Alcoholism affects people of all ages, races, and genders. Alcohol plays a key role in many cultures and societies today. This is why it’s so common for people to consume alcoholic beverages on a weekly or even daily basis. However, alcohol addiction forms an unhealthy dependence on the substance and can have a massive impact on your professional and personal life. Many people overlook this addiction and don’t take the necessary steps toward alcohol recovery. There are serious links between alcohol recovery and depression that you should know about. Being able to understand the serious nature of the relationship between alcohol recovery and depression will enable recovery in a sustainable manner.

Want to learn more about alcohol recovery? Here’s a complete guide on alcohol recovery and how it’s linked to depression.

Alcohol Recovery and Depression

Alcohol addiction affects millions of people around the world. This kind of addiction is widespread because of the social and cultural role that alcoholic beverages play. This is why drinking alcohol is seen as standard in most parts of the world.

Some people do use the effects of alcohol to cope with their sadness or depression. This is often referred to as “drowning your sorrows” and is effective because of the depressant nature of alcohol. Drinking alcohol slows down your brain function and makes you incredibly sleepy.

This effect is what people want so that they can temporarily forget about the stresses of the day. While this may seem like an effective solution, it’s incredibly destructive to rely on. 

This begins a vicious cycle of depression as alcohol abuse has been linked to doing more than just numbing these sad feelings. Instead, alcohol intensifies negative emotions that can lead to depression. This is why nearly a third of all people with depression also have an alcohol dependency of some kind.

The Alcohol Recovery Process

Spotting the early signs of alcohol addiction is essential. This allows one to diagnose the issue to get the correct treatment as soon as possible. In simple terms, the sooner one can spot the issue, the sooner it can be treated, and recovery can take place.

However, the alcohol recovery process does come with a few challenges. The first challenge that many people face is staying sober. When in an inpatient facility, in a controlled environment, support is abundant.  

The real world doesn’t always have that support. Instead, there are tons of triggers out there that can quickly cause a relapse. Holistic treatment includes therapy for this exact reason, as one will learn the skills needed to stay sober upon departure.

The second challenge that many people face is depression after rehab. This is not because rehab causes depression but rather because depression is a post-acute withdrawal symptom. Since detox from alcohol occurs during rehab, withdrawal symptoms are to be expected.

Depression is not as clear of a symptom as throwing up and can take a while to show. However, this withdrawal symptom should never be overlooked or ignored.

Alcohol Abuse and Mental Health

Most drugs fall into two categories: stimulants or depressants. Stimulants are substances that increase your energy levels and give you temporary feelings of excitement and euphoria. Depressants have the opposite effect on your brain and cause you to slow down and feel sleepy.

Alcohol is a depressant and can cause you to feel numb, sad, and down. This is why many people turn to alcohol to numb themselves from whatever stress they’re dealing with. However, the long-term effect of this is that it can lead to depression.

Although common, using alcohol as a coping mechanism is never good. Having that dependency ensures that the body will become used to the depressive nature of the substance. This further intensifies any negative emotions that one may be experiencing.

The long-term effects of alcohol abuse can take a massive toll on both mental and physical health. This includes a higher risk of heart disease, stroke, and high blood pressure.

Alcohol-Induced Depression

It’s commonly acknowledged that excessive consumption of alcohol can have detrimental effects on one’s mental well-being. The primary reason behind this lies in alcohol’s potent nature, which holds the capacity to modify an individual’s mood. Consequently, alcohol consumption may lead to the amplification of negative emotions, feelings and depression.

As these negative emotions persist and potentially worsen over time, it’s not uncommon for individuals to experience symptoms of depression or anxiety. To cope with such negative feelings, many people may turn to alcohol for relief, inadvertently initiating a harmful cycle of alcohol abuse, depression and other mental health concerns.

Moreover, the relationship between alcohol abuse and depression is complex, as each can exacerbate the other. In some cases, individuals with pre-existing mental health conditions might resort to alcohol as a form of self-medication, further complicating the situation. Thus, it’s crucial to recognize the interconnected nature of alcohol-induced depression and seek professional help to break this vicious cycle and restore one’s well-being.

Drinking To Feel Normal

Many people around the world seek out alcohol to have a good time. It’s no secret that alcohol plays a major role in society and is generally encouraged at parties, functions, festivals, and events. However, the addictive nature of alcohol should never be ignored.

The societal pressure to drink at these events makes it feel like drinking is necessary to have a good time. This is a dangerous way to think, as people who abuse alcohol tend to do the same. The reliance is so strong that they require alcohol to think and behave normally.

While some may say that this is all in their head, it’s possible for people to drink and feel normal again. Drinking to feel normal again is a method utilized to eliminate the withdrawal symptoms that kick in when abstaining from drinking alcohol.

Depression After Drinking

Alcohol is a dangerous substance because it’s a depressant that often disguises itself as a stimulant. If you think about parties and festivals where everyone is drinking, they don’t look very tired. However, it’s a completely different story when the short-term effects of alcohol wear out.

This is where the depressive nature of alcohol shines and causes someone to feel sad, tired, and depressed. These feelings then intensify and can lead to the same depressive cycle.

The Booze Blues/Emotional Hangover

As mentioned above, it’s normal to feel a bit low after drinking alcohol. The depressive nature of alcohol may take a while to kick in, but it’s very clear. This is often known as the booze blues or the emotional hangover.

The physical hangover that people expect is based on physical pain and discomfort. This includes symptoms such as headaches, body pains, and an upset tummy. However, the emotional hangover is more subtle and destructive.

This can cause someone to feel anxious, stressed, and depressed. These feelings tend to come up later, making them harder to spot. Understanding the emotional dysregulation that follows heavy drinking can help an individual navigate their emotional hangover. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Still have a few questions about alcohol addiction and depression? We’ve got you covered. Here’s a quick look at the most frequently asked questions.

Is Alcohol a Depressant?

Substances are generally categorized as either a stimulant or a depressant. Alcohol is clearly a depressant as the substance makes you feel tired, lazy, and unmotivated. This is why alcohol abuse is generally linked with mental health concerns like depression.

Does Wine Cause Depression?

It’s widely accepted that wine does have some health benefits. However, excessive drinking will expose the depressant nature of alcoholic beverages like wine. This overpowers the health benefits and can intensify negative feelings and emotions.

What’s the Link Between Beer and Depression?

Alcohol is a depressant that can decrease your energy levels and intensify negative emotions. Beer is one of the most popular alcoholic beverages in the world, with people drinking more than one beer in short succession. This is why the depressive nature of alcohol tends to come up.

Beer reduces the activity of your central nervous system. This is what impairs your vision and reduces your overall reaction times. However, this also affects your mood and can make you feel tired, sleepy, and depressed.

How Do I Prevent Post-Rehab Depression?

There’s no single cure that solves post-rehab depression. However, there are lifestyle changes that you can make to prevent depression and feelings of anxiety after you leave rehab. Small changes like eating healthy, getting enough sleep, and doing daily exercise can all help.

Overcoming Alcohol Addiction

Alcohol addiction is a serious issue that affects people of all ages, genders, and nationalities. Alcohol is a depressant that can intensify feelings of sadness, despair, and depression. After prolonged periods of consuming alcohol, a concurrent disorder may become apparent between alcohol and depression. People often begin to use alcohol as a coping mechanism, creating a vicious cycle that’s difficult to break.

It’s important to remember that the road to recovery from alcohol addiction is different for everyone. During the recovery process, different levels of support are available and can be helpful should you experience difficulties throughout your journey. Some of the more common types of support available are alcohol rehabs, detox and withdrawal management centres, support groups, counselling and various forms of therapy.

While there are treatments available, holistic treatments are always the best option for alcohol recovery and depression. These treatments start with detoxing but also include counselling and therapy. If you want to learn more about these treatments, reach out to us today.