Understanding Hangxiety: Why Do We Feel Anxious After Drinking?

We know all too well what a hangover feels like. Fatigue, a pounding head and with a bit of bad luck also a nauseous feeling. This is anything but nice. Some may even suffer from a hangxiety: a cross between a hangover and anxiety. You then have a hangover and also experience anxiety, gloom and stress. How exactly does this arise?

Wat is hangxiety?

Hangxiety means having anxious thoughts after a night of drinking. You have looked too deeply into the glass and feel a certain restlessness the next morning. You worry and feel uncomfortable. What have you been up to? And said? These kinds of thoughts keep running through your head during a hangxiety. However, feelings of anxiety do not necessarily mean that you suffer from this type of hangover. Everyone sometimes thinks about what he or she actually did or regrets something. The difference with a hangxiety lies in not being able to let go of these thoughts. With a normal hangover you may feel bad for a while, but then focus on watching a series or grab an hour of sleep. Is this not working and do you feel overwhelmed by fear and want to analyze it all the time? Then your hangover is a lot more intense than just a little tiredness and headache. Some may even experience a sense of panic. That is of course not very pleasant.

How does a hangxiety arise?

Alcohol affects several neurotransmitter systems in your brain. When you drink alcohol, dopamine neurons in the brain area start to work harder and harder. These neurons are associated with reward and give you a true dopamine rush. Such a peak is short-lived. You feel relaxed and fulfilled at that moment, but the next day? Then a feeling of fear and stress overtakes you. Your dopamine is simply depleted. Other neurotransmitters can also temporarily stop working, such as serotonin and endorphins. It makes sense that this has a major effect on your mood.

Fortunately, you can easily prevent such a hangxiety by looking a little less deeply into the glass. If you still want to go crazy that evening, it can help to find a way to relax more the next morning. Call a friend, do a meditation, or anything else that will quiet your mind.

Also interesting: different types of headaches and their causes