Mental health issues not only arise from drinking too much alcohol. They can also cause people to drink too much.
There is some evidence connecting light alcohol consumption with better physical health in some adults. Between one and three units daily have been found to help protect against heart disease, dementia, and Alzheimer's Disease, and a small glass of red wine daily may diminish risk of stroke in females.
There is a lot more evidence demonstrating that drinking excessive alcohol leads to grievous bodily and mental illnesses.
Put very simply, a major reason for drinking alcohol is to change our mood - or change our mental state. Alcohol can temporarily alleviate feelings of anxiety and depression; it can also help to temporarily relieve the symptoms of more serious mental health issues.
Alcohol problems are more common among people with more severe mental health issues. This does not necessarily mean that alcohol causes severe mental disorder. Drinking to deal with difficult feelings or symptoms of mental disorder is sometimes called 'self-medication' by people in the mental health field. This is often why people with mental health conditions drink. It can make existing mental health issues worse.
MORE HELP WITH ALCOHOL . . .
signs of alcohol abuse ?
Evidence shows that individuals who consume high amounts of alcohol are vulnerable to higher levels of mental ill health and it can be a contributory factor in some mental illnesses, such as depression.
How does drinking affect our moods and mental health?
When we have alcohol in our blood, our mood changes, and our behaviour then also changes. Alcohol depresses the central nervous system, and this can make us less inhibited in our behaviour.
Alcohol can even reveal or magnify our underlying feelings. This is one of the reasons that many people become angry or aggressive when drinking. Anger or unhappiness, then alcohol can magnify them if our underlying feelings are of anxiety.
What about the after-effects?
One of the main problems linked with using alcohol to deal with anxiety and depression is that individuals may feel much worse when the effects have worn off. Alcohol is thought to use up and reduce the amount of neurotransmitters in the brain, but the brain needs a certain level of neurotransmitters needs to ward off anxiety and depression. This can lead some individuals to drink more, to ward off these difficult feelings, and a dangerous cycle of dependence can develop.
Alcohol issues are more common among individuals with more severe mental health problems. If our underlying feelings are of anger, anxiety or unhappiness, then alcohol can magnify them.
One of the main problems linked with using alcohol to deal with anxiety and depression is that people may feel much worse when the effects have worn off. Alcohol is thought to use up and reduce the amount of neurotransmitters in the brain, but the brain needs a certain level of neurotransmitters needs to ward off anxiety and depression.