Yes I have.

Anxiety has always been present in my life since childhood, but a serious head injury & the resulting severe concussion about 10 years ago turned it into something much worse.

I’ve been through the meds, physical therapy & have found that forcing myself to keep busy even when I don’t want to do anything, plus regular exercise have been the best way for me. Actually leaving my job of 15 years and going into business for myself has been a great boon, despite many people telling me that the stress would make things worse.

But recently the COVID disaster & its effect on not just my business, but my entire industry has brought back the struggle along with some very dark thoughts. I rely on the people closest to me....my wife & young business partner to keep me on track. Make sure you have such a support network among people you trust. I admire your courage discussing it here on this message board, where some people can be quite cruel.

As far as drinking concerned, I’ve generally found having a few with good friends to be a positive experience. ( Tough to do that right now.) Drinking by yourself never leads anywhere good.... I suspect this varies depending on the individual.