Alcohol and Depression - Does Drinking Make Depression Worse?
Alcohol and depression
Depression affects all sorts of people, in all walks of life. Does drinking make depression worse?
How easy is it when you're feeling down, to just say "Hang it all I need a drink" or to go to the pub, supposedly for the company, but mostly to just drink. Or worse still, sit alone at home and have a few drinks.
Of course, drinking alcohol is the worst thing one can do when depressed. Alcoholic itself is actually a depressant, and will make feelings of anxiety and depression much worse. So for sure alcohol & depression do not mix at all well.
Drinking While Depressed
Alcohol destroys the B vitamins, as does nicotine, caffeine, and refined sugars. B vitamins are not stored by the body, so we are responsible for our daily intake in our diet.
Vitamin B1 (thiamine) is what gives the brain energy from glucose or blood sugar. Lack of this can lead to depression, also anxiety, fatigue, and irritability. The consumption of refined carbohydrates, sugars, also alcohol, will deplete the body's supply of B1.
Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) necessary for hormone formation and the chemical acetylcholine which help to prevent depression. Before deficiency will cause depression, chronic stress, and fatigue.
Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) is needed in the manufacture of serotonin, melatonin and dopamine. The lack of these, of course, is one of the main causes of depression. B6 also helps to process amino acids, which in turn help build proteins and hormones.
Vitamin C is also vital in the fight against depression, and is depleted by alcohol.
Alcohol itself is a depressant and can make depression and anxiety much worse. Drinking thins the blood, thus increasing heart rate, which in turn can cause anxiety. Alcohol will lower the blood sugar which again causes anxiety. Drinking also causes dehydration, which again is another cause of depression, or feelings of anxiety and stress.
Does alcohol make depression worse? Definitely Yes.
Alcohol is absolutely not recommended with depression, although it could cause one to delve more deeply into the problem, possibly helping to resolve it, as opposed to hiding problems within oneself. I would suggest that this would be very rarely helpful, however.
One should remember that any feelings of relief from stress and anxiety brought about by alcohol, would only be at best short lived and the after-effects possibly worse than ever.
Alcohol & depression are definitely not a good mix! There are much easier, more effective ways of dealing with depression.
