Home>Articles>Why does a hangover cause anxiety?
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- Hangover symptoms
- Reasons for formation
- Hangover anxiety
- Mental components of anxiety
- Memory loss due to hangover
- Relieving hangover anxiety
A hangover is a condition after severe alcohol poisoning. It is characterized by a lot of unpleasant symptoms. They can only have physiological properties. Most people who have drunk more than once can report that after sobering up they experienced severe anxiety and fear.
Unreasonable anxiety, anxiety from a hangover, or even unreasonable fear - all these troubles arise simultaneously with the occurrence of severe headaches, palpitations and nausea. And therefore they are endured with particular severity.
Anxiety and fear from a hangover stimulate the release of adrenaline. A person’s heart rate increases, blood pressure rises, and headaches can become unbearable. In place of anxiety, a person develops a panic state.
If this condition is not dealt with, then deviations can increase and reach a critical point, which will pose a threat not only to human health, but also to human life.
What is primary in the occurrence of anxiety-depressive syndrome – depression or alcoholism?
In this couple of diseases, it is difficult to determine what was the root cause - depression or alcoholism. Their cause-and-effect relationship is often implicit. It all depends on the specific case. Quite often, a person in a stressful situation reaches for a glass of alcohol as a lifeline. Stress can be caused by various circumstances - conflicts at work and in the family, loss of income, death of loved ones, social problems and even a simple quarrel in transport. The more unexpected the negative event, the stronger the stress state it causes.
On the other hand, it is known that chronic alcoholism causes a failure of the “stress” system, similar to depressive states with increased release of corticotropin and activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary system. It is corticotropin that is responsible for increasing the formation of cortisol in the adrenal glands, which is responsible for loss of appetite, the emergence of a subjective feeling of anxiety, immunosuppression and increased inflammatory reactions. These changes prolong depression after alcohol abstinence for up to four weeks. When alcoholism and depression are combined, the risk of their occurrence doubles, and long-term use of large doses of ethanol increases the risk of developing depression, suicide attempts and anxiety by 40%.
By the way, a huge role in the development of depression and alcohol addiction belongs to the common hereditary factor. It is responsible for 35-60% of the occurrence of these diseases.
Acupuncture treatment is an effective way to get rid of alcohol addiction in the early stages of the disease.
Physiological reasons
Poisoning with alcohol products provokes a number of negative consequences in the body.
1. Insufficient production of serotonin. A decrease in its concentration negatively affects mood and provokes fear, anxiety, and panic.
2. Hyperactivity of the nervous system. Overexcitation leads to sleep disturbances, tremors , irritation, followed by loss of strength and emotional exhaustion.
3. Changes in blood glucose levels. Alcohol abuse causes a spike in blood sugar, which can lead to confusion, disorientation, lack of coordination and, as a result, panic and a feeling of fear.
4. Dehydration. It is aggravated by diarrhea and vomiting from a hangover. The brain reacts especially acutely to dehydration. Due to insufficient nutrition of the organ cells, dizziness, weakness, anxious thoughts and attacks of fear occur.
5. Arrhythmia. Changes in heart rate and blood pressure cause anxiety, which can develop into panic.
6. Intoxication of the nervous system. This condition leads to the fact that the patient begins to beat himself up, is afraid to be alone and behaves aggressively.
What determines the duration of depression in alcoholism?
One of the most pressing questions is how long does depression last after heavy drinking? First of all, it depends on the severity of depression from a hangover. In acute alcohol withdrawal syndrome, severe somatic, autonomic and neurological disorders are observed. In this state, depression is often combined with increased irritability, anxiety and hysteria. Anxiety usually lasts 2-3 days, but depression after heavy drinking, accompanied by melancholy and self-blame, is more stable and lasts for 1-2 weeks.
The essence of the problem
Worry for no reason, fear and anxiety from a hangover often appear simultaneously with other symptoms, such as migraines, rapid heartbeat, and nausea. But it is psychological changes that are perceived by patients as extremely difficult. If you can get rid of a headache by taking Analgin, then not a single pill can eliminate the discomfort associated with panic.
When a panic attack occurs, your health worsens even more. The adrenaline rush makes the heart beat faster. There is a sharp increase in pressure, headaches intensify . That is, against the background of fear, the patient’s physical condition also worsens.
If you don’t figure out how to relieve anxiety from a hangover in time, the condition can reach an extreme level. In this state, a person is capable of desperate acts, including suicide. Therefore, only careful attention to the health of the addict and timely assistance will help avoid dangerous consequences.
Sport as treatment
Physical activity is an excellent opportunity to stop drinking alcohol and eliminate panic. Any available type of is welcome, from swimming and yoga to cycling, running, Nordic walking, skating or skiing. Physical activity helps a person:
- relax,
- eliminate nervous tension,
- relieve anxiety.
Physical education can improve the functioning of the endocrine system, increase dopamine levels, and enhance good mood.
If the attack catches a person at home, then breathing exercises will help reduce its manifestations. It helps stabilize the condition. Relieve tension, regulate the level of carbon dioxide in the blood. There is no need to breathe particularly quickly or deeply. Hyperventilating the lungs can only worsen the condition. Folding your palms and bringing them to your lips will help you come to your senses. Inhale in counts of 4, and exhale in counts of 6. This will increase the level of carbon dioxide in the blood and help trigger the parasympathetic nervous system. Which promotes relaxation.
If all else fails, you must call an ambulance.
Briefly about the subject of conversation
Before starting the discussion, it is necessary to distinguish between the concepts of neurological and mental dysfunctions. The line between them is very thin, since these types of pathologies are closely interrelated, but still, within the framework of this article, we will only talk about violations directly related to the following processes:
- perception
- obtaining information about the surrounding world based on the processing by the brain of external data received from the senses; - thinking
is a cognitive activity characterized by generalization of sensory data and indirect reflection of reality through a second signaling system (speech); - moral and mental state
is the general direction and nature of all mental processes and emotional experiences of a person.
Health implications
Despite the fact that depression goes away over time, people at risk may develop the following negative consequences:
- Auto-aggression. A condition in which a person tries to harm himself: scratch, cut, burn himself.
- Suicide. Suicide attempts often occur due to alcoholic depression.
It is important to understand that such manifestations are not typical for healthy people, but for those who have a history of some kind of mental disorder. But in other cases, primary depression can serve as an impetus for the progression of the disease and the development of alcohol dependence.
Physical manifestations of panic attacks
Before a person feels an attack of overwhelming fear, he experiences:
- dry mouth,
- lump in throat
- lack of air,
- increased sweating,
- chills,
- numbness of hands and feet,
- frequent urge to urinate.
The symptoms of the onset of an attack vary from person to person. There may be fear of death, madness, severe anxiety, an incessant feeling of tension, and increased blood pressure. Fainting also .
Attacks are not excluded in people with reduced immunity. Alcohol is a carcinogen that can disrupt the human immune system.
Signs of attacks after drinking alcohol do not have two components:
- presence of intoxication,
- vegetative-vascular disorders.
The second component is characterized by extensive symptoms, including a nonspecific complex - damage to the gastrointestinal tract, respiratory organs, heart and blood vessels, and genitourinary area. cannot be detected during examinations . Doctors attribute this to a high level of anxiety, which is the impetus for the appearance of symptoms.
Contact a psychologist
At an appointment with a specialist, you can find out why you are in a bad mood after drinking alcohol, how to get rid of shame and what to do about it. It is possible that a psychotherapist will help you discover other problems that are driving you to drink alcohol. It is important that your behavior in a drunken stupor does not become the norm for you, so you need to start acting in advance.
If you are suffering from a hangover, then before visiting a psychologist you need to come to your senses, try to calm down, drink sedatives: mint tea, valerian.
Symptoms of an insidious disease
The following signs are characteristic of alcoholic depression:
- insomnia, light sleep, difficulty falling asleep, tiredness in the morning;
- decreased level of vital energy;
- increased level of anxiety;
- episodes of psychomotor overexcitement;
- severe irritability;
- lack of appetite;
- loss of sense of time;
- loss of interest in a favorite hobby;
- refusal to communicate with relatives, friends, specialists;
- inability to focus on anything;
- cognitive disorders;
- causeless change in mood;
- tendency to aggression, self-blame and self-abasement;
- detachment from the outside world;
- desire to be in constant self-isolation;
- constant thoughts about a new portion of alcohol;
- refusal to admit there is a problem;
- retardation in action.
Depressed addicts do not want to communicate with others. They often behave illogically and inconsistently. It seems that they are inventing their own world into which outsiders are not allowed.
Serious changes in mental activity often result in physiological disorders. Then there are disruptions in the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, headaches, tremors, surges in blood pressure, swelling, redness of the skin, and discomfort in the right hypochondrium.
The patient complains specifically
about the feeling of inner emptiness, the meaninglessness of his life.
The world seems colorless and uninteresting to him. A person loses the ability to enjoy little things and cannot get pleasure from anything. At a certain point, a feeling of anxiety appears, which grows every day. Even by the appearance of the patient, one can understand that he is depressed: the gait slows down, impulsive movements disappear, the voice becomes quiet and monotonous. Severe affective disorders rarely accompany depression in alcoholism. Delusions and hallucinations usually do not develop. But there may be overvalued ideas about one’s own guilt, helplessness and uselessness. The drinker believes that his future will be very sad. Hence the thoughts of suicide.
Short-term memory loss
Taking large doses of alcohol can impair clarity of consciousness and a person may experience memory loss. Short-term amnesia after sobering up causes anxiety or fear in some people. Some experience anxiety until, on their own or with the help of drinking buddies, they reconstruct the series of events that happened the day before.
Some people, under the influence of alcohol, begin to behave strangely. They become completely inadequate. But some people can't remember this. After the alcoholic intoxication wears off, they are horrified by the realization that a series of ridiculous incidents are their doing. In addition, a person begins to be tormented by shame in front of loved ones for his actions and regret that nothing can be corrected now.
Literature:
- Clinical and psychological characteristics of alcohol dependence combined with endogenous depression: a manual for doctors / [T. G. Rybakova, O. F. Eryshev] ; Ministry of Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation, St. Petersburg Scientific Research. Psychoneurological Institute named after. V. M. Bekhtereva. – St. Petersburg: [Publishing house of St. Petersburg scientific research. Psychoneurological Institute named after. V. M. Bekhtereva], 2008. – 26 p.
- Depression and alcoholism, clinical and social relationships: educational and methodological manual / Shcherbak E. A., Kutashov V. A., Sivolap Yu. P.; Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Voronezh State Medical University named after N. N. Bauman. – Moscow: RITM, 2021. – 173 p.
- Comorbid disorders in drug treatment practice / G. L. Gurevich. – Moscow: Medpraktika-M, 2007. – 120 p.
Available Methods
The following will help you improve your physical condition after intoxication:
- cold and hot shower;
- Drinking plenty of fluids (mineral water, sour fruit drinks, juices, green tea);
- pharmaceutical hangover medications (for example, Alka-Seltzer, Antipohmelin and their analogues);
- a hearty meal (eating oatmeal, boiled eggs, vegetable salads is encouraged).
Sound sleep and a distraction method (go for a walk, clean the house, visit the theater) also work well in eliminating feelings of guilt. But it’s better to hold off on intense physical activity.
