Using Alcohol to Cope With Social Anxiety?
By Anja Baltic
Many people struggle on a weekly basis with drinking excessively, possibly without understanding the reasons behind turning to alcohol. Consider this scenario: A woman would really like to find a partner to share her life with, however, she has been out of the dating world for five years. She recently joined a dating site and becomes extremely nervous about putting herself back out there and meeting up with people from the dating site. Before going on said dates, this woman routinely has a couple glasses of wine before her date. She claims it relaxes her and lowers her nervousness and tendency to overthink. Relying on alcohol to ease anxiety could be a sign of an underlying issue relating to social anxiety.
According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (AADA), “The defining feature of social anxiety disorder, also called social phobia, is intense anxiety or fear of being judged, negatively evaluated, or rejected in a social or performance situation”. Social anxiety is characterized by mental and physical symptoms. People who suffer from social anxiety are overly concerned with how they appear to others. One of the biggest symptoms of social anxiety is rumination, which is over-thinking after events or situations have occurred. People often replay these social situations and obsess over how they came across to other people involved, due to worrisome thoughts over what they did or said. Other symptoms of social anxiety include difficulties talking to others, trouble making eye contact, feeling highly self-conscious when in the presence of others, as well as overly worrying about social events that are to come. Physical symptoms include trembling, nausea, sweating, shortness of breath, and a racing heart while in social situations. This type of obsessing impacts individuals in all aspects of their lives. It becomes even more debilitating when they use a substance, like alcohol, to cope with the worries that accompany social situations. Though it is a problem, it is not uncommon. According to the ADAA, 20 percent of those struggling with social anxiety also suffer from an alcohol abuse or dependence issue.
Those who experience this should consider that although drinking may relieve stress momentarily, it is known to increase anxiety in the long term. Drinking to avoid social anxiety could potentially increase the amount of rumination because alcohol lowers inhibitions and makes one less socially competent. If you find yourself using alcohol to cope with your social anxiety, like the woman previously mentioned, it is important to seek medical attention to assist you in finding a healthy way to cope with and manage your symptoms. If the substance abuse has become a separate problem of its own, a recovery model program may be helpful. Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) can be a scary prospect to consider if you struggle with social anxiety. Keep in mind there are other options you can take. There are recovery model programs available that do not put you in the position of speaking in front of others, as this can be especially difficult for those with social anxiety. However, it is important to not let your social anxiety stop you from seeking treatment. Consider speaking to a therapist before taking this step if it is something that seems daunting. This may be the most comfortable approach to begin with as it does not put you in front of a large audience.
References
Markway, Barbara. “Social Anxiety and Alcohol Use: A Complex Relationship.” Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers, 6 Sept. 2017, www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/shyness-is-nice/201709/social-anxiety-and-alcohol-use-complex-relationship.
Markway, Barbara. “Symptoms of Social Anxiety.” Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers, 18 Apr. 2013, www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/shyness-is-nice/201304/symptoms-social-anxiety.
Nowinski, Joseph. “Social Anxiety and Problem Drinking: The Connection.” Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers, 17 Oct. 2013, www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-new-grief/201310/social-anxiety-and-problem-drinking-the-connection.
“Social Anxiety Disorder.” Anxiety and Depression Association of America, ADAA, https://adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/social-anxiety-disorder .