Hangxiety is that gnawing, restless anxiety that comes after drinking - it’s not “just in your head.” Alcohol messes with your brain chemistry, floods you with feel-good dopamine, then leaves you with a chemical crash. Your body’s stress hormones also spike while you’re sleeping, so you wake feeling jittery and panicked. The only foolproof cure? Don’t drink. In the short term, hydrate, eat something nourishing, and give your nervous system a break with slow breathing or a walk. But long-term, the only way to avoid it is to ditch the cause.

The boring truth? There’s no magic fix - your body needs time to process the alcohol and its toxic by-products. You can help yourself by rehydrating, eating something balanced (protein + carbs), and resting. Fancy hangover “cures” might take the edge off, but nothing will undo what your liver and brain have to deal with. Prevention beats cure every time - i.e., not drinking, or drinking less.

Yes. Alcohol can both trigger panic attacks and make existing anxiety worse. The calming effect when you first drink is temporary - as it wears off, your brain rebounds by increasing stress hormones and heart rate. Add dehydration, poor sleep, and blood sugar crashes, and you’ve got the perfect storm for feeling panicky.

Forget labels for a second. The more important question is: is alcohol causing you problems? If you’re thinking about drinking when you don’t want to, breaking promises to yourself, or finding it hard to cut down, it’s already taking up too much space in your life. You don’t need to hit “rock bottom” or tick a checklist to decide it’s time for change.

Ageing changes how our bodies handle alcohol. Muscle mass decreases, body fat often increases, and our liver processes alcohol less efficiently. That means the same glass of wine you drank easily at 25 will hit harder now - and your tolerance may drop quickly if you’ve cut back or had periods of not drinking.

Shakes (tremors) are a withdrawal symptom - but not having them doesn’t mean you’re in the clear. Physical addiction is only one part of the picture. Many people have a psychological dependence without severe withdrawal symptoms. If stopping feels emotionally impossible or you keep returning to drinking despite wanting to quit, that’s still a red flag.

Possibly. Lots of women in midlife are only just being diagnosed because ADHD can present differently in girls/women, and it’s often masked for years. Symptoms can include distractibility, impulsivity, restlessness, and difficulty regulating emotions. Alcohol can be a way some people self-medicate - it provides short-term relief but worsens focus, mood, and anxiety in the long run.

Yes, research suggests people with ADHD are at higher risk of problematic drinking. This is often because alcohol temporarily eases restlessness, social anxiety, and emotional overwhelm - but it’s a short-term fix that usually causes more problems later. If you suspect ADHD, it’s worth exploring that alongside your relationship with alcohol.

For some, maybe. For many, moderation attempts become a miserable cycle of rules, bargaining, and disappointment. If you’ve tried to moderate and always end up back where you started (or worse), full sobriety is usually simpler, kinder, and far more freeing.

Because knowing something and feeling it are two different things. Alcohol changes your brain’s reward system - so even when you understand the damage it’s doing, part of your brain still craves the hit. That’s why willpower alone isn’t enough. You need new coping tools, self-compassion, and a plan to deal with triggers, not just a mental lecture.