Anyone who drinks alcohol has probably looked a little too deeply into their drink at some point. You probably recognize the hangover that you enjoy the next day. Having a hangover is already annoying, but this coupled with anxiety (hangxiety) is even more intense. But what exactly is hangxiety? And what can you do about it?
What is hangxiety?
Hangxiety is the combination of the words hangover and anxiety. This can occur on a day when you would normally only have a hangover. With hangxiety you actually have a lot of stress, anxiety and panic about the fact that you have a hangover and about what you did the night before. Drunkenly rereading text messages, anxiously asking friends if you did something crazy. Your brain switches to overthinking mode. Fortunately, Hangxiety (just like a regular hangover) is short-lived.
Why does hangover anxiety arise?
You now know what it is exactly, but why does this phenomenon actually occur? What happens in our brains that can prevent something like this? It actually has to do with the fact that during an evening of drinking alcohol, you get a dopamine rush. The more you drink, the longer you will feel this rush. The dopamine makes you feel very free, relaxed and happy, but once this wears off (i.e. when you go to sleep and wake up the next day) you can feel the opposite of free, relaxed and happy. In some people this results in having anxious and panicky feelings.
What can you do about hangxiety?
The simple solution to no longer having hangover anxiety is to simply drink less alcohol. You will then feel a less intense dopamine rush, which means the aftermath will also be less overwhelming. It is also important to be in a good and positive mindset before you start consuming alcohol. Some people like to drink their problems away, but then it hits ten times harder the next day. If you drink for the right reasons (just having a fun party), you will probably feel less anxious the next day.
Did you get hangxiety after your party night? In any case, make sure you eat and drink well. Above all, take some rest and try not to give in to your panic.
