Hangover and fear? What is behind Hangxiety

Hangxiety describes the feeling of fear, confusion and overwhelm that can occur the day after excessive alcohol consumption. Here you can find out how this feeling arises and how you can prevent it.

The term “hangxiety” is made up of the two English words “hangover” and “anxiety”. He uses it to describe states of anxiety that arise as a result of a hangover. We are much less informed about these psychological consequences of alcohol consumption, which can keep us busy long after we have drunk a lot, than we are about the short-term physical effects.

That’s what we might talk about among friends headache, fatigue and fatigue the day after a party. We usually keep to ourselves the fact that we then sank into mental spirals for a long time, which triggered a feeling of confusion and anxiety. In fact, hangxiety is not an isolated case, but occurs regularly with alcohol consumption due to processes in our brain.

How does Hangxiety come about?

When we drink alcohol, we often quickly feel the calming and relaxing effect. This is because alcohol activates the so-called GABA receptors in the brain. These are responsible for the release of anxiety, calming and dampening. The body wants to compensate for this excessive activation and reacts accordingly: stimulating substances are then released in the brain. Among other things, these ensure that we can continue to walk or speak despite the depressant effect of alcohol.

However, the body’s counter-reaction subsides more slowly than the effects of alcohol. As a result, we may feel jittery or restless due to the stimulants that are still active the day after the party. This restlessness can also lead to a feeling of anxiety.

Whether and to what extent we actually perceive hangxiety on the day of the hangover depends heavily on our individual requirements. This includes, for example, how we generally deal with fears. But our personality type also plays a role: According to a study from 2018, shy people tend to suffer from hangxiety.

According to the researchers, this can have fatal consequences: shy people could be more inclined to use alcohol to feel safer and, for example, to speak louder and be more likely to approach others. The next day, however, the feeling of release is reversed: the insecurity is even greater due to the alcohol consumption. This can encourage a vicious cycle. In order to combat this insecurity or anxiety, the next step to the bottle is obvious. According to the scientists, it is important to stop these mechanisms at an early stage and to accept yourself as an introvert or shy person.

How Does Hangxiety Affect?

Hangxiety can trigger various negative feelings. A 2012 study asked around 1,410 students from the Netherlands about typical symptoms of their hangover:

• 74 percent described a feeling of apathy, in the sense of concern and disinterest.
• 27.1 percent felt remorse, 25.8 percent felt confused and irritated, and 25.2 percent felt guilty.
• Almost 19 percent reported feeling depressed.
• Just over seven percent felt fear.

In such a situation, we often resolve not to drink alcohol at all for a while. It becomes problematic when we break this resolution again and again and continue to get drunk regularly to cover up fears and insecurities. If you have problems in this regard, you can, for example, contact the nearest addiction counseling center in your area.

Avoiding the alcohol fear: You can do that

The easiest way to avoid hangxiety is that if you don’t drink, you won’t have to deal with the aftermath of the hangover. If you do enjoy a drink every once in a while, here are a few tips to help you fight hangxiety and consume alcohol responsibly and mindfully:

• Ask yourself why you want to drink alcohol right now. For reasons of pleasure or as part of a social get-together? Or because you are insecure and want to loosen up with the alcohol? If the latter is the case, the likelihood of hangxiety the next morning is high. So only drink when you feel good and are surrounded by people you trust, for example.
• drink slowly By the way, if you drink a glass of water after every alcoholic drink, you not only prevent hangxiety, but also headaches and other physical effects.
• You just drank a little too much and the hangxiety is already there? Even then, the following applies: drink a lot of water! Alcohol has a dehydrating effect, affecting how our brains function. It is therefore important to refill the water reservoirs the next day.
• Besides water, there are unfortunately few mechanisms against the fear of hangovers. However, to avoid overthinking things, it might help to meet up with close friends or talk on the phone. A good book, movie, or fulfilling hobby can also take your mind off negative feelings. And maybe the thought that the feeling will soon pass and then there will be more space for positive thoughts will also help you.

Read more on Techzle.com:

• Study: Even a little alcohol shortens life expectancy
• 4 weeks without alcohol: That’s what it does to your body
• What helps against a hangover? – Tips and home remedies for too much alcohol