The link between drinking and mental health is well established. A recent New Jersey study labelled it a “major health concern” affecting youth in the state, noting that ease of access to alcohol was associated with increased mental health issues in certain areas.
By why is this the case, and exactly what effect does alcohol consumption have on the brain?
Alcoholism is an addiction to drinking any form of alcohol, and an inability to manage this drinking habit. Alcoholics often feel that they cannot function without alcohol. It can impact their abilities to keep relationships and jobs, and it generally affects personal relationships. It can also have profound health problems, such as liver disease, heart problems and a higher risk of cancer.
When someone is diagnosed as having an addiction to alcohol, it is called an alcohol use disorder (AUD). Whether someone suffers from a high level of alcoholism, or simply decides to drink a bit of alcohol on a regular basis, mental health can be affected.
The long term and excessive drinking of alcohol can change how the brain functions. In particular, alcohol can cause physical damage to the cerebellum, the cerebral cortex and the limbic system. This damage can cause issues with various physical and emotional functions. Alcohol use also changes the balance of chemicals in the brain. Since alcohol is a depressant, it changes feelings and thoughts too. All of these effects of alcohol on the brain are directly linked with mental health problems.
There are a number of common mental health issues experienced by people who consume alcohol. Here are some of them.
Alcohol-Related Anxiety
People who have anxious thoughts may be more likely to turn to alcohol. In the short term, this can help them be less anxious, thanks to the feeling of relaxation alcohol can bring. As the effects wear off quickly, people may be more likely to drink alcohol more regularly. And over time, they will need more alcohol to get the same feeling, since it is common to build up a tolerance to alcohol. This is one of the reasons people become alcoholics.
Although anxiety can lead to alcoholism, drinking alcohol can lead to anxiety too. Research shows that as individuals start to process alcohol, it can lead to feelings of anxiety and depression. Anxiety can also develop from a hangover too, as all the chemicals in the brain try to get back in order. If someone drinks heavily, the effects of a hangover can last for several days, which means a heightened feeling of anxiety can persist too.
This can quickly become a cycle of anxiety and drinking alcohol, with either one leading to the other. When people undertake drug and alcohol treatment, this cycle can be broken, which helps people stop their drinking and manage their anxiety better.
Alcohol-Related Depression
Another common mental health issue among people who drink alcohol heavily is depression. As with anxiety, depression can lead to alcoholism, just as alcoholism can lead to depression. Although depression can lead to alcohol dependence, research also shows that alcohol alters chemicals in the brain that can lead to depression too. It is likely that people who were already depressed before drinking will become more depressed afterwards.
Anyone suffering from depression who is also taking antidepressants should not drink alcohol. Research strongly shows that stopping alcohol consumption entirely for a month can start to relieve symptoms of depression. This is something people have to stick with, as the cycle of depression and drinking alcohol can be difficult to get out of. But people do report starting to feel less depressed after a few weeks of cutting out alcohol entirely.
Alcohol-Related Psychosis
A much more severe mental health problem that can stem from very heavy drinking is psychosis. This is when a person experiences hallucinations or delusions. When it is related to alcohol, these symptoms most commonly appear immediately after a period of heavy drinking. It can also happen when someone is withdrawing from a prolonged period of drinking.
Sometimes alcohol-related psychosis can be difficult to diagnose, because the symptoms can be associated with other mental health problems. However, if delusions or hallucinations occur and have a direct relationship with a period of drinking, it is most likely to be alcohol-related psychosis. Other psychotic disorders can run in families, so if someone doesn’t have a family history of psychosis, but they are a heavy drinker, it is also more likely to be related to alcohol.
The good news with alcohol-related psychosis is that is someone stops drinking, the symptoms of psychosis should stop. However, stopping drinking suddenly can also cause psychosis, so it is important to get professional help if this is a risk factor to stopping alcohol consumption entirely. When individuals get the right support to give up alcohol, stopping the symptoms of psychosis can be a powerful motivator to staying off alcohol in the long term.