White shares that newer research shows it also disrupts our slow-wave sleep, which is crucial for physical restoration and memory consolidation. Andrews points out that alcohol takes a toll on the immune system, leaving the body more susceptible to infections and slower healing. “Chronic drinking lowers the production of white blood cells, your body’s natural defense system, increasing the risk of illnesses like pneumonia, tuberculosis and even COVID-19 complications,” she emphasizes. Taking little steps to boost your mental health can help you to feel better. If you think you have depression and often use alcohol to cope, Sharma recommends reaching out to a psychiatrist, therapist, or primary care doctor for a diagnosis and treatment guidance. He drank daily in his early 20s — around the time when he started experiencing suicidal thoughts.
Changes You Can Make
People with depression frequently lose interest in activities that once brought them joy like hobbies and social events.
Alcohol Use Disorder and Depression
Yet, more and more, the science is pointing to the health risks of drinking alcohol. Surgeon General issued an urgent health advisory, ranking alcohol as the third leading cause of cancer, right after tobacco and obesity. Surgeon General at that time sparked a pivotal change in how we perceive health and social norms when he boldly stated that tobacco is linked to cancer. “For decades, cigarette smoking was socially acceptable, with little awareness of the damage it was doing,” says Christine Maren, D.O., a board-certified physician specializing in functional medicine. Fast-forward to today, and we are facing a similar wake-up call—this time with alcohol.
Brief Motivationally Focused Interventions May Effectively Address Alcohol Use Among Depressed Patients
For example, therapists can question patients about changes they have noticed in their mood, sleep, energy level, libido, and concentration when they have been drinking and can provide psychoeducation about the connection between alcohol use and these factors. During the course of depression treatment, it may be useful for therapists to reassess alcohol use when there are increases in depressive symptoms (e.g., sleep, libido) that are affected by drinking or when these symptoms do not improve. It may even be helpful to ask patients to keep a log of their drinking and depressive symptoms to help determine whether there is a temporal association between the two. If you have certain conditions, including depression, you could be at an increased risk of getting alcohol use disorder. Your symptoms can range from mild to severe and can include drinking more than you meant to, having trouble cutting back on drinking when you try, or being unable to quit drinking even though it’s causing problems in your daily life and relationships.
- Alcohol consumption can lead to feelings of depression due to chemical reactions.
- Emerging research has found that there is a genetic link between AUD and depression.
- As consumption increases even more, these symptoms also are likely to intensify.
- They have lots of experience with people going through something similar and will be able to check your physical health and connect you with support services.
- People who frequently drink are more likely to experience episodes of depression, and they may drink more in an attempt to feel better.
- As a result, people feel malaise (a general feeling of unwellness), fatigue, headache, and other physical symptoms.
- Other such studies are highlighted in the review by Brady and Lydiard (1993).
Or you might attend an intensive inpatient group a few times each week. During therapy, you can learn coping mechanisms that can help you return to life without drinking. It’s often a lifelong commitment, but one that can improve your life, health, and well-being in the long term. Still, with such a large sample does alcohol make depression worse size, the study’s results likely hold up for the average person, de Groot said.
In addition, the therapist can help patients to understand the nature of the connection between heavy drinking and the symptoms of depression that they are experiencing, which may help to tip the balance in favor of making a change in alcohol use. Decision-making models suggest that expectations about the effects of behavior change determine, in large part, whether a decision to change is made (Sutton, 1987). Drinking persistently and excessively can increase your risk of developing a major depressive disorder. It can also aggravate symptoms of pre-existing depression and endanger your health and mental health. This article briefly reviews some of the recent literature on the complex interaction between alcohol dependence and the longer lasting anxiety or depressive disorders.
From its impact on heart health and mental well-being to liver function, immune support and sleep quality, understanding these risks empowers us to make more informed, mindful choices about alcohol consumption. Whether you choose to cut back completely, consume on occasion or take periodic breaks throughout the year, having this knowledge allows you to make choices that align with your health goals. The conversation about alcohol is evolving, and now’s the time to truly ask ourselves what role it plays in our lives and whether it’s time for a change. However, drinking alcohol to improve your mood can still put you at risk for developing AUD. Over time, you may build up more tolerance to alcohol and need increasing amounts to feel relief from depression. According to one 2021 study, when people with alcohol use disorder quit drinking, their symptoms of depression improved significantly.
Why You Should Not Treat Anxiety With Alcohol
Alternatively, clinicians may choose to recommend at least temporary periods of abstinence for their depressed patients. “Recent studies have identified specific mechanisms by which alcohol alters gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glutamate systems, explaining why anxiety often worsens after drinking,” says White. She notes that alcohol is a depressant, and our body produces cortisol and adrenaline to counteract its effects. This means that as you sip to find relief from anxiety, you are actually reinforcing a loop that keeps you tethered to the emotions you’re trying to outrun.
Tips to Cut Down on How Much You Drink
This article covers everything you need to know about the connection between alcohol and depression. If you are concerned that you or someone you care about has a problem with alcohol there is a lot of help available. Here you can find useful links and phone numbers to get the support you need. In some people, the initial reaction may feel like an increase in energy. But as you continue to drink, you become drowsy and have less marijuana addiction control over your actions.