Self medicating anxiety with alcohol is common but dangerousChris Skelton Suzy Morrison is a trained social worker and was part of the community AIDS resource team at the Auckland DHB for seven years. She drank to avoid anxiety during social situations, but for a long time didn't realise that's what she was doing. 123rf Using alcohol to keep calm is quite common, say experts. "At the time, I wouldn't have thought 'this is easing anxiety', I didn't have that kind of language for it." If you "pre-load" with a few alcoholic drinks at home to prepare for a social situation, you could be unknowingly using alcohol to ease your anxiety.

Source: Stuff August 25, 2017 03:33 UTC