In the past, alcohol was sometimes seen as having health benefits when consumed in moderation, but science is rethinking this idea, as it grows more aware of how dangerous alcohol can be, even in small amounts. Even if you don’t have an alcohol use disorder diagnosis, you may want to give some thought to reducing your alcohol consumption or even eliminating alcohol from your life entirely. At Carolina Dunes Behavioral Health, in Leland, North Carolina, we treat patients who require acute care for psychiatric symptoms, and we know the negative impact alcohol can have on a person’s mental health.
Mental Health Conditions Often Occur Alongside Alcohol Use Disorder
Sometimes, people with mental illness develop substance use disorders and vice versa. The most common mental health disorders that are seen in people with alcohol addiction include:
- Mood disorders such as depression or bipolar disorder
- Anxiety disorders such as generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, or panic disorder
- Psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Sleep disorders, including insomnia, breathing-related sleep disturbances, or hypersomnolence disorder (excessive daytime drowsiness)
Drinking to Cope
Many people drink alcohol to manage difficult feelings and mental health symptoms. While this can work in the short-term, when the effects of the alcohol start to wear off, those symptoms immediately return, sometimes worse than they were before. Instead of learning coping skills or making use of medications to address their mental health, people who utilize alcohol to self-medicate can become dependent on it and require more alcohol over time to achieve the same results. If they then decide to stop drinking, they may experience withdrawal symptoms, which can include:
- Sweating
- Shaking
- Hallucinating
- Sleep disturbances
- Anxiety
- Depression
Worsening Mental Health Symptoms
Because alcohol doesn’t address the underlying cause of mental health concerns, a person’s symptoms can grow far worse over time. Often, people who drink instead of getting help for their mental health begin to engage in self-harm, and they are also more likely to make suicide attempts. In fact, alcohol use is so closely correlated to suicide attempts that it is one of the first screening questions that crisis counselors ask when a person calls into a crisis or suicide hotline.
Bottom line: Alcohol is a toxic substance. If a person engages in long-term, heavy drinking, their brain may become permanently damaged, especially if they start drinking young, leading to:
- Memory issues
- Comprehension problems
- Inability to think logically
- Social problems such as homelessness, unemployment, or destroyed relationships
- Physical health problems, including heart problems, strokes, and cancer
In turn, these issues further fuel mental health struggles.
Small Changes You Can Make
Maybe you’re not ready to stop drinking, but you are concerned that things could get out of hand if you don’t keep an eye on the situation. Here are some places you can start to increase your awareness of how alcohol might be impacting your mental health:
- Track how much you are actually drinking. A lot of people underestimate how much alcohol they consume over the course of a week, so writing it down or recording it in an app may provide you with surprising information.
- Pay attention to when you want to drink and with whom. Many people find that being around certain people makes them more depressed or anxious, which can entice them to drink. There may also be certain stressors that increase the chances that you will want to drink. Noticing these patterns can help you find other ways to cope.
- Consider taking a break from alcohol if you are not dependent upon it. If you’re experiencing depression, you should see signs of improvement within 2-4 weeks of abstaining. If you’re still feeling depressed at the end of a month, you should talk to your doctor.
Additionally, if you find that you cannot stop drinking or you are dependent on alcohol, that’s also a great reason to talk to your doctor, as you may need medical help to safely lower your alcohol intake.
At Carolina Dunes Behavioral Health, we offer compassionate, evidence-based treatment for people who are struggling with mental health issues, including anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and depression. Our structured, therapeutic environment includes a physician-led, multidisciplinary team that is focused on providing individualized, trauma-informed care.
