Between alcohol and depression, and explains how you can avoid worsening either depression or a drinking problem. It probably won't hurt to have a glass of wine or beer once in a while for social reasons unless you have a health problem that prevents you from drinking.
Header menu - Mobile | United Kingdom
Donate
Menu toggle
Breadcrumb
Home
Explore mental health
A-Z Topics
Alcohol and mental health
This content mentions substance abuse or addiction (which may include mentions of alcohol or drug use), suicide or suicidal thoughts, self-harm, depression and anxiety. Please read with care. There are details of where to find help at the bottom of this page.
Summary
how alcohol affects your brain
how alcohol affects your body
alcohol and mental health
getting help if you're worried about your drinking
Alcohol and mental health are closely linked. Drinking too much can affect your well-being. Some people may drink to try to relieve the symptoms of mental ill-health.
People drink for many reasons: to celebrate, socialise, commiserate or drown our sorrows. We may drink to try and change our mood: to feel more relaxed, courageous or confident. However, the effect of alcohol is only temporary. As it wears off, we often feel worse because of how alcohol withdrawal affects our brain and body.
You may feel like alcohol is your coping mechanism: a way to deal with depression, stress, anxiety or other difficult feelings. You might be nervous about what life would be like if you stopped drinking or cut back. But relying on alcohol to manage your mental well-being can become a problem in itself. There’s no shame in asking for help and exploring what a new relationship with alcohol could look like.
How alcohol affects your brain
Alcohol is a depressant, which can disrupt the balance of neurotransmitters (chemical messengers) in your brain and affect your feelings, thoughts and behaviour.
Alcohol affects the part of your brain that controls inhibition, so you may feel relaxed, less anxious, and more confident after a drink. But these effects quickly wear off. The chemical changes in your brain can soon lead to more negative feelings, such as anger, depression or anxiety, regardless of your mood.
Alcohol also slows down how your brain processes information, making it harder to work out what you’re really feeling and the possible consequences of your actions.
In the long-term, alcohol uses up and reduces the number of neurotransmitters in our brains, but we need a certain level to ward off anxiety and depression. This can make you want to drink more to relieve these difficult feelings – which can start a cycle of dependence.
But if you turn to alcohol to get you through the day, or if it causes trouble in your relationships, at work, in your social life, or with how you think and feel, you have a more serious problem.
Non-invasive medical therapy used for new depression treatmentSome Angelenos are turning to Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation to treat their depression symptoms.
Valley stylist offers ‘Compassion Appointments’ for clients battling severe depressionA few years ago, Amber Ortiz decided to open a smaller hair salon to help clients on a personal level. 'Compassion Appointments' are catered to those battling severe depression.
New study shows sugary drinks may be linked to depression riskThe study found risk of depression symptoms increased proportionally with consumption of sugar-sweetened carbonated beverages.
Whitney Port Says Her Nutritionist Believes She's Suffering from Depression, Not an Eating Disorder: 'Validating'The 'Hills' alum Whitney Port says she had her first session with a nutrition expert and psychiatrist who suspects she has “neurovegetative depression”
Big gulp: Liberal media freak out as Ted Cruz drinks beer on air, slams alcohol regsMillions of Americans enjoyed a beer over the long Labor Day weekened. But when Ted Cruz did it, and slammed potential new beer regulations, the liberal media just had to weigh in
Tracking the tropics: Hurricane Lee now a Category 2; Tropical Depression 14 formsHurricane Lee continues to intensify as it moves through the Atlantic Ocean.
blogpay
Between alcohol and depression, and explains how you can avoid worsening either depression or a drinking problem. It probably won't hurt to have a glass of wine or beer once in a while for social reasons unless you have a health problem that prevents you from drinking.
Total Comments: 0