Anxiety, Alcohol use and 13 ways to cope with panic(without drinking)

Posted on February 18, 2015

Photo: flickr

Women metabolize alcohol differently than men, so our brains are more susceptible to damage. For instance, we are more likely to have issues with memory loss and blackouts in the short term and have more nerve damage, cirrhosis of the liver and cardiac issues all with less years of active drinking then our male counterparts.

Anxiety and depression themselves come with changes in the nervous system, specifically neurotransmitters and threat control centers, like the amygdala. And according to psychiatrist Peter Kramer in Listening to Prozac, alcohol alters neurotransmitter function that can be persistent over time. In those with depressive symptoms, Kramer notes that evidence of damage is usually found in areas that control serotonin and other emotion-controlling hormones, and that glial cells-the brain’s way of processing toxins-are also damaged. Other findings also include that alcohol decreases brain size, reducing white matter and shrinking other areas of the brain, namely the ones involved in stress processing. Alcohol also damages areas involved in nerve signaling by depleting thiamine4, (vitamin B1) a nutrient that is essential for brain health and muscle and nerve coordination.

In fact, alcohol usage may increase rates of anxiety and depression by altering brain chemistry. Alcohol also primes the brain to crave it in times of stress, which may lead to a cycle of inadequate repair and trouble coping.This could in turn build a new problem, alcohol dependence.

There are 13 ways to cope with panic, without the use of alcohol :
Identify the problem
Know that panic and anxiety are normal
Deep Breathing
Find support
Exercise
Embrace physical health
Natural supplements for anxiety
Distraction
Write
Yoga/Mindfulness
Exposure
Change you thoughts
Seek professional help


To read more, click the link below.


Category(s):Anxiety, Panic issues

Source material from Megsanity