Anxiety happens to almost everyone and is one of the big reasons why people drink in the first place, whether it is social anxiety, shyness, or just life situations. But what happens when you are getting sober and no longer have that crutch to lean on? 

Anxiety can increase after you begin your sobriety because all of life’s issues come at you in full force with nothing to hide behind. You need to reconnect with yourself and learn how to deal with anxiety in a new light. This could be breathing techniques, talking with someone, or turning your feelings into actions like walking. 

I personally went completely sober for the majority of 2020, and in the beginning, I experienced extreme anxiety of all sorts. What I realized was that most of it stemmed from my insecurities when it came to being around friends and family. 

It quickly occurred to me that I had used alcohol to become more courageous in speaking my mind and overcoming a fear of judgment from others, and in order to not need alcohol to cope, I needed to work on my self-image. 

Remember that you’re not alone in this. It’s very common for a newly sober individual to fear the future without the one thing that protected and aided them for so long: alcohol.

Is it normal to have anxiety after quitting drinking?

After you begin your soberiety journey, it is entirely normal to have anxiety, and is sometimes even expected, so please don’t feel like you are alone. Alcohol is an anxiety stopper; when you drink, the anxiety subsides and you become more relaxed, but when you stop, all of those feelings come back. 

Some people drink to cancel out their anxiety, and others may drink and never even know they have anxiety, so when they stop drinking, all of the anxious feelings begin to arise. Many people may see this when they are drinking, in the form of “hangxiety”, where you drink to let loose and then have anxiety the next day based on what you might have done when you were drinking.

Read here to learn more —> What is Hangxiety and why does it follow me after a night out?

When you stop drinking you no longer have a crutch to lean on and may see more issues come up that you would have otherwise forgotten at the bottom of the bottle. Now with everything in a clear light you could have an overwhelming feeling of anxiety to keep up with the daily tasks of life. 

Can getting sober cause anxiety?

Anxiety in early sobriety is a natural reaction your body will go through when you become sober. Alcohol is an inhibitor of emotional responses and numbs the feeling of needing to cope. If you have been using alcohol to cope with emotions, anxiety, or shyness, you have not learned to handle uncomfortable situations and cope with feelings on your own. 

In turn, this will lead to more anxiety after quitting alcohol. 

I strongly believed that everyone thought I was lame, stupid, or silly when I opened my mouth sober, but when I dug down deep, I realized that’s only a self-limiting belief stemming from childhood, perpetuated by the fact I had never practiced socializing without alcohol.

Life without alcohol is a life of finding ones-self and at times that can cause a lot of anxiety in a person who thought they knew who they were but is an entirely different person. 

How long does anxiety last after quitting drinking?

This is not a black-and-white question, it can change based on how long someone has been drinking, the amount they are drinking, and how they have been coping with things during their drinking journey. 

Generally, sober anxiety can last from a few hours after you stop drinking to two weeks. Of course, the more severe cases may experience post-acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS) lasting months or years. 

Anxiety after quitting drinking will lessen, but it is also a good idea to reach out for help and someone to talk through as you go through this process. 

How to deal with anxiety in sobriety?

I assure you that you’ll be able to overcome the anxiety, or the fear of the unknown, the more you practice just “hanging out” with friends and family. Allow yourself to say what comes to mind without judging yourself harshly. 

Understand that everyone gets a little nervous from time to time, and by practicing socializing without the “social lubricant”, you’ll find that the anxiety subsides and you possess a genuine curiosity about others’ lives and that you’re a great conversationalist.

Some other tips that may help you are to just accept that you are anxious, don’t fear it and see how you cope with it. Allow yourself to re-learn your coping mechanisms. Also, turning your feeling into actions like walking, going to the gym, or cooking, anything that can turn your feelings into positive actions. 

Ensure that you are not embracing a new identity of being an anxiety-ridden person. The more you believe that you have anxiety, the more you will experience it because you’ve unknowingly communicated to your mind to look for things to have anxiety about.

When you do experience anxiety, close your eyes and visualize yourself laughing and smiling in a relaxed state and think, “I’m so happy now that I’m relaxed and I handle things with ease and confidence,” which communicates to your mind to search for relaxation and confidence!

Final Thoughts

Experiencing anxiety in sobriety is normal, and honestly, it is to be expected. You should not feel ashamed of the feelings that arise when you begin your sober journey because many emotions will arise. What you will have to do is learn to be yourself again without alcohol and to love the person you are. Learn to deal with the fast pace of life all over again and find your courage without ”liquid courage”. 

Anxiety may arise in early sobriety, but I am here to reassure you that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and that you do not have to go at it alone.