Alcohol is in a category of its own when it comes to anxiety.
Not only is alcohol such a common substance of use and abuse in our culture, but it is sufficiently socially acceptable so as to find a presence in Olympics and Super Bowl advertisements.
Alcohol serves as a social lubricant in our society; members of our culture use it to prepare for a date, make a professional presentation, make it easier to attend a work function, or before having intercourse.
It is usually accurate to say that if alcohol really helps you to feel better, then you probably have anxiety.
It is very common for patients to report that alcohol provides a deeply self-soothing state of mind, involving heightened creativity and a heightened sense of integrity.
People report that they are feeling at their best when they are drinking— attractive, whole, glamorous, loved, and alive.
If, for whatever reason, you find yourself thinking that you drink too much; find yourself annoyed when people ask you about your drinking; have tried to cut back on your own; or find yourself drinking in the morning shortly after you wake up, you may meet criteria for alcohol dependence and would benefit from consultation with a mental health professional.
As much as alcohol may make anxiety disappear in the short term, chronic use of and withdrawal from alcohol only makes anxiety worse in the long term.