Stop 'hangxiety' SPOILING YOUR SUMMER

Does alcohol-induced anxiety creep up on you when you least expect it? Here's what can help

-  SAMANTHA WOOD

Wake up after a night out in a total panic? Worry as you can’t remember if you’ve upset someone or embarrassed yourself? ‘Hangxiety’ is the buzzword coined to describe this type of terror. It’s the fear and self-loathing you can feel after you’ve had a few drinks, and it happens more often the older you get.

‘Hangxiety is caused by a chemical reaction in the body and is not the result of us necessarily drinking too much or being bad people,’ says body psychotherapist Lorna Evans*, who believes that this awareness is the first step to handling it. ‘This type of anxiety often gets worse for women as they reach the peri/menopause ages – they might already be experiencing hormonal imbalances and having these fluctuations messed with further, because of the reaction caused by alcohol, makes them feel even worse.’

Here’s what you need to know.

A cycle of worry

It’s not personal – hangxiety is caused by a chemical reaction that’s happening within our body. ‘Alcohol affects the receptors and neurons in the brain,’ explains Lorna. ‘Initially, it gives us a dopamine rush, so we feel happy – but then, as with any high, we have to come down. Alcohol reduces our levels of the happy hormone serotonin, which can result in feelings of sadness and overthinking in the following days.’