Using Alcohol to Cope With Stress: When to Take a Closer Look
Updated: Oct 6
A drink after a difficult day may gradually become the main way you try to get through an evening. You may start thinking about it before you get home or feel unsure what else would help.
If that sounds familiar, it is worth looking at the pattern without waiting for a crisis.
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism explains that drinking to cope can provide temporary relief while contributing to more negative feelings between drinking episodes. That can make reaching for another drink more likely.
Look at what happens before and after drinking
What are you trying to change when you drink? Anxiety? Anger? Loneliness? Memories? The feeling that you cannot stop thinking about work?
Then consider what happens afterward. Did it help in the way you wanted? Did you drink more than planned? What did the next day look like?
These questions give you a starting point for a clinical conversation. You do not need to settle on a label before asking for help.
Be specific about the concern
The concern might be how much you drink, how often, how difficult it is to stop, or the effect on your responsibilities and relationships.
NIAAA identifies drinking more than intended, unsuccessful attempts to cut down, and continued use despite problems as examples that matter in an assessment for alcohol use disorder. A diagnosis requires a qualified clinician to evaluate the full pattern.
Bring a recent example to an appointment. “I planned to have one drink and kept going” is more useful than trying to decide whether your drinking counts as bad enough.
Include the stress that comes before it
If the drinking is connected with ongoing pressure, treatment needs to account for that pressure. A plan may need to address both the alcohol use and the concerns you are trying to manage.
For example, someone who spends every evening replaying workplace conflict may need help with that pattern as well as an assessment of their drinking. A veteran troubled by trauma symptoms may need those symptoms evaluated alongside alcohol use.
For related context, read How Work Stress Turns Into Burnout and my Veteran and Military Mental Health Guide.
Make changes with the right support
If you have been drinking heavily or experience symptoms when alcohol wears off, get medical guidance before trying to stop abruptly. Alcohol withdrawal can be dangerous and sometimes life-threatening.
Shaking, sweating, nausea, or a racing pulse after reducing alcohol warrant prompt medical assessment. Seizures or severe confusion require emergency care; call 911.
This is one reason an honest account of your drinking is important. A provider needs enough information to recommend an appropriate and safe next step.
Treatment can involve more than one kind of help
NIAAA describes behavioral treatment, medications prescribed by a medical provider, and mutual support as options for alcohol problems. The appropriate combination depends on the assessment and your needs.
A counseling conversation can help you examine the pattern, discuss concerns about treatment, and identify questions to bring to a medical or substance use treatment provider. Specialized treatment or a different level of care may be needed.
If you feel uncertain about change, say that. It is better to discuss the uncertainty directly than agree to a plan you do not expect to follow.
What a useful first conversation sounds like
You might begin with: “I am using alcohol to get through stress, and I want to understand what is happening.” You can also name one consequence you want to address.
My individual counseling work includes stress, anxiety, trauma, and the patterns affecting everyday life. We can assess fit and discuss additional services when needed.
Adults looking for counseling in El Paso can view my Headway profile to check availability and request an appointment.
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