Alcohol backfires for me, ends up making me more anxious, unable to sleep well, and sicker all around. The half hour or so of relaxed buzz feeling isn't worth it.

My father is an alcoholic, as was his father. Alcoholism seriously screwed us over. My mother actively abused me, I wonder if the fact that my father was always intoxicated was why he did not stop the abuse. And/or he drank cause he felt hopeless. I do know that my father has a bad case of PTSD from war service and that he is self medicating.

Alcoholism runs in my family, as does depression. Not a good combo. I am so fortunate in that I personally have not struggled with that addiction in myself, bad enough to be the child of an alcoholic.

Truly, I don't think alcohol calms anxiety, only numbs us out some. Alcohol is a jealous lover, keeps demanding more and more of us.

Sarah