Mental health expert explains which types of alcohol cause the most hangxiety

We’ve all been there – out on the lash and now you feel like you can’t even peek out of your blanket due to crippling shame and anxiety.

Even if you didn’t do anything particularly embarrassing the night before, there’s still that feeling of utter dread that you have to face the world.

If you, like so many others, feel this way after a night of heavy drinking, you may not realise what it is and why it’s caused.

Essentially, it’s called ‘Hanxiety’, which is a cross between a hangover and awful anxiety after consuming large amounts of alcohol.

Well, specific kinds of alcohol.

Although all alcohol is going to do its fair share of damage the next morning, there are some that mental health experts say are likely to give you this hanxiety feeling over others.

Lisa Gunn, the Mental Health Prevention Lead at Nuffield Health shared with HuffPost UK the reason we feel this way after drinking and which alcoholic beverages to avoid if you don’t want to be bedbound with anxiety.

Hangxiety is a cross between an hangover and having anxiety. (Getty Stock Image)

She explained that even though alcohol is technically a depressant and will initially calm you down after drinking it, it’ll actually create a ‘rebound effect’ later on where it increases your anxiety.

She said: “This is partly because alcohol disrupts the balance of neurotransmitters and chemical messengers in the brain.”

This disruption affects the GABA chemical in your brain that relaxes you and decreases it so you are more excited and anxious.

However, even though all alcohol is going to mess you around, some are notorious for making it that much worse.

For example, Gunn shared that drinking spirits can spike your blood alcohol level, which ‘can lead to more pronounced rebound anxiety’ the next morning.

Red wine might also top the list of the worst alcohol you can drink as it causes both tyramine and histamines, which can trigger anxiety.

Cocktails are also something you should stay away from if you want to keep your sanity in the morning as these sugary drinks often cause your blood alcohol and blood sugar to rise, leading to extreme bouts of energy.

Thankfully, there are some types of booze which could be a little bit nicer on your brain the next day, such as beer.

Low alcohol content lager and beer have a low risk of wreaking havoc on your mental health if you drink responsibly.

Alcohol disrupts your GABA chemical, leading you to become anxious. (Getty Stock Image)

Gunn also explained that for those who suffer with social anxiety and are prone to drinking to ease their minds in public, it’s probably going to worsen your symptoms.

According to Priory Group, a facility which helps people and families with addiction and alcohol abuse, ‘drinking alcohol may temporarily reduce your worries, lower your stress levels and take your mind off any troubles’ but ‘excessive drinking can lead to increased anxiety the next day’.

Explaining that it can actually lead to worse anxiety in the long run, the group shared that some people who get hangxiety are so debilitated by it ‘that it can make them want to stop drinking completely’.

To take care of yourself if you’re currently stuck in bed, feeling restless, sick, with a racing heart and sweaty palms because of your night out, try these tips.

Drink plenty of water, get some rest and try to eat something that’s plain and bland.

You can also go and take a nice, relaxing bath or go for a walk in the fresh air or talk to your mates about your fear about last night.

Chances are, you didn’t do anything embarrassing and were just having a good time like everyone else.

But most of all, don’t be so hard on yourself.

Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock Image