Panic attacks and alcohol

[dudcat]

Thanks - yes I am UK based.

I'm not so sure the NHS is that good at dealing with this sort of thing - I kind of feel that it is partly their poor advice that helped get me here. Advising that I drink to avoid panic on flights.

Yes ok, I know that I then took it to an extreme but to advise somebody who is prone to panic situations that instead of a short course of anti anxiety pills to have a few gin and tonics instead now sounds really shit advice in hindsight.

What reassures me about all this is that I don't generally wake up wanting to drink.

The urge to drink comes from feeling panicked. And it isn't an urge to drink per se, it's an urge to remove the feeling of panic or anxiety.

I think / hope this is a better starting point than straight-up alcoholism. But maybe I am naive..??

The feeling of panic and anxiety - especially when flying - is a well documented 'phobia,' especially in light of the fact that flying is safer than traveling in an automobile.  But it is real nonetheless, and casual advice to have a drink or two prior to a flight is rather harmless, but if that person overdoes it, there needs to be a different solution.  A dose of anti-anxiety medication does the trick for many people, and there is certainly nothing wrong about that.

Again, if you have identified drinking as a potential problem, I personally feel that that is what you should take a look at.  Just to be careful and stay healthy.  That shit can sneak up on you and before you know it...  -dc