Psychiatrist In Patna Explains Why Do You Get Hangxiety And How To Cure It

08 Feb Psychiatrist In Patna Explains Why Do You Get Hangxiety And How To Cure It

Have you ever woken up after drinking and felt not only a headache but also a gnawing sense of anxiety? If yes, you’re not the only one.

This feeling, called “hangxiety,” is becoming a bigger issue for people who drink alcohol.

Hangxiety mixes the physical pain of a hangover with feelings of anxiety, making you feel bad even after you’ve stopped drinking.

In this blog, we will delve into the science of hangxiety, exploring how alcohol affects our mental health and why some individuals are more susceptible to experiencing anxiety after drinking.

We will talk about how to get rid of hangxiety fast, including lifestyle changes and coping tips, to help you understand the tricky link between alcohol and anxiety.

What Is Hangxiety?

The term hangxiety defines “hangover” and “anxiety,” which is the most bitter feeling of anxiety and stiffness after drinking alcohol.

While many people are familiar with the physical symptoms of a hangover like dehydration and headache and vomiting, whereas hangxiety is more of a psychological hangover.

Hangxiety includes feelings of nervousness, restlessness, and discomfort, frequently with no apparent reason except to have drank the night before.

These emotional symptoms can be much worse than actual drinking hangovers. It interferes with one’s ability to focus, relax, and feel at ease.

Key Features of Hangxiety:

• Anxiety Symptoms: It includes intense anxiety or nature, nervous restlessness, or even fear. The dose disproportionate to anything in real life will usually actually depend on all the reasons for alcohol consumption.
• Physical Sensation: Though not the primeval aspect of hangxiety, it is possible that some symptoms would accompany it as a racing heart, nausea or lack of concentration.
• Lack of Clear Cause: Hangxiety will very often be felt without any apparent reason, above and beyond the hangover effects of consumption, as opposed to the more specific trigger in conventional anxiety

Struggling with hangxiety? Consult Dr. Vivek Pratap Singh best psychology doctor in Patna, for personalized treatment and support to reclaim your mental well-being today!

How Long Does Hangxiety Last?

Different individuals experience different durations of hangxiety based on a number of determining factors.

For some, this kind of hangover may only pass after a few hours, while others may suffer from it for almost a whole day or longer.

The most important factors influencing hangxiety’s duration can all be managed in intensity and effect.

Typical Duration:

• Short term (A Few Hours to a Day): Hangxiety is worse in the morning after drinking. The anxiety feelings may last a few hours and usually get better when the body starts to break down the alcohol.
• Gradual Improvement: As the body removes alcohol, anxiety also lessens. Many people feel less anxious as the day goes on, and most will feel completely better by the end of the day.

Factors that affect the duration:

• Amount of Alcohol Consumed: Drinking more alcohol leads to worse hangover symptoms that last longer. When you drink a lot, it can lower important brain chemicals, which may cause anxiety that lasts more time.
• Hydration and Nutrition: Not drinking enough water can make hangover anxiety worse. Drinking water and eating well can help your body recover faster and may reduce how bad and how long the hangover lasts.
• Quality of Sleep: Not sleeping well after drinking makes hangovers worse. If a person doesn’t rest enough, it may take longer to feel better after drinking.
• Absence of Mental and Physical Health: People who already have mental health issues, like anxiety or depression, may feel hangover anxiety more strongly than those who do not, because they usually have higher levels of anxiety.

The Connection Between Alcohol and Anxiety

Why does alcohol cause hangxiety? Understanding how it interacts with the brain can explain anxiety and alcohol consumption.

Hangxiety is when drinking alcohol affects your feelings. Alcohol can reduce anxiety for a little while, but later it can make anxiety worse.

How Alcohol Affects the Brain:

Neurotransmitter Imbalance:

Alcohol affects many brain chemicals called neurotransmitters that control mood and behavior. One important neurotransmitter is GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid), which helps calm the brain.

Alcohol boosts GABA activity, leading to relaxation and less anxiety when drinking.

Serotonin and Cortisol:

Alcohol also changes two important chemicals in the body: serotonin, which makes us feel happy, and cortisol, which is linked to stress.

At first, alcohol raises serotonin levels, making us feel happier and more social.

But later, when the effects wear off, cortisol levels go up, leading to more stress, anxiety, and tension.

Cycle of Drinking and Anxiety:

The first relaxation can feel quite good, but the body metabolizes the alcohol and the “comedown” can cause anxiety.

Drinking to relax when feeling anxious can create a cycle of changing emotions, which may make anxiety feel worse over time.

Statistics on Anxiety and Alcohol Consumption

• Prevalence: 20 percent of individuals with anxiety disorders, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), also evidence an alcohol use disorder. This speaks volumes about the co-morbidity between alcohol and anxiety.
• Post-Drinking Anxiety: Studies show that around 60% of people who consume alcohol experience some form of anxiety during the post-drinking period, making Hangxiety a common experience for many drinkers.

Hangxiety Symptoms

The mental disorder, Hangxiety refers to the physical sensations characteristic of a hangover paired with the psychological distress of anxiety.

Hangxiety occurs when the aftereffects of alcohol cause the increased experience of symptoms such as anxiety, restlessness, and discomfort.

That is to say, symptoms of hangxiety vary, indicating that some might be mild, manageable, and some can be extreme.

Physical Symptoms of Hangxiety:

Increased Heart Rate or Racing Heart:

A faster heartbeat is a common sign of hangxiety. When alcohol leaves the body, people often feel more alert and anxious, which can lead to a racing heart. This can be scary, especially if the person is not moving around.

Shakes or Trembling:

People with hangxiety may feel shaky, especially in their hands or legs. This happens because the nervous system is overactive while processing alcohol. Shaking can get worse when they feel anxious, and they may also feel restless.

Sweating:

Sweating is another sign of hangxiety and can happen even without any physical activity. It’s the body’s way of reacting to anxiety. Sweating can occur on the hands, under the arms, or on the forehead.

Shortness of Breath:

Another symptom of hangxiety is feeling like you can’t breathe well. This might involve taking shallow or fast breaths, which can cause coughing and lead to more panic. It feels alarming and makes it hard to breathe comfortably.

Chest Tightness:

Tightness in the chest is also a sign of hangxiety. This feeling is often caused by stress and can make it hard to relax, worsening feelings of anxiety and creating a cycle of distress.

Emotional and Cognitive Symptoms of Hangxiety:

Worry or Panic:

Feeling very worried or panicked is a major sign of Hangxiety. The person can’t tell if there is real danger, but they feel like something bad is about to happen. This feeling can be very strong and affects their peace of mind.

Irritability:

This can make someone more easily annoyed or angry. The mix of feeling sick from a hangover and being anxious can lead to being upset over small things.

Difficulty Concentrating:

Hangxiety can make it hard to focus, think clearly, or make choices. The confusion from a hangover gets worse with anxiety, making daily tasks hard to do. This struggle to focus can make the person feel more frustrated.

Feeling Uneasy:

Many people with hangxiety feel a sense of dread or discomfort. Unreasonable fears and restlessness can grow stronger because of the hangover, leaving the person feeling powerless to feel better.

Overthinking Past Events:

People with Hangxiety often replay what happened the night before in their minds. They worry about what they said or did while drinking and focus on their mistakes or poor choices.

In short, hangxiety is a multifaceted experience that many individuals face after consuming alcohol.

The symptoms can range from physical discomfort, such as headaches and fatigue, to emotional challenges like anxiety, guilt, and restlessness.

Hangxiety Causes

Hangxiety happens because of how alcohol affects the brain and the body’s reaction when it stops using alcohol.

Alcohol changes brain chemistry, which can cause mental health problems when it is gone from the body.

These are the main reasons for why does hangxiety happen or why do you get hangxiety:

1: The Effects of Alcohol on Neurotransmitters:

GABA (Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid):

Alcohol slows down the brain and increases a chemical called GABA that helps relax the mind.

When drinking, GABA levels are high, which helps reduce anxiety.

But after the alcohol leaves the body, GABA levels drop, leading to more stress and anxiety.

Serotonin:

Also, serotonin is a chemical in the brain that affects mood. When someone drinks alcohol, serotonin levels may rise at first.

But as the body breaks down the alcohol, those levels drop, leading to mood swings and feelings of being emotionally stuck.

Low serotonin levels are also linked to more anxiety and depression.

Cortisol:

Drinking beverages can lead to the production of cortisol, which is the body’s stress hormone.

While alcohol can reduce feelings of anxiety by numbing the body’s normal stress reactions, it initially causes the release of cortisol after drinking.

This can increase feelings of anxiety and discomfort.

Also, high levels of cortisol can make physical symptoms of anxiety, like sweating and a fast heartbeat, worse.

2: Alcohol Withdrawal and Dehydration:

Withdrawal Effects:

The body experiences withdrawal after ingesting alcohol, during which it metabolizes and subsequently eliminates the alcohol.

These withdrawal manifestations result in varying degrees of physical and mental discomfort such as irritability, anxiety, fatigue, and headache.

As the body is clearing alcohol from the system, the brain starts to readjust, so the real effects of withdrawal will be felt within.

Dehydrated State:

Alcohol causes the body to produce more urine than usual and hence makes the person dehydrated.

Dehydration contributes to physical aspects of Hangxiety like head aches, dizziness, and tiredness which then goes on to affect a person’s mood.

Hence the combination of hydration and withdrawal from an alcoholic beverage increases the sensitivity of persons to anxiety or stress.

3: Psychological Factors:

Guilt and Regret:

Many people feel bad or regretful after drinking because of how they acted while drunk.

They might have drunk too much, said or did things they normally wouldn’t, and made bad choices.

Social Anxiety:

Alcohol has become a sort of social facilitator for many, where it makes one feel more relaxed about social gatherings.

Yet, the alcohol after-effects tend to aggravate any underlying social anxiety.

Diagnosis: ‘Hangxiety.’ It may leave one feeling very much at unease later after it wears off, suggesting, to some “what have I done that night”.

4: Disruption of Sleep Patterns:

Alcohol and sleep:

Drinking alcohol can make you feel sleepy and help you fall asleep faster, but it doesn’t give you good sleep.

It can mess up your sleep, especially the part where you dream.

This bad sleep from drinking can leave you tired and more anxious the next day because both physical tiredness and emotional stress combine to create what people call “Hangxiety.”

Noticing what causes your anxiety after drinking is the first step to handling it better.

By drinking less, drinking water, and taking care of yourself, you can lower your chances of feeling anxious after a hangover.

If your anxiety continues or feels too much to handle, talking to a mental health expert can help you find good ways to cope.

Hangxiety Risk Factors

Several factors tend to become highly contributory to developing Hangxiety after the intake of alcohol.

The factors include personal habits, mental illness dispositions, and modes of living.

These were very vital for the knowledge of high-risk factors since they help reduce Hangxiety occurrences and tame its impacts.

1: High Alcohol Consumption:

Increased Chances of Hangxiety:

Drinking more alcohol raises your chances of feeling anxious when it wears off.

Heavy drinking puts a lot of stress on your body and changes how your brain works.

This affects chemicals in the brain that control mood and anxiety.

So, the more you drink, the worse the feelings of anxiety can be when the alcohol starts to leave your system.

Stress on the Body:

Drinking a lot of alcohol makes it hard for your body to get rid of it, which can cause a bad balance in how your body feels.

This leads to hangover symptoms like feeling sick and anxious.

People who binge drink or often drink a lot may also deal with ongoing anxiety after drinking.

2: Pre-existing Mental Health Conditions:

Anxiety and Depression:

If someone has had anxiety or depression before, they are more likely to feel hangxiety when they drink alcohol.

Alcohol may make them feel calm at first, but once it wears off, their anxiety and depression can get worse.

A person who is already feeling sad or anxious might drink to feel better, but the next day, those feelings can become stronger.

Increased Sensitivity to Stress:

People with mental health issues often feel more anxious in stressful situations.

Things like not drinking enough water, not getting enough sleep, and not having alcohol can make them feel more uneasy.

So, people with ongoing mental health problems are likely to experience hangxiety more intensely and for a longer time.

3: Sleep Deprivation:

Irregular Sleep Cycle:

Alcohol can disturb your sleep, even if it seems to help you fall asleep at first.

You might fall asleep faster, but the quality of your sleep can suffer, especially during REM sleep (when your eyes move quickly).

A hangover can happen because drinking delays your recovery or is caused by other reasons.

This means your body doesn’t restore itself well, which can make you feel more irritable and anxious the next day.

Restorative Sleep:

Because of this, not getting good sleep means your brain and body don’t heal completely.

This can affect your emotions and make it harder to handle anxiety from drinking.

As a result, you might feel more stressed and uneasy, leading to worse feelings of “hangxiety.”

Dehydration:

• Alcohol as a Diuretic: Alcohol makes you urinate more, which means you lose more fluid than you take in. This can cause dehydration, leading to hangover symptoms like headaches, dizziness, and tiredness, which can make anxiety worse.
• Imbalance in Electrolytes: Drinking alcohol can also cause a loss of important minerals like sodium and potassium. This can affect your mood and make anxiety symptoms stronger. It’s important to replace these lost minerals to help you feel better, both physically and mentally, after drinking.

To lower the chances of feeling anxious after drinking, try drinking less alcohol, drinking more water, and taking care of yourself.

If you think you are more at risk, talk to friends, family, or a mental health expert for help in finding better ways to cope.

What Should I Do When I Feel Hangxiety?

Coping With Hangxiety: Feeling hangover anxiety can be tough, but there are ways to help.

You can drink water, eat healthy food, calm your mind, and get some rest. By taking care of your whole body and mind, you can lessen how much it affects your day.

Hydrate:

• Rehydrate: To manage hangxiety, the first thing to do is drink plenty of water. Alcohol makes your body lose water, which can make hangover symptoms like dizziness, headaches, and dry mouth worse. Try to drink as much water as you can during the day to help feel better. Coconut water and sports drinks can also help replace important nutrients lost from drinking alcohol.
• Hydrating Schedule: Have a water schedule and make a conscious effort to sip on it throughout the day. Aim for smaller but frequent sips rather than large gulps to allow absorption of those fluids by the system.

Balanced Meals:

• Keep Blood Sugar Levels Normal: Low blood sugar can cause anxiety, especially for those who drink alcohol. Eating healthy meals can help keep blood sugar steady and reduce anxiety. Good foods include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean meats.
• Nourish Your Body: Eating healthy foods, like a good breakfast or snack, can give you energy and improve your mood. To avoid sudden changes in blood sugar, eat complex carbs like oats or whole-grain toast with some protein. This helps keep your blood sugar steady and prevents moodiness and anxiety.

Rest and Recover:

• Let Your Body Heal: Rest is very important for your body and mind to recover. Your body needs time to process the alcohol and get back to normal. Take naps if you need to and avoid hard activities until you feel better. Getting enough rest can help reduce Hangxiety and ease anxiety symptoms.
• Replenish Energy: Help your body recover by staying in a calm and relaxing environment. Try to do fewer stressful tasks or responsibilities.

Practicing Relaxation techniques:

• Breathe Deeply: Taking deep breaths is an easy and helpful way to calm anxiety and relax your body. Breathe in through your nose for four counts, hold for a moment, then slowly breathe out through your mouth. Repeat this as many times as you need to feel relaxed and let go of stress.
• Meditation and Mindfulness: Practicing mindfulness or meditation can help you worry less about the past and stop overthinking. It helps you focus on the present moment and realize that anxious thoughts will fade away.
• Gentle Yoga: Gentle yoga is also very helpful. It involves slow movements and deep breathing to reduce tension in your body and create a peaceful mind.

Avoid Caffeine:

• Caffeine and Anxiety: Drinking coffee or tea may seem like a good way to feel better, but caffeine can actually make hangxiety worse. Caffeine speeds up your heart and raises blood pressure, which can increase anxiety. It’s better to avoid caffeine when you feel hangxiety because it can make you feel restless and jittery.
• Choose Herbal Teas: Instead of caffeine, try herbal teas like chamomile or peppermint. These teas can help calm your body and mind.

Engage in Light Exercise:

• Gentle Movement to Release Tension: Light movement, like a slow walk, stretching, or yoga, always helps release tension and improves mood. Exercise is also a contributor to endorphin release-hence the term “natural mood boosters”-hence, it may mitigate anxiety and stress sensations.
• Improve Blood Circulation: Light exercise, including aerobic activities, would pay off well by enhancing blood circulation and thus speeding up the recovery of the body after alcohol consumption. Taking a stroll outside can clear your mind and improve all-around wellness.

Feeling anxious after drinking can be upsetting, but you are not alone. By knowing the signs and reasons for this feeling, you can take steps to feel better.

How To Get Over Hangxiety?

Looking for best cure for hangxiety, several strategies can help alleviate symptoms and accelerate the recovery process.

By adopting a combination of physical recovery, mental relaxation, and lifestyle changes, you can manage Hangxiety more effectively.

Here are some helpful tips on how to deal with hangxiety:

Take Pain Relievers (With Caution):

• Headaches and body aches: Many headaches and aches happen with hangxiety. You can take ibuprofen or aspirin, which are common pain relievers, for these symptoms. However, be careful, especially if you drank a lot of alcohol the night before. This can put stress on your liver, and taking more medicine could make it worse. It’s a good idea to check the labels and ask a doctor if you’re unsure about mixing alcohol and medicine.
• Preferred options: Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), like ibuprofen, can help with easing headaches and general muscle soreness, but hydrate as well to help your body process the medication.

Keep cool:

• Cool Showers or Baths: Taking a cool shower or bath is great for feeling less anxious. The cool water helps your body relax, eases tense muscles, and calms your feelings. It can also cool you down if you’re feeling hot or if your heart is beating fast, which can make anxiety worse.
• Relaxation through Temperature Control: In controlling temperature, the patient feels comforted and relaxed so as to be able to manage anxiety symptoms associated with hangxiety.

Seek Social Support:

• Talk to Friends or Family: Talking to friends or family can really help with Hangxiety. When you share your feelings with someone you trust, it helps you feel less alone and lets you express what you’re going through. It can also stop you from overthinking and help you feel understood.
• Emotional Relief: Having someone listen to you can ease your anxiety and make you feel better. Sometimes, just knowing that others have been through similar experiences can help you cope with your feelings.

Hangxiety is a tough feeling many people face after drinking. It’s important to know how to deal with it for your mental and physical health. By spotting the signs and using helpful methods, you can lessen how much hangxiety affects you.

How to prevent hangxiety – try to drink less alcohol, drink water, and eat before and while drinking. These steps can help reduce the bad effects of alcohol on your body and mind.

If you find yourself grappling with hangxiety, knowing how to stop hangxiety is crucial.

Techniques like mindfulness, relaxation exercises, and talking to friends or professionals can really help ease your anxiety.

Hangxiety Treatment: When to Seek Help?

Hangxiety is the mix of feeling anxious and having a hangover after drinking. This can make people feel very stressed and upset.

Sometimes feeling anxious is normal, but if it happens a lot or is very strong, it can affect your daily life. It’s important to know when to ask for help.

Here we will look at signs that show it might be time to get support and will offer resources to help you deal with this tough situation.

Severe Symptoms:

Panic Attacks or Severe Anxiety. There are serious signs of anxiety, like panic attacks, shaking so much that you can’t hold things, or sweating a lot to the point of embarrassment.

These signs show that there is a big problem that needs professional help.

Often, this means someone is withdrawing from alcohol or something else that could be a serious health issue.

Frequent Episodes:

Persistent Hangxiety: Once you have had Hangxiety time after a drunken binge, chances are that something is really ill between you and either alcohol or mental health.

Repeated attacks will suggest that you could be drinking too much or, as well, you may have to deal with some anxiety or other developing issue in your mental health.

Issues with Mental Health:

Long-Term Anxiety or Depression: You may have chronic anxiety or depression when you drink.

Then get therapy or counseling if the cause is alcohol.

You could seek their help in finding the exact source of your symptoms and most likely the best course of treatment through a dedicated professional.

For hangxiety treatment, you can consider best psychiatrist in Kankarbagh Patna. Notable options include Dr. Vivek Pratap Singh, who specializes in neuropsychiatry with over 11 years of experience.

He specializes in adolescent and child psychiatry, as well as addiction psychiatry.

How to Not Have Hangxiety: Tips for a More Enjoyable Drinking Experience

Hangxiety combines hangover symptoms with anxiety, causing distress after drinking alcohol.

To minimize its effects, consider several strategies: limit alcohol intake by setting a drink count and pacing consumption, stay hydrated by drinking water and electrolyte drinks, and eat a balanced meal beforehand.

Mindfulness techniques like deep breathing and meditation can reduce anxiety, while limiting caffeine mixed with alcohol is also helpful.

Keeping a journal to track drinking habits and emotions can reveal triggers, allowing for better choices. Seek support from friends or professionals if hangxiety persists.

These strategies shows how to reduce hangxiety and enjoy social occasions with greater peace of mind.

Conclusion

Hangxiety is a common, yet often under-discussed, phenomenon that many people experience after drinking alcohol.

It results from alcoholic effects on the brain, dehydration, and other possible factors.

Understanding why Hangxiety happens and recognizing its symptoms can help you manage it more effectively.

By staying hydrated, practicing relaxation techniques, and knowing when to seek professional help, you can minimize the impact of Hangxiety and take steps toward improving both your mental and physical well-being.

If you notice that Hangxiety happens often, it’s important to look at how much alcohol you drink and talk to a doctor about any mental health issues you may have.