Examples of depressants include sleeping pills, alcohol and opioids such as illegal drugs like heroin or legal ones like OxyContin, Vicodin or morphine. Sometimes medications such as benzodiazepines or barbiturates that have been designed to slow brain activity in an attempt to treat anxiety, seizures, or panic disorders are also considered depressants. But if you have trouble managing your drinking, become fixated on alcohol, or keep drinking even though it may cause issues, you might have alcohol use disorder. However, alleviating depression does not resolve the alcohol use disorder.
What You Can Do to Manage Alcohol and Depression
Alcohol disrupts the brain’s communication networks and impacts its ability to process information effectively. Prolonged heavy drinking can harm brain areas responsible for memory, decision-making, impulse control, attention, sleep regulation, and various other cognitive functions. When it comes to depressants like drugs or alcohol, such substances often release neurotransmitters such as dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine when they first hit the body. “Initially, this results in a euphoric high,” says Norman Rosenthal, MD, strongest vodka proof a clinical professor of psychiatry at Georgetown University Medical School.
People who develop AUD continue to consume alcohol despite experiencing negative consequences. This condition can have a negative effect on health, relationships, and emotional well-being. A person should speak with a doctor about healthy alcohol consumption. Yes, initially and in small doses, alcohol does act as a stimulant. Drinking may lower a person’s inhibitions, which may increase feelings of spontaneity. Doctors may prescribe stimulants to individuals with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or narcolepsy.
What causes depression and alcohol use disorder?
Cognitive behavioral therapy can also be used to treat co-occurring AUD and MDD, by improving your emotional regulation, changing your cognitive behaviors, and helping you develop personal coping strategies. Alcohol use disorders may be mild, moderate, or severe, depending on the combination of symptoms you’re experiencing, but drinking problems can exist regardless of a clinical diagnosis. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found that 9 out of 10 adult binge drinkers don’t have a severe alcohol use disorder, but that doesn’t mean alcohol isn’t a problem for them. Drinking to cope with depression, no matter if you have an alcohol use disorder, is concerning.
Health Fast Facts
- Several studies, including a 2013 study that used a nationally representative sample, have found that people who drink to manage a psychiatric condition are more likely to abuse alcohol.
- Research has substantially improved understanding of the etiology, course, and treatment of co-occurring AUD and depressive disorders.
- The use of medication to treat an alcohol use disorder and a major depressive disorder depends entirely on the individual and their circumstances.
- It’s important to remember that alcohol is a depressant, and you can overdose if you drink too much.
- Alcohol use disorders may be mild, moderate, or severe, depending on the combination of symptoms you’re experiencing, but drinking problems can exist regardless of a clinical diagnosis.
If you are on any medications, talk to your health care provider about how alcohol may affect them. Drinking alcohol during pregnancy can lead to symptoms of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). FASD can cause a range of neurodevelopmental and physical effects in the child after birth. Because women tend to have less water in their bodies than men, if a woman and a man of the same weight drank the same amount of alcohol, the woman’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC) would likely be higher. This could help explain why women are more likely to have negative effects from alcohol. That’s why your doctor or psychologist will work with you to create a treatment approach that addresses both issues.
The Vicious Cycle of Alcoholism and Depression
However, drinking too much can cause negative side effects, such as nausea and vomiting. People may develop an addiction to alcohol after using it to cope with stress or traumatic life events. Addressing emotional or mental health concerns can help people with AUD find ways to cope that do not involve alcohol.
But that sense of euphoria quickly diminishes and “a rebound effect” occurs, he explains. This often leads to feelings of depression or anxiety in many users. Naltrexone and acamprosate can both reduce heavy drinking and support abstinence. Long-term overuse of alcohol can cause physical and psychological dependence.
It can be tempting to drink if you’re feeling unhappy, but there’s a better solution out there. When treating depression and substance abuse, consult with a mental health professional and/or an addiction specialist who can provide resources and recommendations for possible treatment options. Major depressive disorder involves persistent and prolonged symptoms, but depression, in general, takes on many different forms. Depressive symptoms can result from life stressors, mental health conditions, medical conditions, and other factors. If you’re battling depression, alcohol isn’t going to make you feel better.
Last Updated on December 2, 2024 by Bruce