I Used to Drink to Calm My Anxiety—Here’s What I Wish I Knew
How alcohol fuels the social anxiety cycle—and what to do instead. As the cold beer ran down my throat, the sharpness of my self-conscious thoughts started to lose its edge. The conversation started to flow, and the laughter became easier. The first time I discovered the social lubricant magic of alcohol was at a high school party. The music was loud, and I was anxious. A friend handed me a beer; told me it would help me loosen up. And it did. From then on, I learned to turn to alcohol for a...
