Crippling anxiety can severely impact a person’s life, leading to persistent excessive worry, sleep anxiety, or sleep disturbances, difficulty concentrating, irritability and muscle tension.
The constant fear and worry can lead to a person feeling overwhelmed by life. Wales Online journalist Taite Johnson, has opened up about her anxiety, what caused it and how her life has now been changed.
Ever since my 18th birthday, drinking alcohol recreationally has always had a negative impact on me but it took me years to give it up and it turned out to be the best decision I have ever made. As a teenager and in my early 20’s my weekends would often involve drinking alcohol, making regrettable decisions and waking up the next morning wishing I hadn’t drank and vowing never to do so again.
After years of waking up with an agonising headache, vomiting and crippling ‘hangxiety’, I had to make a change and there was only one solution – stop drinking. Whilst it was an idea I had toyed with for a while, I finally decided that I would try to cut alcohol out of my life for as long as possible but now a year later, I can’t ever imagine going back.
Drinking alcohol always just felt like something that would be inevitable once I turned 18 with it being such a social norm. It wasn’t until a doctor told me “some people just shouldn’t drink alcohol at all and it seems you are one of those people”, that I realised it would not only be beneficial but also essential for me to stop.
Like many people I would often deal with pretty bad hangovers the day after drinking but what the real issue I faced was the harrowing anxiety that I would get for days afterward. Hangxiety, a term used for anxiety caused by the after effects of consuming alcohol, is common especially in those who already suffer from anxiety, like me.
Drinkaware.co.uk describes the causes of hangxiety, stating: “Alcohol is a depressant. This means it causes chemical changes in your brain that might make you feel calmer and more relaxed at first. But when you stop drinking and the effects of alcohol wear off it can heighten any feelings of anxiety, guilt, or shame.
“Feeling dehydrated, disturbed sleep, and having low sugar levels are associated with drinking heavily the night before and can all contribute to anxiety. Alcohol can also lower our inhibitions – often making us say or do things we later regret and can add to a general sense of doom or worry the next day.”
Because of my crippling hangxiety I began to drink less often as I got older but still found that I would binge and drink more than I should have, still leaving me bedbound the day after. Over the last few years I had thought about attempting a sober stint but never felt the courage to do so but on New Year’s Eve last year I decided I had to.
So much changed when I stopped having it
(Image: John Myers)
Hoping to miss the madness of New Year’s Eve in Cardiff, I joined some friends on December 30, 2023 for drinks instead. Waking up the following morning my hangxiety was the worst it has ever been, leaving me hospitalised.
Hearing from doctors that the best way to stop hangxiety is to stop drinking and that it could help my mental health improve overall helped me come to the decision to finally give it up. At first I just wanted to at least pass 30 days but as time went on I never had the urge to pick it back up.
After only seeing positive changes from quitting alcohol, I celebrated one year sober this new year and can’t see myself ever picking up a drink again. Whilst it seems easy enough to just never drink alcohol again I was nervous about how it would change my life being in my 20s.
I was scared that maybe I would be looked at as boring or strange for not joining my peers in a cocktail or a beer but I soon realised that I surrounded myself with people who only ever encouraged me. My life has changed for the better since January 1, 2024 and being sober has allowed me to learn more about myself as a person and continue to live the life of a 24-year-old without the dread of a hangover.
Having supportive friends and family that completely understood my decision meant that I have still be invited to every event and tagged along sober. Not drinking has actually meant that I join more social activities whether they typically involve drinking or not as I no longer dread the morning after and can also afford to do them more often. I have found that there are multiple positive effects and benefits of being sober.
Cost-efficient
It’s no secret that buying a pint in the pub isn’t exactly a budget-friendly habit – particularly if, like me, you can’t stomach the taste of beer and would much prefer a double vodka, which can set you back more than £10 in most bars in Cardiff. I’ve now switched to more cost-effective drinks, leaving my bank balance significantly healthier.
But it’s not just the price of alcohol I’ve saved on since embracing sobriety; transport costs have also plummeted. Despite living only 20 minutes from Cardiff city centre, I’d still fork out around £20 for a taxi home, sometimes even more. So, I decided to become the designated driver for my friends and myself, saving even more money on nights out.
Mental health
I wanted to prioritise my mental wellbeing and avoid deliberately placing myself in situations that could exacerbate my anxiety and impact my overall health, that’s why I became sober. Prioritising my mental health has enabled me to feel proud of myself and reduced self-doubt. The fact that I can still have fun and enjoy myself without alcohol is a testament to who I am, something my friends and family often remind me of.
Initially, I worried that I might be the ‘boring’ friend if I didn’t partake in drinking, but I’ve discovered quite the opposite about myself, which was a fantastic revelation.
Physical health
Waking up feeling fresh after a night out means I don’t spend the day laying in bed, but instead, I hit the gym, go for a walk, or do whatever I fancy. Since I wasn’t a heavy drinker before quitting, I haven’t noticed a significant change in my physical health or appearance, although I have seen a slight weight loss.
Relationships
I can admit that my drunken self was not the easiest person to be around, which caused strains in my family relationships. However, since becoming sober, I’ve noticed my relationships with those in my life have strengthened, particularly with my family.
I’m not sure I could have maintained sobriety for the entire year without the support of my friends. They’ve never excluded me or made me feel different for not drinking alcohol. Instead, they’ve encouraged my sobriety and congratulated me along the way.
- Barod works across south and west Wales to support individuals affected by alcohol and drugs as well as their friends and family
- Kaleidoscope services support people and families affected by substance use
- WCADA is a treatment agency based in Western Bay providing services for adults, young people and families, and people in the criminal justice system
- MEPMIS provides a free drug and alcohol E-learning training module can be used by individuals and employers
- Dan 24/7 provides a free and bilingual telephone helpline providing a single point of contact for anyone in Wales wanting further information or help relating to drugs or alcohol
- Out of Work Service Peer Mentoring: Specialist employment support for people in recovery from mental ill-health, substance and/or alcohol misuse
- British Liver Trust is the UK’s leading liver health charity working to improve liver health for all and supporting those affected by liver disease or cancer
- Healthy Working Wales can support employers develop their approach to managing alcohol in the workplace. For more information you can email WorkplaceHealth@wales.nhs.uk
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