Hangxiety: What is it? How can you manage it?

Picture this; after a long week of classes, Saturday finally rolls around. You text your friends’ group chat and decide to get everyone together for a much-needed night out. Everyone comes over to your place to pregame and the drinks start flowing. Before you know it, one shot turns into three and the Uber is on the way to take you to a bar where you dance the rest of the night away. When you wake up Sunday morning, you feel terrible, but not due to a hangover. Instead, you are fighting a case of hangxiety.  

We are all used to hearing our friends complain about hangovers the morning after drinking, but why does no one ever talk about the feeling of having hangxiety after a night out? A hangover is “a group of unpleasant symptoms that can happen after drinking too much alcohol,” most of which are physical. Hangxiety on the other hand, focuses more on the psychological aftereffects of a night out. Hangxiety refers to the mental distress caused from anxiousness, guilt, regret, nervousness, or even embarrassment about one’s actions while intoxicated. 

Personally, I can only remember a handful of instances where I have ever truly had a hangover. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same about hangxiety. There have been plenty of mornings after a night out where I feel on edge, anxious, and hopeless about my actions the night before. Now, I know what you’re thinking, “Gosh, what do you do when you’re drunk?!” And the simple answer to that is, I have fun. As an introvert, when I am drunk, I am much more talkative, bold, and carefree. Dance floor? I am on it. Elevated surface? I am climbing on top of it. Pretty girl in the bathroom? I will be sure to let her know.  

From an outside perspective, none of these things seem bad, and technically speaking, they aren’t. But as someone who always wants to be responsible and in control, my drunken actions never fail to make me reconsider all my life decisions. That said, I think it is important to set myself up for a fun night before the drinks start flowing so that I can participate in the morning after debriefs with my friends without feeling like I need to crawl into a hole. Just like there are tips to avoid a hangover, there are also some tips on how to avoid hangxiety. 

Tip #1: Choose the right people to drink with. 

Sometimes you may go out with a new crowd, which isn’t a bad thing, but it is important that you feel safe and comfortable with who you are drinking with. If you are going to drink with new people, maybe choose a more relaxed setting for the first time. Or, if you are going out to bars or clubs, bring a friend you are already comfortable with.  

Tip #2: Recognize personal triggers.

Take note of specific things that may trigger you to have hangxiety after a night of drinking. Do you feel exceptionally bad if you take shots? Set the boundary for yourself (& others) that you will not be taking shots that night. Do you not like drunken photos taken and posted of you during a night out? Ensure you vocalize this to those you are going out with and ask that they respect your privacy. Maybe you get stressed about how you get home? Reach out to friends who are not going out and see if they would be willing to be your designated driver. It is okay to set boundaries for yourself AND others.  

Tip #3: Set limits for yourself. 

Before you start drinking, set limits on what and how much you are going to drink. If you do not want to spend any money at the bars, then leave your cash and cards at home. Only bring the number of drinks you want to have to the pregame, so you don’t drink too much before heading out. This will help to ensure you do not get too drunk and make choices that will lead to anxiety the next morning. 

Tip #4: Always know that it is okay to say no.  

As cliche as it may sound, it really is okay to say no. Having drunken nights with your friends can be fun, but if it causes you to feel terrible the next morning, then know that you can have great nights sober as well. If you are already feeling anxious or on edge about things, drinking may only make you feel worse the next day. Before deciding to go out, ask yourself if a night in may be better for you.  

Taking these tips hopefully will help to ensure that you do not look back on your night out with regret. But, if you still find yourself overthinking the next day, there are also some tips for how to combat the hangxiety.  

Tip #1: Drink water and eat food. 

Like a hangover, sometimes you just need to chug water and eat greasy food to help you relax. 

Tip #2: Avoid lying in bed all day. 

It can be hard to not hide in your room when you are feeling anxious, but being productive or active can help to boost your mood and energy levels. Take a shower, clean up your room, or even go for a light walk. 

Tip #3: Talk to a friend. 

Sometimes a morning after debriefing can truly help to put things into perspective. If you are overthinking, regretting, or doubting the things you did or said the night prior, talk to a friend instead of sulking alone. Friends may be able to help you see things differently or at the very least, allow you to get some thoughts out of your head.

Hopefully these tips help you to not look back on your next night out and wince! Just like hangovers, hangxiety can happen. Drinking and going out with friends may lead to some crazy nights with crazy stories, but you should never feel alone with your feelings the next day. It is important to remember that as long as your actions and words did not harm or put you or anyone else in danger, then life goes on. I promise people will forget you taking shots while dancing on the top of that bar! Drinks or no drinks, you only live once, so make sure you are spending your time doing things that leave you feeling good afterwards. 

Cheers to no more hangxiety! 

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• college
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• hangxiety
• mental health
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