Feel calm and nice when on alcohol. But without alcohol feel like anti social and inferior. What should I do?
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Practicing since : 2002
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Hello doctor, i was wondering why is it that when i am on alcohol everything seems calm, i feel highly of myself, i can talk to any1 and be confident. But whenever i stop drinking i become anti social, feel inferior, feel like the world is judging me and i want to be left alone. What should i do ?
Posted Thu, 26 Sep 2013
in Mental Health
Answered by Dr. Preeti Parakh 27 minutes later
Brief Answer:
Alcohol cannot be a long-term solution.
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXXX,
Welcome to Healthcare Magic!
Alcohol is actually a central nervous system depressant but in low doses, it acts as a euphoriant. That is, it gives a sense of well being and lowers the social inhibitions that one feels, making you more talkative and less shy. This is the reason why you feel confident and good on taking alcohol.
However, when alcohol leaves the body, the original mental state returns, which when contrasted with the previous high, feels very low. This is the reason why you feel low and apathetic after stopping drinking.
For people who have been drinking for long, this becomes even worse because the brain cells get used to the presence of alcohol and become dysfunctional when there is no alcohol in the body. This manifests in the form of strong withdrawal symptoms like anxiety, restlessness, tremors, insomnia, low mood and even seizures. They have to take alcohol again to feel normal. Gradually, this progresses to a point, when one has to drink all through the day to be able to function.
This is the reason why you should not consider alcohol as a quick-fix solution to your low self-esteem. Please spend some time to introspect what is responsible to feelings of inferiority and try to deal with it. That will give you better results than alcohol.
Hope this answers your query. Please feel free to ask if you need any clarifications.
Best wishes.
Dr Preeti Parakh
MD Psychiatry
Alcohol cannot be a long-term solution.
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXXX,
Welcome to Healthcare Magic!
Alcohol is actually a central nervous system depressant but in low doses, it acts as a euphoriant. That is, it gives a sense of well being and lowers the social inhibitions that one feels, making you more talkative and less shy. This is the reason why you feel confident and good on taking alcohol.
However, when alcohol leaves the body, the original mental state returns, which when contrasted with the previous high, feels very low. This is the reason why you feel low and apathetic after stopping drinking.
For people who have been drinking for long, this becomes even worse because the brain cells get used to the presence of alcohol and become dysfunctional when there is no alcohol in the body. This manifests in the form of strong withdrawal symptoms like anxiety, restlessness, tremors, insomnia, low mood and even seizures. They have to take alcohol again to feel normal. Gradually, this progresses to a point, when one has to drink all through the day to be able to function.
This is the reason why you should not consider alcohol as a quick-fix solution to your low self-esteem. Please spend some time to introspect what is responsible to feelings of inferiority and try to deal with it. That will give you better results than alcohol.
Hope this answers your query. Please feel free to ask if you need any clarifications.
Best wishes.
Dr Preeti Parakh
MD Psychiatry
Follow-up: Feel calm and nice when on alcohol. But without alcohol feel like anti social and inferior. What should I do? 2 hours later
Thank u doctor i agree with you. I will stay away from it now and try to work towards sober recovery to up my self esteem
Answered by Dr. Preeti Parakh 9 minutes later
Brief Answer:
Best wishes for a healthy life.
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXXX,
Thanks for writing back!
Have faith in yourself. Accept yourself as you are, appreciate your strengths and work on your weaknesses. I am sure you will soon be able to rid yourself of feelings of inferiority. Please feel free to contact us any time you feel that you need help.
If you have no further queries, please close the discussion and rate it.
Best wishes.
Dr Preeti Parakh
MD Psychiatry
Best wishes for a healthy life.
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXXX,
Thanks for writing back!
Have faith in yourself. Accept yourself as you are, appreciate your strengths and work on your weaknesses. I am sure you will soon be able to rid yourself of feelings of inferiority. Please feel free to contact us any time you feel that you need help.
If you have no further queries, please close the discussion and rate it.
Best wishes.
Dr Preeti Parakh
MD Psychiatry
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