Alcohol and Depression - How Are They Related?

There seems to be a correlation between alcohol and depression. Almost 50% of alcoholics exhibit the signs of depression, and about 5-10% of people suffering from a depressive illness have symptoms of an alcohol problem. Moreover, many of those who exhibit depression symptoms resort to alcohol as treatment to their depression. After drinking, however, they would have hangovers, which can stimulate or aggravate depression. Excessive alcohol feeds depressive symptoms, thus increasing the severity of the already present depression.

Alcohol, when taken in excessive amounts, may also exacerbate the condition of a person suffering from depressive disorder. It can cause a sort of memory loss called “dementia” and can help one feel more confident and brave. These are the reasons why many people who are suffering from depression and problems resort to alcohol as a way to temporarily forget or escape from their problems that cause them depression. But the truth is that alcohol can only exacerbate their condition. The euphoric effects of the drug will be replaced by irritability and drowsiness until the motor balance and coordination become impaired. Soon, the drinker feels disoriented and loses his/her sense of rationality.

According to some studies, alcohol dependence can even result in suicidal attempt. In fact, 40% of depressed men who attempt suicide have become chronic drinkers, and 70% of those who succeeded in committing suicide, a research shows, were found to have taken alcohol before their attempts.

Chronic alcoholism can cause physical and mental problems. Being addicted to alcohol can cause memory loss, brain damage, and liver and heart problems. All these can result in a condition called major depression or alcohol depression, which, as the name suggests, a condition that results from chronic alcoholism. People suffering from alcohol depression often have poor judgment, and they often reject progress as they become pessimist.

A study shows that people suffering from alcohol problems will tend to exhibit depressive symptoms. It has also been said that being dependent on alcohol at the early stage of life predicts depression in later life.

Alcohol is considered a drug. It belongs to the class of drugs called sedative hypnotics. Other popular drugs in this category include tranquilizers, such as Valium and Xanax. Sometimes, depression comes first and to escape from their sufferings, people try to use such drugs to escape from their depression, which, in the long run, can only make their condition worse. Sometimes, addiction to alcohol or alcohol abuse comes first but depression arises from difficulty in withdrawal from it and the problems that excessive use of this drug can cause. This is the reason why even addiction to alcohol, like any type of drug, needs help from a health professional to be freed from it.

In the last few years, new studies have shed light on how alcohol affects the brain and how the brain of a person suffering from depression is affected. It has been found out that alcohol can affect the body systems that get involved in producing depressive symptoms, such as anxiety and low mood. This explains why alcohol can cause depression. There are also many social and psychological factors that link alcohol and depression.

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