When it comes to battling depression, some people turn to alcohol to deal with the pain. Since it can take the edge off, it may seem like it’s a good way to start feeling better. However, there’s a few reasons why depressed drinking may not be the best option for you.
Depressed Drinking: Why Alcohol Won’t Help You Feel Better
Alcohol is a Depressant
One reason why depressed drinking may not be a good idea is because alcohol itself is a depressant. Have you ever had too much to drink then found yourself crying by the end of the night? In many cases, as the alcohol sets in, it has the ability to create problems or make things seem worse. By the end of the night, alcohol may make you miss your ex you haven’t talked two in 11 years. At first, alcohol loosens you up and makes you feel better but those feelings don’t last. Since it’s a depressant, drinking to deal with depression may only make you feel worse.
Depletes Your Body of Vitamins and Nutrients
Another reason depressed drinking may not be good idea is because alcohol depletes your body of vitamins and nutrients that can help fight depression. For instance, alcohol lowers levels of vitamins B6 and B12 in the body. Without these vitamins, you may experience lower serotonin levels which help you feel calm, content, and even happy. Therefore, lowering these vitamins levels can cause you to feel depressed or increase feelings of depression. Likewise, alcohol can also deplete the brain of omega-3 fatty acids, which contribute to brain health. So lowering these nutrients in the body like alcohol does can lead to depression.
Alcohol Can Increase Depression Symptoms
One of the biggest reason depressed drinking may not be good is because alcohol can increase depression symptoms. For example, drinking too much can cause you to have low energy and feel tired. As a result, you may begin having problems sleeping or sleep too much. In addition, some people also experience feelings of guilt, shame, or worthlessness. All of these act as symptoms of depression but many people experience them after drinking too much alcohol.
It Makes You Less Able to Control Emotions
When dealing with depression, it can become difficult to manage your own emotions. And alcohol can make that even worse. Therefore, you may be more likely to engage in actions that cause self-harm. For instance, it may increase your likelihood to drink and drive. It may also increase thoughts of hurting yourself or others.
In short, drinking alcohol may seem to make you feel better and ease symptoms of depression. However, in many cases depressed drinking can actually make the condition worse.
