Anxiety and Fear Are Similar

Fear is an instinct. We have a separate neural circuit for fear. It's the circuit that's affected by drugs like alcohol because alcohol is a very powerful anti-anxiety agent. Fear and anxiety can be staved off by anxiolytics such as Valium, Xanax or barbituates. Some people with social anxiety who are sensitive to the anxiolytic properties of alcohol like to drink if they are in a social circumstance.