'Hangxiety': why alcohol gives you a hangover and anxiety

Alcohol, with its somewhat similar mode of action, has many analogous effects to benzodiazepines. I think this article from The Guardian will be of interest to many of you. Although I've mostly recovered from my use of benzodiazepines (taken completely as prescribed, I might add), I can only suppose that my GAGA receptors have not totally bounced back. I was a social drinker back in the day, but now if I drink more than, say, a single drink every few months, I begin to deteriorate over time. If I drink several drinks every few weeks, I will become quite ill and quite quickly. The ill-effects stay with me for many months after I stop drinking again. I had two drinks with a old friend I had not seen in many years a few months back - my first drink in well over two years, and the most I drank in many more years than that. I mostly do not bother drinking at all these days - it is not a huge loss for me. I know that it is not so easy for others.

Because alcohol's effects upon me were subtle, but cumulative, it took me a long time to appreciate the connection. Although I am probably more effected than most, others at BB have posted similar experiences. I suggest that it is worth considering completely cutting out alcohol until completely recovered*. Then, only reintroducing very carefully to see what effects it might have. As I said, the negative effects can be subtle, gradual and difficult to appreciate. Although I have never been particularly prone to anxiety, I did suffer from a neurological disorder (which I have apparently outgrown), so I do have that complication. Still, as I said, many other members (without apparent neurological disorders) have reported similar problems.

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/jan/27/hangxiety-why-alcohol-gives-you-a-hangover-and-anxiety

* If you drink alcohol in large quantities, you obviously - because of the possibility of seizure - should not quit cold turkey. Or, at least not without the help of a professional.

Great article Colin! Thanks for posting this.

I found this interesting....

But there might be hope for the future. Nutt is involved in a project to develop a drink that takes the good bits of alcohol and discards the damaging or detrimental effects. “Alcosynth”, as it is currently called, drowns your sorrows in the same way as alcohol, but without knocking the Gaba and glutamate out of kilter. “We’re in the second stage of fundraising to take it through to a product,” he says. “The industry knows [alcohol] is a toxic substance. If it was discovered today, it would be illegal as a foodstuff.”

will be following...

"Alcosynth" may eventually come to market but, I'm skeptical of it's claimed benefits as  suggested in this article:

https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-dark-side-of-hangover-free-booze

I can only suppose that my GAGA receptors have not totally bounced back.

Nobody has perfect Lady GAGA receptors. We're humans, after all.