Anxiety—Alcohol

Also called: Drinking

If you are like many Americans, you drink alcohol at least occasionally. For many people, moderate drinking is probably safe. It may even have health benefits, including reducing your risk of certain heart problems. For most women and for most people over 65, moderate drinking is no more than three drinks a day or seven drinks per week. For men under 65, it is no more than four drinks a day or 14 drinks per week.

Some people should not drink at all, including alcoholics, children, pregnant women, people taking certain medicines, and people with certain medical conditions. If you have questions about whether it is safe for you to drink, speak with your health care provider.

Anything more than moderate drinking can be risky. Heavy drinking can lead to alcoholism and alcohol abuse, as well as injuries, liver disease, heart disease, cancer, and other health problems. It can also cause problems at home, at work, and with friends.

NIH: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

• Alcohol use and safe drinking (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Calorie count – Alcoholic beverages (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Deciding to quit drinking alcohol (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Health risks of alcohol use (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Weight loss and alcohol (Medical Encyclopedia)
• What type of drinker are you? (Medical Encyclopedia)
• When you are drinking too much – tips for cutting back (Medical Encyclopedia)

Fear and anxiety are part of life. You may feel anxious before you take a test or walk down a dark street. This kind of anxiety is useful – it can make you more alert or careful. It usually ends soon after you are out of the situation that caused it. But for millions of people in the United States, the anxiety does not go away, and gets worse over time. They may have chest pains or nightmares. They may even be afraid to leave home. These people have anxiety disorders. Types include

• Panic disorder
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder
• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Phobias
• Generalized anxiety disorder

Treatment can involve medicines, therapy or both.

NIH: National Institute of Mental Health

• Generalized anxiety disorder (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD): When Worry Gets Out of Control – NIH – Easy-to-Read (National Institute of Mental Health) – PDF
• Generalized anxiety disorder – children (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Generalized anxiety disorder — self-care (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Palliative care – fear and anxiety (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Separation anxiety in children (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Stress and your health (Medical Encyclopedia)