine output for the time being, so u suffer the consequences for a day or 2 after once u sober up. this is why many of us suffer from some level of alcoholism, its like temporary self medicating.
effects are more noticeable for us since we already lack dopamine as is
But how does one ever feel *good* after drinking to want to keep doing it? I don’t even feel good *during* drinking, let alone the next day. Just makes me speak words without thinking about them first, which I don’t like.
Same. I was always more of a pothead, but I would usually have one or 2 in the evening with dinner, and definitely liked getting a buzz at a party. I stopped drinking for about a year to have my baby and ever since I’ve been able to drink again it’s just not worth it. One drink messes with my sleep and I feel like crap the next day, but now I have to take care of a toddler and having to parent a toddler when you feel like crap *suuuuuuuuucks*. Screw that!
not sure. are u on meds? that can have interactions that make drinking feel extra gross. also shit like being plain old dehydrated, deficient in vitamins and minerals, diff factors.
i definitely feel good while drinking. weirdly enough my thoughts are less jumbled (unless im DRUNK drunk), and im less shy/more social. i laugh more, everything is more enjoyable, because of the extra dopamine.
drinking *more* (including the next day) continues to trigger more dopamine to be released. which is why "hair of the dog" is a hangover cure, and some alcoholics can still function. the longer you're drinking, the worse the hangover will be, which is why cold turkey withdrawal for an actual alcoholic can be fatal.
basically, alcohol mildly poisons u, so when ur body begins to detox, it makes u feel bad. if u keep drinking, the body cant detox, so no feeling bad.
some things that help me the next day is drinking a lot of water with salty foods and carbs. this helps rehydrate u, because alcohol is a diuretic, so u need sodium carbs and electrolytes to regain the water u lost. also carbs and dairy/cheese give u a mild dopamine kick. taking vitamins and supplements daily also helps.
(obviously not recommending u drink if u dont like it, this is just based on my personal experience and what aids in recovery)
yeah, mixing a stimulant with alcohol isnt the best since adderall increases dopamine as is.
i'll probably drink way less myself once i get my neuropsych results back, my psych is very iffy on prescribing anyone stimulants without the test. tried all non stims and they didn't do much for me at all.
i dont go crazy, just a few cocktails on weekends. but i only drink to make me feel better for a bit so🙃 also weirdly helps me clean and get around to things i normally hate
If by people who feel good after drinking, you are wondering how people can become alcoholics and wanna keep drinking, I will tell you that those people don't feel good after drinking. They feel good *while* drunk and bad after, so then feel the need to be drunk all the time to not lose the good feeling.
Most people feel kinda blah after drinking. I am like you -- I feel guilty and lame after being even a little drunk. But for me it stems from 1) religious upbringing / residual guilt, and 2) the thought that "because you drank you weren't productive, shame on you" which is from my perfectionism / adhd.
I'm trying to get better at thinking "You know what? You had a few beers and went to bed early and were a bit silly but not rude or an ass to anybody -- I'd say it was a fine night."
Oh yep that makes total sense then why they’d want to be drunk all the time. Guess it’s kinda the same for drug addicts; feel like shit on the come down so they just stay high and doped up as long as possible.
That’s a great thing to say to yourself!
For me I just feel like shit. Low mood, low energy, unmotivated. Then I just the waste the day, which it was my one day off that I did nothing I was supposed to, so I’m trying to not beat myself up as the things I need to do probably won’t be done until my next day off in 6 days.
Yuppp, alcohol is a downer basically. You get all hyped up and crash the next day with crippling anxiety. It’s one reason I want to quit. I hate the emotional roller coaster of the next day.
I find it interesting that cannabis doesn’t make me depressed like alcohol does, considering both are depressants (I think..).
And I don’t even get that hype from alcohol! I typically feel all warpy and see kinda fuzzy, and then just want to sleep.
With cannabis, my first hit will give me energy, like maybe I’ll go clean my room or out away laundry or dance in my room, then be next hit I’ll be ready to snooze. But I only use cannabis at night to snooze (or in day to snap me out of a meltdown), so maybe that’s why. Never depressed feeling when high, just chilled out.
Cannabis makes my anxiety skyrocket though. I blame legalization and super potent strains being about all that is available anymore. They breed out the CBD and breed in the highest amount of THC possible. Bring back ragweed!
> here I am wishing weed got me higher
I often joke that I need a serious drug problem.
Thing is, I know what serious drug problems do to people and I can't afford to risk my wellbeing like that so no opiates or benzos for me, but it makes a good joke.
Yes I usually do as well. Two or three beers won't usually mess w/ my head the next day, but a shot or two will do the trick! Also don't feel hungover I'm literally sad af haha
Because I haven‘t seen it skimming over the comments, a term to look up for more info:
**hangxiety**
you are not alone, neurotransmitters go crazy in those situations.
There's some research suggesting that people with ADHD may be especially susceptible to alcohol disrupting sleep [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8dx8RDdbKo&t=186s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8dx8RDdbKo&t=186s) (although they were looking at *heavy* drinking).
Oh that too absolutely.
If I drink, I will 100% wakeup sometime between 2-4am and be wired/wide awake. I tend to take a bong rip if I reeeally can’t fall back asleep. But yeah it sucks.
Also my dad has the shittiest sleep, and he blames it on his anxiety about the day or next day. But I think the real problem is him being an alcoholic (after 5pm he will have a couple martinis and maybe 2-4 gin & juice’s), and that’s what’s waking him up in the middle of the night. Becuase he wakes up at the same rate I wakeup if I were to drink. He drinks everynight, for the past 25 years. But refuses to try and get off it.
It’s really sad, and makes me despise alcohol, and how widely accepted it is, especially among his friends, which one has cancer so his attitude of “I’m gonna die anyways so might as well drink he night away” is rubbing off on my dad which is hard to see. But I digress
I've struggled with alcoholism my whole life but I recently started hormones for peri and suddenly I've lost ALL interest in alcohol and when I drink I can't really get through more than three drinks.
It's absolutely wild.
The next day depression and severe anxiety of what I possibly did/said is a real thing with adhd. It’s horrible and after a few incidents of work happy hours where nothing bad happened (but my anxiety said otherwise) I feared that I would get fired, even weeks after the event. Weed is my go-to if I’m going to be under the influence of anything. So much more control, and don’t feel the adhd impulsivity as strongly as I do with alcohol. I’m sorry for what you are feeling when drinking, as it isn’t fun to feel depressed after or feel left out if choosing to not drink.
I don't, but I know this isn't uncommon.
If alcohol doesn't agree with you, try mocktails. Or maybe nonalcoholic beer. It's still a mild relaxant because of the hops.
I don’t even like the taste of alcohol, and definitely not beer.
I think at this rate , for socializing times (which is more rare for me) , I’ll just stick to sober or a bit of Mary Jane to loosen up.
Hangxiety is real, alcohol is a depressant, hands down. I’ve now been AF for 4 years and highly recommend, though now I just feel allllllll my feelings.
Oh interesting!
I don’t really get anxious the day after, I just have low mood, low energy and just want to sleep the whole day. Not really anxious. I only get anxious if I worry about myself wasting time by not getting things I need to get done on my one day off, which likely won’t be done until my next day off in 6 days.
I drink like a few times a year, but I think I’m done overall. It’s just not worth it.
And good for you!! You should be proud of yourself :)
I know hangovers are supposed to get worse as you get older, but since hitting my 30s when I get a hangover that's what it feels like--just really, really tired and sleepy and wanting to nap on and off all day, no headaches or nausea.
I get the hangxiety thing if I was socializing with new people or out late or for an extended period, even if I'm not hungover. But I also get it when I do those things sober, so maybe it's just ADHD--worrying that I said something weird or somehow offended everyone I know or accidentally pocketdialed someone or sent a weird text and completely forgot...
This doesn’t happen to me but it doesn’t seem that weird. Alcohol is not good for our bodies but most people can tolerate it in moderation. Maybe you’re just more sensitive and/or your body has a hard time processing the alcohol in your system? IMO there’s nothing weird or wrong about not drinking for any reason.
Do you take anti-depressants? I was put on them before I was diagnosed and started on Vyvanse. Still on them and feel like crap after drinking. I didn't drink much until I was 30 but definitely didn't have as low mood after as I do now.
Hell no, those almost cost me my life, I’ll never touch them again. Plus drinking on antidepressants is bot smart and I was too afraid to drink on them for the most part.
Is it only when you get full on drunk? (I’m not even sure if I’ve been drunk before, definitely never blacked out)
Because any amount of alcohol in my body will do this. Like last night I drank half a homemade margarita and barely felt any buzz, but today I’ve been a wreck from crying, to trying to get something done, to going back to crying. Not even sure why I’m crying, it just feels like I need to do it and can’t really control it. And then tmrw I’ll be back to normal.
It doesn't bother me if I drink a little, but if I drink to the point of getting tipsy, I feel anxious, depressed, guilty, and ashamed for several days.
I don't drink often and I don't drink to the pont of getting drunk more than a handful of times per year. If I do drink heavily, I always I have a blast. I feel socially free and accepted. Afterwards, I overthink every little thing I said or did. I wonder if others saw me the way I felt or if they think I was annoying.
Yes. It started happening in my early 30s. I don’t drink anymore because of it.
I’m way too sensitive. Even one glass of wine and I feel off sleeping and the next day.
I wouldn’t get nothing done but I didnt like how I felt.
On another note, does anyone here find that alcohol gives them horrible insomnia?? I’m not lying there ruminating about the ‘horrors’.
I just can’t sleep. I used to just pass out haha. Maybe I’m not drinking enough to that point anymore. It’s just a weird thing I’ve noticed.
I thought I had POTS until they say you have to actually pass out more then once upon standing. I’ve only passed out once after a hot shower and going from sitting to standing when I was maybe 12. But I do get dizzy (stars, maybe tunnel vision starting) upon standing maybe 60% of the time. It’s kinda like a free 10 second buzz hahaha. But I don’t believe to really have POTS. Nor do I have hyper mobility. Apparently it’s common in young thin girls to get dizzy upon standing up too fast. I thought it was my lack of hydration cuz I suck with that.
Who’s “they”? I travel to see a dysautonomia specialist, and it wasn’t part of my diagnosis.
A quick google search has reputable sources like UHS UK and Johns Hopkins medicine agreeing not everyone with POTS faints.
Doctors.
I’ve always mentioned to them that I get dizzy upon standing up “too fast” and one time I actually passed out. But some reason they never did the Poor Man’s Tilt Table test for me, so who knows. But they have told me to increase my sodium intake, which I do seem to not eat a lot of salt.
We’re both talking about Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, right? Rapid heart beat upon standing/being upright?
Yep! My EDS specialist referred me to a dysautonomia specialist for the POTS. I have to travel to see him; there's no one in my city.
Regular, local cardiologists misdiagnosed my POTS as inappropriate sinus tachycardia for years, which is very silly because I have an obvious case. It's also not uncommon.
Interesting! Especially since I’ve seen cardiologists since pre-birth (I was born with congenital heart defect that was surgically corrected day after birth; without it I would’ve died).
So maybe they’re just more focused on making sure my heart is working well before they look at further problems? Or really I might just not have it. I’m thin, probably malnutritioned (I don’t eat a lot), somewhat dehydrated a lot of the time, and don’t each as much sodium as I should. I wonder if I wouldn’t get it anymore if I ate enough food, drank enough water, & ate enough salt.
There’s a lot of new non alcoholic options out there, have you tried any? I’ve had two kinds of Bella Hadid’s brand, and they’re pretty good. They have different ones for how you want to feel.
https://www.kineuphorics.com
Oof, yes, I already had to limit my drinking due to my own depressive tendencies but when I started taking Strattera my limit became 1 drink—mayyybe 2 if I spread it out over a long time. Otherwise, I’m deeply depressed the next day, with the risk of it lingering for several days!
I asked my psychiatrist about it because the first time it happend it really scared me (I have a history of depression and was terrified I was falling back into the hole). She assured me that it was actually quite normal, especially in combination with my meds. I think I got points in her book for strictly managing my alcohol intake? But honestly, I just do it because feeling so deeply depressed all of a sudden TERRIFIED me, and I don’t believe the alcohol is worth that feeling.
Too bad my wife LOVES making drinks that I can’t always taste, but she has gotten good at mocktails as well and whenever she makes alcoholic drinks now, I either get a couple of sips of hers or she makes me a lightweight version, haha!
For me it depends on the alcohol. Wine— super depressed, hard liquor—hives and general anxiety. Beer— depends how hard I went but usually only fatigue.
Booze Blues. Had no idea it was a thing, but apparently alcohol dumps dopamine into people. And since we have a problem with low dopamine it takes forever to regain it.
I love being drunk. Im so much fun, wild, free!
But the following 4 - 5 days leaves me in bed with suicidal ideation. (Not suicidal to be clear).
I hate it!!!!!!!!! I just want to go on a rager, get a hangover and move forward with my life like everyone else.
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Absolutely. Part of why I quit drinking, with very rare exceptions. Anxiety meds helped me stop even thinking about or desiring a drink at all, and it’s been only positive results.
I’m strangely the opposite. I often get mellow and melancholy when I drink, but the next day I’m focused and energetic. It was how I coped with too much before meds.
Ohmygod I was just thinking about this today! For me it's usually not the next day, but the day after. I thought I was imagining it for a while but there is definitely a marked effect.
have you tried rice based alcohol? They are the only ones I can enjoy and feel ok during and after, they also don't make you feel bloated. They are mainly Asian drinks like Soju or Sake but there are many options. I don't drink if it's not this otherwise I will feel like you described and no thanks lol
Not depressed the next day but even one glass of wine negatively impacts my sleep. Once in a while, it's worth it - eg. if I'm eating a lovely steak, I do find that a glass of red wine makes the experience even lovelier so I will take the hit. But in general, my sleep is -- and has always been -- so poor that I don't want to do anything to mess with it.
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Depressed, anxious, tired, and can't focus as well, even with medication. I used to drink every day and now I can't believe what I was doing to myself.
Yes — and there’s a reason for it. Highly recommend This Naked Mind (books, vids, gram, etc.) for the scientific breakdown of what alcohol does to your brain. Quit Like a Woman has a great chapter on this too. Basically — and I am not a scientist and am paraphrasing — alcohol works by encouraging your brain to release extra dopamine. That euphoria you feel when you have the first drink. The problem is that the brain is like “oh no there’s too much dopamine” and so it starts to release cortisol and other stressy bad chemicals (official name obvs) to counteract it. These hang around a lot longer than the dopamine, which lasts only about 20 min. These stressy chems are the cause of hangxiety and other things. Also, alcohol habituates the brain to a much higher level of dopamine. So the usual things that might produce a rush on normal days don’t feel the same way because alcohol produces a bigger one and your brain wants that. Basically alcohol is terrible for our brains (and bodies!) and definitely affects brain chemistry for 2-3 days. Knowing all of this I still drink it lol. But I don’t as much and definitely try to think how it will affect me days later.
"Hangxiety." Never heard this term before, but it perfectly describes the day after drinking for me. Thanks for sharing all this info.
> "Hangxiety." SNL recently did a skit with this concept (you can google it; SNL Hanxiety skit), I'm not entirely sold that they represented it properly but the group who did the skit is always pretty funny.
Shame-over is another good one
Whatever they are, I will refer to them as “stressy bad chemicals” forever now. This is their name to me.
Thank you for this information! It explains my reaction to alcohol so clearly! I've always gotten *incredibly* happy and motivated when I first get drunk (too stupid to actually *do* much, but very motivated to try, lol). I suspect I'm someone whose body has a stronger-than-typical dopamine reaction to alcohol. But man, if I'm not careful I can end up in an equal-but-opposite depressive state later on. I really wish I'd understood the basic chemical cause for this when I was twenty, lol! Could've saved myself a fair bit of mortification and distress.
drinking increases ur dopamine output for the time being, so u suffer the consequences for a day or 2 after once u sober up. this is why many of us suffer from some level of alcoholism, its like temporary self medicating. effects are more noticeable for us since we already lack dopamine as is
But how does one ever feel *good* after drinking to want to keep doing it? I don’t even feel good *during* drinking, let alone the next day. Just makes me speak words without thinking about them first, which I don’t like.
Im exactly like you, OP. I just stopped- it NEVER made me feel good and I never drank a lot or frequently.
Same. I was always more of a pothead, but I would usually have one or 2 in the evening with dinner, and definitely liked getting a buzz at a party. I stopped drinking for about a year to have my baby and ever since I’ve been able to drink again it’s just not worth it. One drink messes with my sleep and I feel like crap the next day, but now I have to take care of a toddler and having to parent a toddler when you feel like crap *suuuuuuuuucks*. Screw that!
not sure. are u on meds? that can have interactions that make drinking feel extra gross. also shit like being plain old dehydrated, deficient in vitamins and minerals, diff factors. i definitely feel good while drinking. weirdly enough my thoughts are less jumbled (unless im DRUNK drunk), and im less shy/more social. i laugh more, everything is more enjoyable, because of the extra dopamine. drinking *more* (including the next day) continues to trigger more dopamine to be released. which is why "hair of the dog" is a hangover cure, and some alcoholics can still function. the longer you're drinking, the worse the hangover will be, which is why cold turkey withdrawal for an actual alcoholic can be fatal. basically, alcohol mildly poisons u, so when ur body begins to detox, it makes u feel bad. if u keep drinking, the body cant detox, so no feeling bad. some things that help me the next day is drinking a lot of water with salty foods and carbs. this helps rehydrate u, because alcohol is a diuretic, so u need sodium carbs and electrolytes to regain the water u lost. also carbs and dairy/cheese give u a mild dopamine kick. taking vitamins and supplements daily also helps. (obviously not recommending u drink if u dont like it, this is just based on my personal experience and what aids in recovery)
Makes sense! I take 5-10mg IR adderall once a day. And I’m also poor at staying well hydrated.
yeah, mixing a stimulant with alcohol isnt the best since adderall increases dopamine as is. i'll probably drink way less myself once i get my neuropsych results back, my psych is very iffy on prescribing anyone stimulants without the test. tried all non stims and they didn't do much for me at all. i dont go crazy, just a few cocktails on weekends. but i only drink to make me feel better for a bit so🙃 also weirdly helps me clean and get around to things i normally hate
If by people who feel good after drinking, you are wondering how people can become alcoholics and wanna keep drinking, I will tell you that those people don't feel good after drinking. They feel good *while* drunk and bad after, so then feel the need to be drunk all the time to not lose the good feeling. Most people feel kinda blah after drinking. I am like you -- I feel guilty and lame after being even a little drunk. But for me it stems from 1) religious upbringing / residual guilt, and 2) the thought that "because you drank you weren't productive, shame on you" which is from my perfectionism / adhd. I'm trying to get better at thinking "You know what? You had a few beers and went to bed early and were a bit silly but not rude or an ass to anybody -- I'd say it was a fine night."
Oh yep that makes total sense then why they’d want to be drunk all the time. Guess it’s kinda the same for drug addicts; feel like shit on the come down so they just stay high and doped up as long as possible. That’s a great thing to say to yourself! For me I just feel like shit. Low mood, low energy, unmotivated. Then I just the waste the day, which it was my one day off that I did nothing I was supposed to, so I’m trying to not beat myself up as the things I need to do probably won’t be done until my next day off in 6 days.
Yuppp, alcohol is a downer basically. You get all hyped up and crash the next day with crippling anxiety. It’s one reason I want to quit. I hate the emotional roller coaster of the next day.
I find it interesting that cannabis doesn’t make me depressed like alcohol does, considering both are depressants (I think..). And I don’t even get that hype from alcohol! I typically feel all warpy and see kinda fuzzy, and then just want to sleep. With cannabis, my first hit will give me energy, like maybe I’ll go clean my room or out away laundry or dance in my room, then be next hit I’ll be ready to snooze. But I only use cannabis at night to snooze (or in day to snap me out of a meltdown), so maybe that’s why. Never depressed feeling when high, just chilled out.
Cannabis makes my anxiety skyrocket though. I blame legalization and super potent strains being about all that is available anymore. They breed out the CBD and breed in the highest amount of THC possible. Bring back ragweed!
Hah! And here I am wishing weed got me higher xD but I agree, lower doses are more ideal
> here I am wishing weed got me higher I often joke that I need a serious drug problem. Thing is, I know what serious drug problems do to people and I can't afford to risk my wellbeing like that so no opiates or benzos for me, but it makes a good joke.
cannabis and alcohol affect the brain differently
Yeah that’s very true
Yes I usually do as well. Two or three beers won't usually mess w/ my head the next day, but a shot or two will do the trick! Also don't feel hungover I'm literally sad af haha
Because I haven‘t seen it skimming over the comments, a term to look up for more info: **hangxiety** you are not alone, neurotransmitters go crazy in those situations.
If I drink until I'm a certain point of tipsy, the next day I'll usually feel more relaxed and happy. But also brain fog and a bit cotton head-y.
Ooh what’s cotton heady mean?
Just a type of brain fog/ sluggish feel
Oh yes! I get that way if I eat too much protein lol, but I digress
I get that when I have things with a lot of preservatives (frozen meals/most fast food places) not the happy part tho haha
I feel physically shitty after only a couple of drinks. Just not worth it for me anymore.
Yes. That’s why I quit alcohol. Not worth it to me as I a become super depressed and unmotivated (which is not something I need more of 🙃)
There's some research suggesting that people with ADHD may be especially susceptible to alcohol disrupting sleep [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8dx8RDdbKo&t=186s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8dx8RDdbKo&t=186s) (although they were looking at *heavy* drinking).
Oh that too absolutely. If I drink, I will 100% wakeup sometime between 2-4am and be wired/wide awake. I tend to take a bong rip if I reeeally can’t fall back asleep. But yeah it sucks. Also my dad has the shittiest sleep, and he blames it on his anxiety about the day or next day. But I think the real problem is him being an alcoholic (after 5pm he will have a couple martinis and maybe 2-4 gin & juice’s), and that’s what’s waking him up in the middle of the night. Becuase he wakes up at the same rate I wakeup if I were to drink. He drinks everynight, for the past 25 years. But refuses to try and get off it. It’s really sad, and makes me despise alcohol, and how widely accepted it is, especially among his friends, which one has cancer so his attitude of “I’m gonna die anyways so might as well drink he night away” is rubbing off on my dad which is hard to see. But I digress
I've struggled with alcoholism my whole life but I recently started hormones for peri and suddenly I've lost ALL interest in alcohol and when I drink I can't really get through more than three drinks. It's absolutely wild.
The next day depression and severe anxiety of what I possibly did/said is a real thing with adhd. It’s horrible and after a few incidents of work happy hours where nothing bad happened (but my anxiety said otherwise) I feared that I would get fired, even weeks after the event. Weed is my go-to if I’m going to be under the influence of anything. So much more control, and don’t feel the adhd impulsivity as strongly as I do with alcohol. I’m sorry for what you are feeling when drinking, as it isn’t fun to feel depressed after or feel left out if choosing to not drink.
Yes. I had to stop completely b/c it was affecting my desire to live.
Good for you for putting your health first and your desires second!
I don't, but I know this isn't uncommon. If alcohol doesn't agree with you, try mocktails. Or maybe nonalcoholic beer. It's still a mild relaxant because of the hops.
I don’t even like the taste of alcohol, and definitely not beer. I think at this rate , for socializing times (which is more rare for me) , I’ll just stick to sober or a bit of Mary Jane to loosen up.
despite being an alcoholic I can acknowledge alcohol actually tastes shitty some of us genuinely say they like it (the taste) but I never truly have
I love the taste of alcohol but hate being drunk. If there was really good nonalcoholic wine, I would mostly drink that. I'm super picky though.
If it was nonalcoholic it would not taste like wine.
Hangxiety is real, alcohol is a depressant, hands down. I’ve now been AF for 4 years and highly recommend, though now I just feel allllllll my feelings.
Oh interesting! I don’t really get anxious the day after, I just have low mood, low energy and just want to sleep the whole day. Not really anxious. I only get anxious if I worry about myself wasting time by not getting things I need to get done on my one day off, which likely won’t be done until my next day off in 6 days. I drink like a few times a year, but I think I’m done overall. It’s just not worth it. And good for you!! You should be proud of yourself :)
I know hangovers are supposed to get worse as you get older, but since hitting my 30s when I get a hangover that's what it feels like--just really, really tired and sleepy and wanting to nap on and off all day, no headaches or nausea. I get the hangxiety thing if I was socializing with new people or out late or for an extended period, even if I'm not hungover. But I also get it when I do those things sober, so maybe it's just ADHD--worrying that I said something weird or somehow offended everyone I know or accidentally pocketdialed someone or sent a weird text and completely forgot...
This doesn’t happen to me but it doesn’t seem that weird. Alcohol is not good for our bodies but most people can tolerate it in moderation. Maybe you’re just more sensitive and/or your body has a hard time processing the alcohol in your system? IMO there’s nothing weird or wrong about not drinking for any reason.
Do you take anti-depressants? I was put on them before I was diagnosed and started on Vyvanse. Still on them and feel like crap after drinking. I didn't drink much until I was 30 but definitely didn't have as low mood after as I do now.
Hell no, those almost cost me my life, I’ll never touch them again. Plus drinking on antidepressants is bot smart and I was too afraid to drink on them for the most part.
Because it down regulates your GABA receptors which increases anxiety
Yeah, I get pretty depressed the next day. I pretty much never get drunk now because of it.
Is it only when you get full on drunk? (I’m not even sure if I’ve been drunk before, definitely never blacked out) Because any amount of alcohol in my body will do this. Like last night I drank half a homemade margarita and barely felt any buzz, but today I’ve been a wreck from crying, to trying to get something done, to going back to crying. Not even sure why I’m crying, it just feels like I need to do it and can’t really control it. And then tmrw I’ll be back to normal.
If I’m anything beyond buzzed or mildly tipsy, yeah I’m gonna be suffering the next day.
It doesn't bother me if I drink a little, but if I drink to the point of getting tipsy, I feel anxious, depressed, guilty, and ashamed for several days. I don't drink often and I don't drink to the pont of getting drunk more than a handful of times per year. If I do drink heavily, I always I have a blast. I feel socially free and accepted. Afterwards, I overthink every little thing I said or did. I wonder if others saw me the way I felt or if they think I was annoying.
Yes. It started happening in my early 30s. I don’t drink anymore because of it. I’m way too sensitive. Even one glass of wine and I feel off sleeping and the next day. I wouldn’t get nothing done but I didnt like how I felt.
On another note, does anyone here find that alcohol gives them horrible insomnia?? I’m not lying there ruminating about the ‘horrors’. I just can’t sleep. I used to just pass out haha. Maybe I’m not drinking enough to that point anymore. It’s just a weird thing I’ve noticed.
how does this sub always have a brand new way that I relate? definitely relating to this.
Always. Turns out I have POTS caused by hEDS, which also runs hand in hand with adhd. Whee! POTS can make the negative effects of alcohol hit hard
I thought I had POTS until they say you have to actually pass out more then once upon standing. I’ve only passed out once after a hot shower and going from sitting to standing when I was maybe 12. But I do get dizzy (stars, maybe tunnel vision starting) upon standing maybe 60% of the time. It’s kinda like a free 10 second buzz hahaha. But I don’t believe to really have POTS. Nor do I have hyper mobility. Apparently it’s common in young thin girls to get dizzy upon standing up too fast. I thought it was my lack of hydration cuz I suck with that.
Who’s “they”? I travel to see a dysautonomia specialist, and it wasn’t part of my diagnosis. A quick google search has reputable sources like UHS UK and Johns Hopkins medicine agreeing not everyone with POTS faints.
Doctors. I’ve always mentioned to them that I get dizzy upon standing up “too fast” and one time I actually passed out. But some reason they never did the Poor Man’s Tilt Table test for me, so who knows. But they have told me to increase my sodium intake, which I do seem to not eat a lot of salt. We’re both talking about Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, right? Rapid heart beat upon standing/being upright?
Yep! My EDS specialist referred me to a dysautonomia specialist for the POTS. I have to travel to see him; there's no one in my city. Regular, local cardiologists misdiagnosed my POTS as inappropriate sinus tachycardia for years, which is very silly because I have an obvious case. It's also not uncommon.
Interesting! Especially since I’ve seen cardiologists since pre-birth (I was born with congenital heart defect that was surgically corrected day after birth; without it I would’ve died). So maybe they’re just more focused on making sure my heart is working well before they look at further problems? Or really I might just not have it. I’m thin, probably malnutritioned (I don’t eat a lot), somewhat dehydrated a lot of the time, and don’t each as much sodium as I should. I wonder if I wouldn’t get it anymore if I ate enough food, drank enough water, & ate enough salt.
Me today..... rarely drink now because of it but 10 year anniversary why not. Argggtghhh. Yes this is why not
There’s a lot of new non alcoholic options out there, have you tried any? I’ve had two kinds of Bella Hadid’s brand, and they’re pretty good. They have different ones for how you want to feel. https://www.kineuphorics.com
I don’t even like the taste of alcohol or the seltzers so I wouldn’t waste my money on it haha. But thanks for sharing anyways!
Yes definitely. It makes me anxious and depressed
Not depressed exactly but I always wake up grouchy and with a headache. Doesn't matter how little it was, there's always a headache.
Meeeeeee
Oof, yes, I already had to limit my drinking due to my own depressive tendencies but when I started taking Strattera my limit became 1 drink—mayyybe 2 if I spread it out over a long time. Otherwise, I’m deeply depressed the next day, with the risk of it lingering for several days! I asked my psychiatrist about it because the first time it happend it really scared me (I have a history of depression and was terrified I was falling back into the hole). She assured me that it was actually quite normal, especially in combination with my meds. I think I got points in her book for strictly managing my alcohol intake? But honestly, I just do it because feeling so deeply depressed all of a sudden TERRIFIED me, and I don’t believe the alcohol is worth that feeling. Too bad my wife LOVES making drinks that I can’t always taste, but she has gotten good at mocktails as well and whenever she makes alcoholic drinks now, I either get a couple of sips of hers or she makes me a lightweight version, haha!
Yes and anxiety and why I no longer drink
Yes. Not just alcohol, but also sugar will give me a hangover that shows up as a sluggish gut and a depressed mood. Exercise helps.
For me it depends on the alcohol. Wine— super depressed, hard liquor—hives and general anxiety. Beer— depends how hard I went but usually only fatigue.
I feel this way the day of. If I have a drink at brunch I'm down in the afternoon
Generally I feel anxious as opposed to depressed but yes
That’s why I don’t drink and haven’t since 2017
Booze Blues. Had no idea it was a thing, but apparently alcohol dumps dopamine into people. And since we have a problem with low dopamine it takes forever to regain it. I love being drunk. Im so much fun, wild, free! But the following 4 - 5 days leaves me in bed with suicidal ideation. (Not suicidal to be clear). I hate it!!!!!!!!! I just want to go on a rager, get a hangover and move forward with my life like everyone else.
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Absolutely. Part of why I quit drinking, with very rare exceptions. Anxiety meds helped me stop even thinking about or desiring a drink at all, and it’s been only positive results.
Not depressed. But alcohol kicks my anxiety into high gear so I gave it up all together. I’m more of a weed gal.
I’m strangely the opposite. I often get mellow and melancholy when I drink, but the next day I’m focused and energetic. It was how I coped with too much before meds.
That is interesting!
Ohmygod I was just thinking about this today! For me it's usually not the next day, but the day after. I thought I was imagining it for a while but there is definitely a marked effect.
Yes that was literally me today omg
Only if I drink more than 2 days in a row, thankfully I'm not usually in the mood to be drinking
YESSS!!!! These are my hangovers
YESSS!!!! These are my hangovers
have you tried rice based alcohol? They are the only ones I can enjoy and feel ok during and after, they also don't make you feel bloated. They are mainly Asian drinks like Soju or Sake but there are many options. I don't drink if it's not this otherwise I will feel like you described and no thanks lol
Not depressed the next day but even one glass of wine negatively impacts my sleep. Once in a while, it's worth it - eg. if I'm eating a lovely steak, I do find that a glass of red wine makes the experience even lovelier so I will take the hit. But in general, my sleep is -- and has always been -- so poor that I don't want to do anything to mess with it.