Is it possible to drink alcohol with depression and neurosis and why it improves mood &8212; scientific facts
Irritation, apathy, fear, guilt – all these emotional states are accompanied by numerous biochemical processes in the brain.
How do so-called "antidepressants" work? They dull the sensitivity of those brain centers that are responsible for emotions, and at the same time stimulate the production of hormones-endorphins, which are neurostimulators. These include serotonin, dopamine – it is their concentration in the blood that increases dramatically when a person feels joy, happiness, and love.
What about alcohol? Will it help to cope with depression and neurosis, or on the contrary, will it only worsen psychological problems?
Many studies confirm the link between alcohol abuse and an increased risk of developing depressive disorders.
At the same time, one study did not reveal a deterioration in the condition with moderate alcohol consumption in those who already have depression, compared with non-drinkers.
In this article, we try to deal with the ambiguous and multifaceted influence of alcoholic beverages on a person's mental state.
Recall that earlier we cited list of 15 products to improve mood .
Content
Why does alcohol boost mood?
Mood improvement is explained by its depressive effect, that is, depression of the sensitivity of the central nervous system.
That's why the brain, even after a small dose of alcohol less "vulnerable" to fear, apathy, aggression . It's worth noting right away that all these feelings are the norm for any adult, but modern society is built in such a way that showing them is a sign of something bad.
This, by the way, is a fairly common problem in psychology – a person simply does not give vent to his emotions, but this does not mean that they disappear without a trace.
And this is exactly the explanation why some people (mostly men) become aggressive and irritable after alcohol – they simply stop restraining their real emotions.
What about depression? The symptoms of depression do decrease somewhat. But the latest research by scientists from Denmark shows that it is more effective against men. But in women, the feeling of apathy when drinking alcohol often increases significantly, but this is already relevant for the extreme stages of intoxication.
In fact, after alcohol, a person can even feel euphoria on the background of drinking. This is due to increased blood flow , since blood pressure increases after alcohol and the brain, accordingly, receives more nutrients for a certain time. The duration of this action is individual and depends on both the genetic predisposition and the physiology of a particular person. More detailed about the mechanism of alcohol's effect on the brain see in a separate article.
In total, alcohol really relieves the feeling of depression. That is why a person wants to drink something alcoholic to lift his mood.
But how long does this action last? Exactly until the moment when ethanol acts as a sedative. After that, the sensitivity becomes nominal, and in some cases the problem worsens.
Why does apathy occur the day after consumption?
With physiology, everything is more or less clear - ethanol is a poison and if the body does not remove its decay products in a timely manner, then a person feels nausea, weakness (since the splitting and elimination of toxins take up huge amounts energy ), headache and so on.
But why is it that after drinking alcohol in the morning you are usually in a bad mood?
This is also indirectly related to society, which constantly imposes that alcohol consumption is a pernicious attraction, which ruins lives, families, and careers.
Understanding this nuance works on a subconscious level. A is anchored by guilt is already a reflex effect on the brain. And they react to them all in a peculiar way too. In such cases, someone wants to be alone, someone shows aggression, including towards their loved ones. By the way, all this in total is one of the first symptoms of chronic alcoholism.
In total, a depressed mood the next day is a feeling of guilt in front of others, which is enhanced by feeling unwell.
Does it help to get rid of depression?
Yes, but it only works as much as there is a sedative effect on the brain. If a person does not suffer from alcoholism, that is, he uses only from time to time, then it is unlikely that depression will increase.
But if you constantly try to "forget" depression with the help of alcohol, then the effect will be exactly the opposite
.
Moreover, a depressive funnel may occur. This is when a person drinks to get rid of depression or to have banal fun, but the next day he also feels guilty. Accordingly, he "forgets" her also with the help of alcohol, and the next day – similarly.
And getting depressed every day will only be strengthened by an increasing sense of guilt . That's why you can't drink alcohol with such disorders.
How is it possible to deal with this? It is very difficult without the help of loved ones.
Another nuance: "Why do people try to suppress depression with alcohol?" Because alcoholic beverages are the most stress–relieving remedy available to most (and it is, so to speak, "legal"). In fact, it will only help if we are talking about a single intake in small quantities (1 bottle of beer, several glasses of wine – everyone has their own "norm").
Is it possible to drink with neuroses?
Neurosis and depression are fundamentally different concepts. Neurosis is no longer just a psychological condition, but a real malfunction of the nervous system.
How does alcohol affect the central nervous system? In fact, it destroys nerve cells, acting like any other toxin.
Therefore, with neurosis from alcohol it's better to give up . In the worst case, it can even provoke a stroke, since simultaneous the load on the cardiovascular system , and on the nervous system – this is a good basis for the development of such diseases.
Does it aggravate other mental disorders?
As already mentioned above – only in case of abuse or if we are talking about chronic alcoholism at all .
Alcohol can exacerbate obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic attacks, neurasthenia and other psychological abnormalities.
You also need to understand that whether a person drinks alcohol or not, depression and the factors that provoked it will not go away. Accordingly, the problem will remain and will be complemented by a sense of guilt from the very fact of drinking alcoholic beverages.
Moreover, narcologists claim that most men become alcoholics precisely for this reason, that is, they constantly try to forget about their problems with the help of alcohol. But sooner or later, all this comes to dependence on ethanol.
In addition to neurotic disorders, alcohol causes a number of other problems, which you can familiarize yourself with on the infographic:
Therefore, if you are tormented by a depressed mood, anxiety or a feeling of exhaustion, it is better to resort to other methods of improving your well-being.
Safer methods to improve emotional state
The easiest option is to force your body to produce serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine, and at the same time seek help from a qualified psychologist.
How to stimulate hormone production? To do this, it is enough to simply review your diet and include it in it Brain-healthy foods :
- Chocolate;
- Fresh vegetables and fruits;
- Greenery;
- Oatmeal;
- Legumes;
- Fatty fish varieties (even better – marine);
- Citrus fruits.
You should also think about doing sports – during physical exertion, the body actively absorbs glucose. Namely, it is transformed into energy and is a kind of "fuel" for the brain.
What about antidepressants? In principle, they act like alcohol, but without signs of intoxication of the body. It makes sense to prescribe them only when it is already difficult for a person to independently control his condition. And this is only 5-10% of all cases of depression. Such methods should be resorted to only after consultation with the attending neurologist and psychologist. Most of these medicines are generally dispensed from pharmacies only by prescription.
One should not forget that alcohol is able to "burn" serotonin. Accordingly, if you are going to review your diet in order to improve your psychological well-being - alcoholic beverages will need to be completely abandoned. This also applies to nicotine – this substance also has a sedative, albeit subtle effect.
What else do psychologists advise you to do, to get rid of depression? Communication with others. It doesn't have to be close relatives, friends, or acquaintances at all. The most ordinary communication on abstract topics is enough. And the more, the better.
Another good option is to go on vacation or just do what a person wants right at this moment . Go to the beach? A good option. Play a computer game? It's not bad either. Eat a huge cake? It is possible, although overeating should be avoided. Different things act as a stimulant for the production of serotonin in each person, it is not always food. Positive emotions – only when a person feels them, the brain starts the process of hormone synthesis in increased concentration.
And one more piece of advice – you should try to avoid stressful situations. Postpone all conversations, showdowns and everything else for a while. And the longer the "break" is, the better. A person is able to normalize his condition on his own – this is how his body works. The main thing is not to aggravate the situation.
Interesting video
And now we invite you to familiarize yourself with the video:
Conclusion
In total, alcohol will not help to cope with mental disorders. Its only benefit in this case is a short–term feeling of euphoria, which helps to produce serotonin, but subsequently hormones are still "burned" under the influence of ethanol.
Moreover, most often alcohol only aggravates the situation, and when abused, it creates a trap at all – a person constantly tries to forget about problems through alcohol, but in the end it ends with chronic alcoholism.
