Hi everyone,
Alcohol is characterized as a depressant. But did you know alcohol has a stimulating effect as well as a depressing effect? When we have a drink we get a stimulating effect for about 20 minutes. That euphoric buzz after a few drinks can make us feel great but it doesn't last long. After that short burst alcohol's depressant characteristics kick in and we start to feel tired, down, anxious and even irritable. These downer feelings often drive people to have another drink and this can lead us to keep chasing the boost we got when we had our first drink. The depressant feeling can last hours and even into the next day or days. If you ever drank too much you may be familiar with "hangxiety" or depression.
Is that short euphoric burst worth the hours or days of feeling down? Feeling down can often make us want to drink but remember it will make you feel worse in the long run.
What are your experiences with hangxiety and depression? How has alcohol effected your mood?
Take care,
Ashley
