Having a night out with your friends is something that we all need to indulge in every now and then. There’s nothing that helps forget your worries and forge bonds with your friends than with some red wine (or margaritas) and lots of dancing.

But have you ever woken up with a headache so bad you can barely get out of bed as a result of having a bit too much fun? Or how about experiencing a night of uncomfortable nausea and dizziness as a result of one too many red wines?

Chances are, if you have experienced either of the above then you have had a hangover, and let’s be honest, hangovers suck. You’ll likely spend at least half a day nursing yourself back to health before you can muster up enough energy to order food delivery.

Experiencing a terrible hangover is something that can stick with you for the rest of your life; it is one that you do not want to experience again. For many, they develop a type of anxiety when drinking, making it hard to relax and have fun. This phenomenon is known as hangxiety.



Defining Hangxiety

When you experience a hangover, both your body and your brain have to go into overdrive to try to heal themselves. As a way to ensure that your body does not have to endure another traumatic hangover once again, it is common for your brain to create a chemical trigger to remind your future self to be wary of drinking.

Symptoms of Hangxiety

When you experience hangxiety, you may see panic occur when around alcohol or drinking alcohol. In fact, you may have some of the below symptoms.

1. Feeling Restless

If you start drinking and are having problems getting into that “fun night out” mindset, you may be experiencing hangxiety. In fact, this is likely because your brain has set off triggers to remind yourself to take it easy in the hopes of preventing a hangover the next day.

2. Being Worried

It is also likely that drinking alcohol has impacted the production of dopamine and serotonin in your brain. These brain chemicals are important because they can help you deal with normal anxiety. If you start drinking, your body may have trouble dealing with anxiety, specifically dealing with the fear of going through another hangover.

3. Inability to Focus

When your brain becomes consumed with fear of enduring another hangover, you may be struggling to focus in general. In fact, you may feel like you are in a completely different environment than the festive atmosphere you are currently in.

4. Being Embarrassed

Another common symptom of hangxiety is embarrassment. While you should never worry about having fun, it can be normal to worry about having too much fun. You may feel some sort of shame around putting your body through the wringer once again all in the name of a great night out. These negative feelings and thoughts are often correlated with reaching the tipping point of drinking too much alcohol.

Why Does Hangxiety Happen

Dealing with hangxiety can be frustrating and stressful. So it is normal to wonder why it even happens in the first place.

While hangxiety is something that researchers continue to investigate and learn more about, they have discovered that alcohol has a direct impact on the functionality of your brain. In fact, alcohol is responsible for your brain releasing too many endorphins, which is why it is easy to reach that euphoric state when drunk. However,  the euphoric sensation does not last forever. In fact, it is likely that the very next day you will feel like the entire world is crashing down. This is when the endorphin excess transitions to a state of feeling hungover. Not only that but your nervous system will also be triggered to remember the uncomfortable sensations you are now experiencing.

Those who suffer through hangxiety often struggle to relax in social settings, feel exhausted and struggle to sleep, undergo dehydration, and may even get jittery when not drinking alcohol.

How to Manage Hangxiety

However, there are many ways to cope with hangxiety, with experts helping to manage and even cure your symptoms.  Here are the top coping mechanisms that you can use to help you relax, enjoy that glass of wine, and enjoy the company of your friends.

1. Deal With the Physical Symptoms

If you are feeling struck down by the physical symptoms, then you do not have to suffer long. Some simple ways to manage the discomfort you are experiencing include staying hydrated with an IV therapy drip session, eating healthy food, trying to get a good night’s sleep, and talking to your doctor about medication to help relieve the actual pain, such as ibuprofen.

If you are considering getting an IV therapy drip session, then you will be able to easily schedule this in advance of your big night out. In fact, you can have the team come directly to your home to administer the very next morning. It is a great proactive solution to get instant relief and prevent a full day of misery.

2. Strengthen Your Mental Health

Our brain is very powerful, so it is equally important to look after your mental health and address psychological symptoms, as well. One simple way to do this is by practicing mindfulness through breathing exercises. Or, you can rely on your support system of friends and family to talk through your worries and feel reassured that you are not alone.

3. Be Conscious When Having Fun

Life is about moderation, including drinking. If you are fearful of experiencing another bad hangover, then go into the night with set limits. After one or two drinks, switch to water or another non-alcoholic beverage instead. Know that you can still enjoy the night even if you have switched the type of drink you are sipping on.

Conclusion

Hangxiety sucks, but it does not have to be something that controls your life. Be smart, set boundaries, and have a recovery plan—like an IV therapy drip session—organized for the day after as a precautionary measure.

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