Alcohol Depression

Studies show that alcohol use aggravates depression to the point that it leads the person to commit suicide. In fact, some experts say that substance abuse can be considered as unconscious and gradual suicide attempts. Alcohol depression can either be the result and the cause of one another.

To further explain it, there are men who get depressed because of alcoholism and at the same time, there are women who turn to alcohol when they get depressed. To overcome alcohol depression, therapists try to identify which one is causing the other.

Alcohol has a direct biological link to depression since the substance is a known depressant that lowers down the level of neurotransmitters that are vital to brain function that deals with emotion and stress. Once a depressed person drinks alcohol, it will leave her feeling worse than ever since her brain chemistry and nervous system are greatly affected.

In older adults, folic acid deficiency causes dementia and depression. Alcohol intake also lowers down the level of folic acid by hastening the breakdown of antioxidants in the blood, therefore, excreting them out of the body instead of absorbing the nutrients.

Other studies also said that alcohol abuse can trigger a gene in the body that is linked to depression and other mental problems.

Prohibition of alcohol to depressed people may aid their medication. A therapist would usually tell the patient to stop drinking for at least two months. If the patient suddenly felt better afterwards, we can ascertain that alcoholism cause depression. Otherwise, there might be something else causing the depressive symptoms which must be addressed accordingly.

As mentioned earlier, alcohol depression may also be an effect of depression and not a cause in itself. Research shows that depressed people are more likely to resort to substance abuse thinking that intoxication can alleviate their depression.