The Holidays Promote Self Medication

'Tis the season when we tend to want to change the way we are feeling. You are not alone if you feel like the Holidays are a set-up for chaos and failure. Many of us have tried to live up to old ideas about "Hallmark Card" moments and been deeply hurt in the process.

What we know in our hearts, science is beginning to prove. Recently, Reuters Health reported that "Individuals who worry about symptoms of anxiety are prone to seeking relief from their stress by drinking alcohol--potentially leading to the development of an alcohol abuse problem." It was said in the report that Doctors label people who worry about anxiety-related physical symptoms as anxiety sensitive. The symptoms can include, but are not limited to "a rapid heart beat or hyperventilation."

Researcher Alan B. MacDonald says that those of us who may be sensitive to anxiety symptoms "may be motivated to drink, and drink heavily, to cope with the anxiety sensations that they find so unpleasant.''

How many of you, like me, have searched for a feeling of ease and comfort in a stressful situation? If you are like me, you found that sense of ease with the first drink, or during your food or sex binge. Usually we sank into a cycle of feeling the urge, giving into it and feeling guilty about doing it. All of this led, of course to repeating the behavior that momentarily felt good.

This study was conducted with a group of 102 graduate students, both male and female. The students who demonstrated a high sensitivity to anxiety reported "a much greater reduction of both fearful thoughts and negative feelings after consuming either a moderate or high dose of alcohol" further "remarking that the alcohol had a soothing effect that increased with increased consumption."

MacDonald's report went on to state that anxiety prone people attuned to the numbing effect of alcohol "`may promote increased alcohol consumption and eventually may lead to alcohol abuse as (they) learn to use alcohol more and more for these rewarding consequences,''

This "coping-motivated drinking is a marker for future alcohol abuse." How many of you started drinking around anxiety or fear? I hear story after story from folks who began drinking just for that reason. In fact today, I heard a woman share about the topic of fear and how our lives are motivated by avoiding those feelings.

This abuse to numb ourselves out isn't just limited to alcohol. I personally have used food, men, shopping and sex to avoid the reality of how I was feeling.

Go To Page: 1 2

Articles in this Topic    Discussions in this Topic