An emotional hangover is feeling mentally and physically drained, irritable, and foggy after intense emotional experiences, similar to a real hangover but without alcohol, caused by your nervous system being overloaded from things like arguments, big events, or therapy, and it takes time to recalibrate. It's the lingering "residue" from processing too much emotion, leading to fatigue, headaches, anxiety, or sadness.
Know the 5 signs of Emotional Suffering
"Unlike alcohol-related hangovers, which take a few hours to set in, emotional hangovers can start almost immediately and can last anywhere from a few minutes to several days." Stressful situations trigger the body's fight-or-flight response, leading to an adrenaline and cortisol surge.
This could include feeling on-edge or irritable and being unable to sleep or relax. If this is you, you're not alone - 'hangxiety' is a common post-drinking experience, along with physical hangover symptoms like a headache, nausea or trouble concentrating.
Your head hurts, and you feel exhausted and anxious—sort of like you've been hit by an emotional tidal wave. It kind of feels like a hangover, but you didn't even drink any alcohol the night before. Talk about waking up on the wrong side of the bed.
An emotional hangover happens when your nervous system hasn't fully “reset” after a period of heightened emotion. You may have cognitively processed what happened (“I know we're good now,” “I understand why I reacted that way”), but your body still feels like it's in the aftermath.
The 1-2-3 drinking rule is a guideline for moderation: 1 drink per hour, no more than 2 drinks per occasion, and at least 3 alcohol-free days each week, helping to pace consumption and stay within safer limits. It emphasizes pacing alcohol intake with water and food, knowing standard drink sizes (12oz beer, 5oz wine, 1.5oz spirits), and avoiding daily drinking to reduce health risks, though some health guidance suggests even lower limits.
To heal, it's crucial to acknowledge your feelings, practice self-care, engage in physical activity, and seek support. For empaths, these hangovers can feel more intense due to their sensitivity to others' emotions.
Feeling hopeless. Feeling powerless or trapped. Irritability. Lack of focus or forgetfulness.
Emotional drinking is a term that refers to the practice of using alcohol as a coping tool to soothe difficult emotions. It is the same concept as emotional eating, where someone overindulges in comfort foods or sugary treats to numb the pain. Both alcohol and food, when overindulged in, can lead to problems.
Burnout encompasses a wide range of symptoms, including low energy, motivation or mood; feeling isolated or trapped; feeling cynical or disengaged from work; decreased life satisfaction; procrastination; irritability; feeling exhausted or drained; disrupted sleep; and physical responses like headaches and body pain.
Emotional hangovers contribute to unpredictable mood swings. Partners may oscillate between moments of irritability, sadness, or frustration, creating an emotional rollercoaster that affects the overall stability of the relationship.
Symptoms of stress
Signs of an Emotionally Abusive Relationship
Here are five signs that may mean someone is in emotional pain and might need help:
As a result, you might:
What is the best vitamin to take for tiredness? Vitamin B12 is the best vitamin supplement for treating tiredness and fatigue. This essential nutrient helps your body produce energy and keeps you feeling less fatigued both physically and mentally.
Physical symptoms can include:
Chronic overreaction could be a sign of an underlying mental health condition, which may require professional help to manage. Fortunately, therapy can help you get to the root of your big reactions and improve your self-regulation skills. Additionally, individual strategies can help you cope when emotions run high.
While it might happen at seemingly random times or in confusing situations, there's almost always a reason behind your tears—even if that reason isn't immediately clear. Stress, anxiety, grief, hormonal changes, and fatigue are among the most common causes of unexpected crying.
Research suggests that particularly emotional events impact a person's memory, and that symptoms of emotional hangovers can mimic those of depression and anxiety. Symptoms typically last a day or so, but may persist for a week or more.
Two fingers means a single pour. Three fingers means a double pour. Served neat in a rocks glass. It's old school.
If you do experience early symptoms of ARLD, these are often quite vague, such as:
As well as not drinking too much alcohol in total, it's also important not to drink too much in one session. This can cause immediate harm to your liver, especially if it is already damaged. It also makes accidents and injuries more likely. Having some alcohol-free days each week gives your liver a chance to recover.