We often relate alcohol to celebratory events and happy occasions, but it is important to recognize that alcohol and mental health can be a difficult relationship to navigate.
If you experience challenges related to your mental health, it’s crucial to understand that alcohol is a depressant. It slows down brain activity and affects neurotransmitters, which are chemical messengers that regulate our mood, emotions, and overall mental well-being. Ethanol, the primary component of alcohol, can disrupt the delicate balance of these neurotransmitters in the brain, leading to altered brain chemistry and subsequent changes in mood and behaviour.
The hangover
Whilst alcohol’s immediate effects may include a temporary sense of euphoria or relaxation, these effects are short-lived. As the body processes alcohol, its sedative properties can contribute to feelings of depression, anxiety, and irritability. This is often referred to as a “hangover” which can further exacerbate existing mental health conditions or trigger new ones. It’s not just a hangover that can disrupt day to day life – the sense of feeling “flat”, fatigued or have an increased emotional sensitivity can impact our most meaningful relationships.
Regular or excessive alcohol consumption can also disrupt the normal functioning of the stress responses. This disruption can lead to increased levels of stress hormones such as cortisol, and contribute to chronic stress and its associated negative impact on mental health.
We need to remember that alcohol is a toxin. It is metabolized by the liver, which breaks it down into acetaldehyde, a highly toxic substance which has been linked to contributing damage to cognitive impairment, memory problems, and an increased risk of developing mental health disorders.
Impacting motivation
Alcohol can also disrupt sleep patterns, which can have a profound impact on mental health, exacerbating symptoms of depression, anxiety, and other psychiatric disorders, as well as play havoc with our motivation.
The cycle of using alcohol as a coping mechanism to temporarily alleviate emotional distress can create a dangerous pattern. Reaching for that glass of wine at the end of each day may seem like an innocent reward, but leant on for the wrong reasons can lead to a mild dependence or in some cases addiction.
It’s important to recalibrate by taking a complete break from time to time and a great way to do this can be by challenging yourself to a charitable cause like Dry July.
However, if you have a history with anxiety, depression or other mental health challenges alcohol can be a destructive force best avoided.
