
What in the World
Hangxiety: Why some people experience anxiety after drinking alcohol
22 October 2026
Available for over a year
After drinking alcohol, some people don’t just have a headache - they feel guilt, dread, low mood and a deep sense of embarrassment.
It’s known as ‘hang-xiety’ or hangover anxiety, and science backs up that it’s a real phenomenon. Alcohol affects all systems in the body, including the brain. so it can cause psychological symptoms.
Millie Gooch, author of Hangxiety and speaker breaks down how the nervous system and brain are impacted when the effects of alcohol wear off. She also tells us how hangxiety played a role in her sobriety journey.
We also hear about some people’s experience with anxiety, and how it changed their relationship with alcohol.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: William Lee Adams and Benita Barden
Editor: Verity Wilde
