Author: Charles Frank

How Does Alcohol Affect Your Mental Health?

For many, beer, wine, and spirits conjure up thoughts of social gatherings and tipsy fun. But alcohol is a nervous system depressant and easily alters behavior, culminating in some cases in the emotional pain and physical disintegration of alcohol addiction, colloquially known as alcoholism. Experts continue to debate the benefits and risks of drinking and passionately argue over whether moderation or complete abstinence is the best option for those who struggle with alcoholism. Blackouts are gaps in a person’s memory of events that occurred while they were intoxicated. These gaps happen when a person drinks enough alcohol that it temporarily blocks the transfer of memories from short-term to long-term storage—known as memory consolidation—in a brain area called the hippocampus. Too much alcohol affects your speech, muscle coordination and vital centers of your brain.

What Effects can Alcohol Have on My Mental Health?

Misuse of alcohol during adolescence can alter brain development, potentially resulting in long-lasting changes in brain structure and function. The brain is a delicate and intricate organ that must maintain a careful balance of chemicals, called neurotransmitters, for a person to function properly. Alcohol intoxication can disrupt this fine balance, disturbing the brain’s natural equilibrium, and long-term, chronic use forces a person’s brain to adapt in an effort to compensate for the effects of alcohol. Talk to your doctor and work out a plan to safely lower your alcohol consumption. If you keep drinking a lot of alcohol, it can cause more problems and make your depression and anxiety worse over time.

If your loved one needs help

Moderation management or moderation treatment can be an effective approach, in which people learn responsible drinking habits through a structured program. Research suggests this form of treatment can help people shift from heavy to moderate drinking, improve quality of life, and enhance emotional well-being. Some people prefer to try cutting back or quitting on their own before committing time and money to rehab. And there are a few approaches that can identify and combat drinking at an early stage.

Alcohol and the Brain: An Overview

For more information on symptoms, causes, and treatment of alcohol use disorder see our Diagnosis Dictionary. Because denial is common, you may feel like you don’t have a problem with drinking. You might not recognize how much you drink or how many problems in your life are related to alcohol use. Listen to relatives, friends or co-workers when they ask you to examine your drinking habits or to seek help. Consider talking with someone who has had a problem with drinking but has stopped. Alcohol use disorder can include periods of being drunk (alcohol intoxication) and symptoms of withdrawal.

Is There a “Safe” Amount of Alcohol for the Brain?

Alcohol is a powerful substance, with the capacity for positive experiences, such as bursts of creativity and fun, as well as harmful repercussions, such as addiction and health problems. Becoming dependent on alcohol can lead to challenges for both the mind and the body. But as you continue to drink, you become drowsy and have less control over your actions. You might notice certain times of the day or being around certain people will make you feel more anxious or more depressed and want to drink more. Find out how a personalized stress management toolkit can help you avoid relapse and stay on track with sobriety. Some have criticized Alcoholics Anonymous and other 12-step programs because they are rooted in religious ideology rather than scientific principles.

1. Non-abstinence-based recovery models—such as Moderation Management—advocate for reducing one’s alcohol consumption rather than abstaining completely.
2. It also includes binge drinking — a pattern of drinking where a male has five or more drinks within two hours or a female has at least four drinks within two hours.
3. About 15 million American adults and 400,000 adolescents suffer from alcohol use disorder, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.
4. Conversely, other recent data suggest a lower risk for dementia in people consuming a few alcoholic beverages a day.

Alcohol and the Brain

The chance of developing any health problem is related to the genetic code we are born with. Just like some people have a greater risk of developing cardiovascular disease or cancer, others have a greater risk of developing an alcohol use disorder. Binge drinking is when you drink a lot of alcohol in one day — more than 8 units of alcohol per day for men and more than 6 units of alcohol per day for women, with 1 unit of alcohol being equal to half a pint.

Consumption of alcohol has and continues to serve major roles in religious and cultural ceremonies around the world. But unlike most food products, in the last century, alcohol has been wrapped up in nearly perpetual controversy over its moral effects and health implications. There has been increasing interest in studying psychedelic and meditation-based interventions in recent years, for mental health issues and as tools for understanding the mind. But when you’re dealing with substance use disorder, it’s important to know the difference between helping and enabling.

Alcohol’s Effects on the Body

People can focus on education and support, such as through Alcoholics Anonymous, or take on a sobriety challenge. People can learn mindfulness; rather than trying to soothe uncomfortable feelings with alcohol, mindfulness encourages techniques such as breathing, visualization, and meditation. Heavy drinking can fuel changes in the brain—about half of people who meet the criteria for alcoholism show problems with thinking or memory, research suggests.

To do that, they can set boundaries around their emotional, physical, and financial relationship, for example that the house will remain an alcohol-free zone. They can research alcoholism to understand the underpinnings of the disorder, the signs of an overdose, and other important information. They can discuss co-occurring mental illnesses such as anxiety and depression. They can seek help from peer support groups and mental health professionals as well. Slips can be fueled by withdrawal symptoms, mental health challenges, and drug-related cues, such as spending time with old drinking partners or visiting old drinking locations. Triggers become engrained in addiction, so it’s valuable to recognize these cues, avoid them, and replace them with new behaviors, such as calling a sponsor or loved one when craving alcohol, which can help avoid a relapse.

Relationships may deteriorate, as their social circle narrows to other drug or alcohol users. Their work may decline as well, and they may lose a spiritual or religious practice they once valued. A good first step is to keep a record of how much alcohol you drink and of when you don’t drink throughout the week.