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Conditions like GERD where stomach acids come up into the esophagus can be mistaken for anxiety or panic attacks. Alcohol can make GERD type symptoms a lot wors

Conditions like GERD where stomach acids come up into the esophagus can be mistaken for anxiety or panic attacks. Alcohol can make GERD type symptoms a lot worse.

trhway 5y ago
it isn't necessary mistaken. The issues like GERD and some other around stomach/digestion affect how your muscles handle the diaphragm and that may strangle the breathing in various ways and also obstruct heart beating movements - that all limits the oxygen supply, and while sitting relaxed doing nothing the oxygenation may be sufficient it struggles to cover any additional increased requirements which spike due to increased body and/or brain activity, and that insufficient oxygen delivery naturally makes one feel anxious.
ryantgtg 5y ago
Interesting. If I get drunk two nights in a row, there are high chances that I’ll wake up the night with a panic attack. I grew up with panic attacks, and they were random and I had no clue what was happening to me until college when I first learned of the phrase (prior to that I just referred to it as “the chaos”). I can control and fight them off them now. But if I drink too much, then my mind and body are weakened and I can’t fight them off (while sleeping!). Anyway, I’ll look up this GERD thing.
- heavyset_go 5y ago
  This is actually quite common because alcohol consumption effects GABA and serotonin levels in the brain, as well as the sensitization of GABAergic and serotonergic neurons, and both neurotransmitters are involved in anxiety and panic. It can also be the result of a very light kindling[1] effect. The colloquial term seems to be "hangxiety" if you want a term to search for. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kindling_(sedative%E2%80%93hypnotic_withdrawal) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kindling_(sedative%E2%80%93hyp...
ckosidows 5y ago
I'm glad someone has mentioned this. After a night of drinking I always feel nauseous to the point that it ruins my whole day. Even after a moderate amount of alcohol or any kind of mixing. I'm not certain I have GERD, but it's been my hypothesis. Anyone else have similar experiences? I can never go to a brunch/lunch after drinking in fear that my nausea will turn into something worse.
- meheleventyone 5y ago
  Just for another perspective I have GERD spurred on by a hiatal hernia and don’t experience nausea this way after drinking. I only really get nauseous if I drink to excess.
nick__m 5y ago
GERD made me quit Scotch (other spirits are probably forbidden but I love undiluted scotch) , red wine, dark beer, black and white tea and dark chocolate. I used to have a glass (2oz) of undiluted high proof scotch a few times a week after a good workday but around 37y I had to stop. I wish something could replicate the taste and the warmth of the Aberlour A'bunadh but alas I fear that replicating the feeling of +60% ABV without using something even more deleterious than ethanol is impossible.

Conditions like GERD where stomach acids come up into the esophagus can be mistaken for anxiety or panic attacks. Alcohol can make GERD type symptoms a lot worse.

trhway 5y ago

it isn't necessary mistaken. The issues like GERD and some other around stomach/digestion affect how your muscles handle the diaphragm and that may strangle the breathing in various ways and also obstruct heart beating movements - that all limits the oxygen supply, and while sitting relaxed doing nothing the oxygenation may be sufficient it struggles to cover any additional increased requirements which spike due to increased body and/or brain activity, and that insufficient oxygen delivery naturally makes one feel anxious.

ryantgtg 5y ago

Interesting. If I get drunk two nights in a row, there are high chances that I’ll wake up the night with a panic attack. I grew up with panic attacks, and they were random and I had no clue what was happening to me until college when I first learned of the phrase (prior to that I just referred to it as “the chaos”). I can control and fight them off them now. But if I drink too much, then my mind and body are weakened and I can’t fight them off (while sleeping!). Anyway, I’ll look up this GERD thing.

heavyset_go 5y ago
This is actually quite common because alcohol consumption effects GABA and serotonin levels in the brain, as well as the sensitization of GABAergic and serotonergic neurons, and both neurotransmitters are involved in anxiety and panic. It can also be the result of a very light kindling[1] effect. The colloquial term seems to be "hangxiety" if you want a term to search for. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kindling_(sedative%E2%80%93hypnotic_withdrawal) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kindling_(sedative%E2%80%93hyp...

ckosidows 5y ago

I'm glad someone has mentioned this. After a night of drinking I always feel nauseous to the point that it ruins my whole day. Even after a moderate amount of alcohol or any kind of mixing. I'm not certain I have GERD, but it's been my hypothesis. Anyone else have similar experiences? I can never go to a brunch/lunch after drinking in fear that my nausea will turn into something worse.

meheleventyone 5y ago
Just for another perspective I have GERD spurred on by a hiatal hernia and don’t experience nausea this way after drinking. I only really get nauseous if I drink to excess.

nick__m 5y ago

GERD made me quit Scotch (other spirits are probably forbidden but I love undiluted scotch) , red wine, dark beer, black and white tea and dark chocolate. I used to have a glass (2oz) of undiluted high proof scotch a few times a week after a good workday but around 37y I had to stop. I wish something could replicate the taste and the warmth of the Aberlour A'bunadh but alas I fear that replicating the feeling of +60% ABV without using something even more deleterious than ethanol is impossible.