Alcohol and Mental Health: The Risks of Drinking to Cope
Learn how alcohol affects anxiety, depression, and your brain’s chemistry. Get expert advice and resources for cutting down on drinking and managing your mental well-being.
Summary
Many of us reach for a drink to celebrate, socialize, or unwind. For some, alcohol becomes a temporary shield—a quick way to feel more relaxed, courageous, or confident. However, if you find yourself drinking to cope with anxiety or depression, you may be walking into a vicious cycle.
The relationship between alcohol and mental health is close and complex. While alcohol offers a fleeting sense of relief, it is fundamentally a depressant. As its effects wear off, the chemical disruption it causes in your brain often leaves you feeling worse than before, exacerbating the very problems you were trying to escape.
How Alcohol Affects Your Brain
To understand the connection, we must look at alcohol’s immediate impact on your brain’s chemistry.
Alcohol is classified as a depressant. It temporarily disrupts the balance of neurotransmitters—the chemical messengers that control your feelings, thoughts, and behaviour.
The Initial Effect (False Calm): Alcohol first affects the part of your brain that controls inhibition. This is why a drink makes you feel relaxed and less anxious.
The Crash (Negative Spiral): This effect is short-lived. The chemical changes quickly swing towards more negative feelings, often resulting in increased anger, sadness, or anxiety—regardless of your initial mood.
The Long-Term Damage: Regular heavy drinking uses up and reduces your brain’s supply of key neurotransmitters needed to maintain a balanced mood. Over time, this depletion can make you far more susceptible to anxiety and depression, fueling the desire to drink more and potentially leading to alcohol dependence.
The Vicious Cycle: Alcohol and Mental Illness
Research clearly shows that alcohol problems and mental ill-health are closely linked. People with existing severe mental illness are more likely to struggle with alcohol, often attempting to self-medicate difficult symptoms.
Alcohol and Depression
Heavy drinking is directly linked to the symptoms of depression. If you struggle with low mood and drink regularly:
Stopping Drinking Helps: Many people with depression find their symptoms improve significantly within the first few weeks of stopping alcohol entirely, suggesting the alcohol was a primary contributor to their low mood.
Antidepressants: It is generally not recommended to drink alcohol if you are taking antidepressants. Alcohol can worsen depression and increase the side effects of certain medications. Always consult your GP or pharmacist.
Alcohol and Anxiety (Dealing with 'Hangxiety')
If you rely on alcohol to relax, you may find yourself drinking more and more over time to achieve the same effect. This reliance is the fast track to dependence.
Furthermore, many people experience what is commonly known as ‘hangxiety’—a period of intense anxiety, panic, and remorse the day after drinking. This is due to the chemical rebound in your brain as it tries to restore its balance, leaving you far more agitated than usual.
Beyond Common Disorders
Alcohol can make people lose their inhibitions and act more impulsively. This loss of control dramatically increases the risk for serious actions:
Alcohol and Self-Harm: Heavy drinking is linked to suicidal thoughts and attempts, and can lead to impulsive acts of self-harm.
Alcohol and Psychosis: Regularly consuming large amounts of alcohol, or suddenly stopping after heavy use, can potentially trigger episodes of psychosis.
Getting the Support You Need
Taking control of your drinking is one of the most powerful steps you can take for your mental well-being. There is no shame in seeking help.
Unit Guidelines
For your physical and mental health, health organizations advise that you should not regularly drink more than 14 units a week. If you drink up to this amount, it is best to spread consumption over three or more days.
Actionable Steps for Change
- Consult Your GP: Your primary care physician can check your physical health and offer referrals to local NHS alcohol addiction support services or talking therapies. If you are physically dependent on alcohol, they can provide advice or medication to help you stop safely. Never stop abruptly if you are physically dependent.
- Find Alternative Coping Mechanisms: If you use alcohol to unwind, find other healthy outlets for relaxation. Try meditation, yoga, exercise, or dedicating time to a hobby you enjoy.
- Change Your Habits: If your social life revolves around drinking, explore alternative activities like going to the cinema, trying an evening class, or simply focusing on non-alcoholic drinks when out. Talk to trusted friends about your goal so they can support you.