There are days when you feel like everything is happening all at once. That project you’ve been working on for months suddenly comes up with major snags, you and your significant other are fighting all the time, and your washing machine broke down again. When dealing with such stressful situations, you might want to have a beer or a glass of wine to calm your nerves. However, if you have anxiety and alcohol is always your tool to fix it, you may be doing yourself more harm than good. Research shows that drinking heavily over long periods can increase your anxiety, rather than decreasing it. If you’re battling alcohol and anxiety, it may be time to get treatment at an alcohol addiction treatment center, such as Summit Estate. To learn more, contact Summit Estate today.
Combining Alcohol and Anxiety
In the short run, alcohol can indeed reduce stress. Because alcohol is a depressant and a sedative, its effects play out in the central nervous system. When you first start using alcohol to control your anxiety, it can take your troubles off of your mind and reduce your fear. Moreover, it can make you feel relaxed and help you to feel more outgoing. In many ways, the effects of alcohol are similar to those of an antianxiety medication.
If you occasionally unwind with alcohol, it may not necessarily be dangerous, as long as your doctor approves. However, once you start combining alcohol and anxiety on a weekly or daily basis, it begins to get dicey. Your body can start to have a dependence on alcohol, causing you to have to drink more to get the same effect. You may also need to drink more often to curb withdrawal effects. As a result, your stress and anxiety may be more challenging to deal with on a daily basis.
Drinking excessively can lead to other noticeable mental and physical consequences as well. For instance, over time, combining alcohol and anxiety can lead to memory loss, blackouts, and brain damage. It can also lead to severe health problems, including liver damage. As these issues pop up, you may continue to feel more anxiety, which, in turn, leads you to drink more alcohol. This relationship creates a never-ending cycle of alcohol use and mental and bodily decay.
Get Help With Alcohol and Anxiety At Dual Diagnosis Treatment
At Summit Estate, we know that escaping the effects of alcohol and anxiety can be tricky. However, with the help of a dual diagnosis treatment program, it is possible. Dual diagnosis, or co-occurring disorders, is what a medical or addiction treatment experts refers to when someone struggles with mental health and addiction. This treatment program allows us to address both conditions at the same time.
For many people, dual diagnosis treatment is a critical part of addiction treatment. When you get treatment for addiction without getting treatment for your anxiety, it can be challenging to stay sober after you complete rehab. Because you don’t have the tools you need to battle the uninhibited effects of anxiety, you can end up returning to alcohol as a last resort. Conversely, if you only get treatment for the anxiety, your addiction may cause that and other mental illnesses to worsen after you finish treatment. However, with anxiety and alcohol addiction treatment, you have the tools to stay in recovery for both conditions.
Get Help at Summit Estate
It’s not too late to get the care you need. At Summit Estate, we offer a wide range of holistic and evidence-based treatments for anxiety and alcohol addiction, including:
- Yoga therapy
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy
- Dialectical behavior therapy
- Group therapy
- Music therapy
It’s time to get the help you need for alcohol and anxiety. Contact Summit Estate today at 800.701.6997 to learn more.
