Hangxiety 101: Why You Feel Anxious After Drinking

CLEVELAND - Ever feel anxious after drinking? You’re not alone.

And if you enjoy too many margaritas this Cinco de Mayo, you could end up with something called hangxiety tomorrow morning.

“Hangxiety refers to the emotional symptoms that can come up the morning after you've had some drinks. Most often this includes brain fog, anxiety, sadness, irritability and feelings of regret, guilt or shame. Physical symptoms you might experience include a racing heart, butterflies in the stomach, sweating and fidgeting,” explained Hannah Snyder, MD, an addiction psychiatrist with Cleveland Clinic.

According to Dr. Snyder, alcohol may seem to ease anxiety at first, but it’s important to remember those feelings will return. 

In fact, anxiety often comes back even stronger as you recover from drinking.

Doing something embarrassing or forgetting portions of a night out can also contribute to hangxiety.

Dr. Snyder said the best way to prevent this is to avoid alcohol altogether – but if you do drink, eat beforehand, pace your drinks and stay hydrated. 

Along with anxiety, Dr. Snyder said alcohol can have other negative effects.

“Alcohol can generally worsen overall mental health. Along with anxiety, it can worsen depression, ADHD, bipolar disorder, trauma-related disorders and sleep disorders. Alcohol can also increase the risk of suicide,” Dr. Snyder said.

Dr. Snyder encourages anyone struggling with alcohol to reach out to a doctor or mental health professional for help.