Alcohol and medication for autism???

I have one glass of wine most evenings to relax and ‘take the edge off’ - I try to be very disciplined about it because I enjoy alcohol (wine, beer, cocktails) and if I wasn’t disciplined I could easily end up drinking too much. I used to need alcohol in social situations, but now I drive and so if I’m out I can’t drink (which is a bit annoying to be honest!). But these days I don’t do much socialising anyway. 
I’ve tried cbd oil and it did nothing for me at all - but I did like the taste. It’s so expensive anyway so overall I decided to stop trying with it. 
l’ve struggled with anxiety for decades - but recently I’ve been studying Zen Buddhism (the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh) and over time I’ve felt my anxiety reducing a lot. I think it’s because it’s addressing what underpins my anxiety - the roots of it - even including things like my upbringing, societal issues etc etc, but also it’s giving me a sense of peace and a new perspective on virtually everything. Buddhism has a completely different approach to suffering - and it’s changing how I respond to anxious thoughts. It teaches you to not ‘run away’ from or push away anxious thoughts - which is what I was habitually doing. It doesn’t help long term if you try this approach.  Zen Buddhism is the only thing that’s really worked for me to genuinely tackle my anxiety in a meaningful, lasting way - and I have tried SO many things over the years. It’s  a slow process to change how you think (Buddhism has similarities to CBT in that it changes your perspective and changes your habits of thinking and action). It takes work and time to do this - but for me it’s been life changing. It’s not a ‘miracle cure’ - but in my experience it can greatly reduce that level of constant discomfort with life that long term severe anxiety creates.  
I still have my glass of wine in the evening - but I need it much much less! I still enjoy it though :) 

Kate Kestrel said:

over time I’ve felt my anxiety reducing a lot. I think it’s because it’s addressing what underpins my anxiety - the roots of it

In my opinion, this is exactly where most of us should be focussing rather than seeking something to numb ourselves.

Alcohol is a stimulant in low doses but a depressant after a unit or so, so it helps to think if you are just making yourself depressed after that first unit - is it really the effect you want to achieve?

It may dull the usual thoughts, but it dumbs you down and lowers your senses that look out for self preservation as well - kind of dangerous when you think about it.

Using another drug to do the same thing isn't really helping much.

Finding ways to unearth the inner issues and develop ways to make peace will bring so much more long term peace. You probably need a therapist to help guide you along this path but it is money well spent in my opinion.

Kate Kestrel said:

over time I’ve felt my anxiety reducing a lot. I think it’s because it’s addressing what underpins my anxiety - the roots of it

In my opinion, this is exactly where most of us should be focussing rather than seeking something to numb ourselves.

Alcohol is a stimulant in low doses but a depressant after a unit or so, so it helps to think if you are just making yourself depressed after that first unit - is it really the effect you want to achieve?

It may dull the usual thoughts, but it dumbs you down and lowers your senses that look out for self preservation as well - kind of dangerous when you think about it.

Using another drug to do the same thing isn't really helping much.

Finding ways to unearth the inner issues and develop ways to make peace will bring so much more long term peace. You probably need a therapist to help guide you along this path but it is money well spent in my opinion.

I find the same with special interests, or what I call my "obsessions", they're the place I can go to find rest from the world and all the anxiety fades away.

I like your point that it means we're allowing those thoughts to have some time on something positive, rather than trying to suppress them.

Hi Iain - yes. Sometimes when I’ve been really struggling and I’ve drank larger amounts of alcohol (not loads - probably 2 and a half glasses of wine) it’s had very unpredictable results - sometimes it’s temporarily helped but also it’s sometimes resulted in more of a depressed feeling. Plus - the main problem is that it soon wears off and then you’re not any better off either way. I think it has it‘s place though sometimes - in moderation. 
I also think that getting involved in work you love - or a special interest - can return our minds to more positive things. I think that possibly one of the reasons Buddhism is helping me is that it’s engaged my interest and attention - it requires a lot of concentration and attention - and therefore it’s absorbing my thoughts in a way that stops them constantly returning to more anxious thinking. I think that for others another subject or interest could work in a similar way if it was directing their thoughts (in a positive way - not as in ‘trying to suppress or push away upsetting thoughts’ ) to something they love rather than something that distresses them. Our minds are often prone to ‘habits’ - habitual anxious thinking - and it takes time to make new, positive habits, but it is possible. It’s about making new neural pathways.