How does alcohol affect you?

[Daisychain]

This is something I spoke to my counsellor about. In the past when I was under huge amounts of stress I would drink a few glasses of wine or if I was feeling low I'd drink a lot. It never made me happy, but I drank because it made me confident but extremely depressed and sometimes even violent. My counsellor told me that this happened because I had so many negative thoughts/self hatred/anger bottled up inside.She told me when I deal with the issues, the anger that comes out will be dealt with too. I didn't really believe that it was that simple,but it was :)

Recently I have noticed the anger is gone, and overall my anxiety has decreased a lot so I'm hoping most of these issues are dealt with. I only drink occasionally and socially now whereas before I preferred to drink alone, I guess that was depression.

How does alcohol affect you when you are under stress/anxious/ depressed? Please share :)

[LostInThought]

Some times, when I'm stressed I like to have a little drink, just to try relax a little and it does for a short time, but then the more I drink the more annoyed I get at my self. And depending on what I drink I get aggressive. I dont fight or any thing but I shout and offend people. some times i dont even realise. and then that is when i get over emotional and just cry lol
I dont like to drink alone, but some times I feel that if I were alone, people wouldnt get upset.

[funk]

I had my healing experience at the age of 2 or 3 (something around that)... drank my father's coke with ... something heavy (don't know what) when my parents didn't look *g*
That was the 1# time i got really, really sick.

Later, i tried alcohol but i always get sick after a few drops :D
Once i tried to get drunk on purpose... i had to vomit and was just able to drink it with something eating... so no chance.

No i really avoid alcohol, i am always sober.

[TDM]

I don't drink. Even though practically everyone else does, or maybe because of it. And, I've seen the affects that alcohol has had on our family. I don't want to pass it on - I think I screwed up enough already.

TDM

[mdmefontaine]

...i find that if i stick to my ''routine'', that of a so-called civilized drinker, i'll have my one beer while making dinner, then a couple of glasses of wine, with my meal.

and it has no bearing on my personality, aside from perhaps relaxing me a bit.

but.....if i add that extra drink or two on, post dinner while i'm hanging out...that vodka/soda or something...i am more tempted to add the 2nd. and then i find myself quite drunk and unexpectedly. (though duh, i should have known)

and then i am more melancholy and feel more alone. it seems to heighten the loneliness. and that goes even if i am drinking with a friend. it's fun for awhile, but eventually i find myself wearing the mask of conviviality, with the sadness underneath.

so i try to stick to my routine. :drunk:

[Daisychain]

Thanks everyone :) You can all certainly tolerate alcohol better than I can. Or I should probably say,more sensible than I am lol!

[andyhp]

How does alcohol affect you when you are under stress/anxious/ depressed? Please share :)

Badly and for that reason I rarely drink. a little wine (2/3 glasses) with a meal at most. I used to drink more but realised the 'little' I was having to unwind most nights was becoming 'a lot' over the week!

[Jenny]

I don't drink either.. mainly because i don't really like the taste of alcohol (although wine is growing on me!). In the past i've got very drunk, e.g. while at uni, and i think it acted as a depressant for me.. i hate the hangovers! So yeah, i'm not a big fan and can usually have a good time without alcohol :)

[mary]

Don't drink at all seen it destroy my sisters brothers uncles and now my daughter. Don't know how it missed me but i am glad i decided this was not the way to go. I actually crave a drink when i am stressed but never go there not that i couldn't handle it as i have drank in college but i just don't want to use it as a coping method

[carlos64]

As a "recovering" alcoholic I now no longer drink. I am going to uni in September to study counselling skills so I will have lots of students who have overindulged to practice on:)

[Katmandu40]

I used to drink a good bit...I was a fun drunk...get silly usually. Only drank once when I was really down and it made it much worse!! Now, I barely drink at all...once in a while I'll have a glass of wine, but that's about it!!

[crookxshanks]

not that long ago when things were quite bad for me i was drinking quite heavily for me. i can tell im drunk but other people cant until i start slurring my words but when im a depressive drunk im really depressed. now i only have a glass of wine when i decide to treat myself to a wine and youtube night and share a bottle with my boyfriend which will last over a weekend