booze was never good for me or my panic attacks
you can nurse the same drink all night, muttering "doctors orders", raise glass to lips only with toasts
you may have an allergic reaction to the alcahol, try rubbing some on skin as an experiment

I have never been able to drink like my friends, and they always say something. I usually just say I am more fun sober, which is pretty true!

As a 17 year old male this is what I have to say for one before I started gettjing panick attacks I use to drink like a muda^%$^ never had any serious anxiety attacks while on alcohol. But now that I do I haven't had and ounze of alcohol in me to scared for this exact reason but everytime I go out I make up lies I. Have and enlarge heart and I take meds for it and I can't mix them that usually helps lol. My 18th b day is coming I do wanted to get trash but I now that this could be bad if I am high intoxicated I might go into panic and u can't mix adivant to calm me down so idk but I will have a good time but people don't get it. At all I am completely with u on this.

my hubby has 28 years clean and sober...in social situations he just explains he has an alergy to drinking but will gladly be the designated driver. and if people give you a hard time about you not drinking, its because they are uncomfortable in their own skin.

I don't have any increase in panic attacks or severity of attack if I have alcohol. I am a social drinker 1 or 2 a few times a year. Since it makes your attacks worse, I would just tell friends that you cannot drink alcohol...it makes you sick. Sometimes adults friends are worse than teens. :-{

I have been battling this same conundrum for the last 16 years. I was a merciless drinker for 25 years, and when it came time to pay the piper, the result was unbearable panic episodes. I needed medication and Xanax was prescribed. I was able to get sober for spurts of 1-3 years with some pretty serious stops off the wagon. Now that I have decided to stop living in fear and anxiety, and live life sober, I have done quite a bit of research, and with self introspection, I have discovered that the actual prolonged use of certain meds like xanax and Klonopin, actually TRIGGER attacks, and breakdown ones resistance to having them!!! I weaned myself to no meds or alcohol, and now I can go out in public, but still not without some minor discomfort. But the point is, I am learning how to avoid them, and I hope to be totally free of the whole mess. I guess relearning and practice are the solution, at least in my case. GBY and all the best for you in the future.

I used to enjoy the odd drink here or there but then became scared of panicking if i had a drink although i never have. I wish i was able to have a cocktail from time to time since i found it enjoyable. Oh well. People accept that i don't drink. They don't care. If they ask why i don't drink i just say i don't like it and leave it at that. To each their own.

Btw, alcohol in small doses is actually good for you. For women that is no more than 1.5 units and for men no more that 2 units. 1 unit is a 5 oz glass of wine, 12 oz of beer or 1.5 oz of hard alcohol. I heard this on dr. Oz. Sharing a drink with a friend or unwinding at the end of the day is beneficial to well being for the most part. It is when you binge drink that is the problem. Binge drinking is having more than the recommended units of alcohol you are allowed.