Alcohol and depression
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Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Somewhere west of the Mississippi
Posts: 224
Alcohol and depression
I thought about putting this in the Mental Health section, but for me this is more a discussion about alcohol and its relationship to depression, which is why I am putting it here instead.
Been reading a bit about the relationship between the two. My experience is that some of my darkest moments come out of nowhere when I am drinking heavily. I am, by nature, a pretty upbeat person, but alcohol inevitably brings me eventually into a state that is borderline suicidal, if not actually so.
I'd always assumed, like many probably do, that this is because I cover up my depressive thoughts when I'm not drinking, and that alcohol disinhibits me enough that these thoughts and feelings are unleashed during a drunk. But the more I read about the relationship between the two, the more I come to see that this is backwards. Alcohol isn't a symptom of my depression. It's a cause of depression.
Really seeing this is adding another layer to my resolve to get sober. While I already know that drinking to cover pain does not work, what this tells me is that there is no way it could ever work. Experience has already shown me that I hit a pretty bad state when I drink. Alcohol makes depression worse. If I want to feel good, I can do that by not drinking. Staying sober is the key.
Been reading a bit about the relationship between the two. My experience is that some of my darkest moments come out of nowhere when I am drinking heavily. I am, by nature, a pretty upbeat person, but alcohol inevitably brings me eventually into a state that is borderline suicidal, if not actually so.
I'd always assumed, like many probably do, that this is because I cover up my depressive thoughts when I'm not drinking, and that alcohol disinhibits me enough that these thoughts and feelings are unleashed during a drunk. But the more I read about the relationship between the two, the more I come to see that this is backwards. Alcohol isn't a symptom of my depression. It's a cause of depression.
Really seeing this is adding another layer to my resolve to get sober. While I already know that drinking to cover pain does not work, what this tells me is that there is no way it could ever work. Experience has already shown me that I hit a pretty bad state when I drink. Alcohol makes depression worse. If I want to feel good, I can do that by not drinking. Staying sober is the key.
Its very simular to how I use to cover up & dull anxiety with alcohol but guess what... it only made it worse. Especially the morning after a hard drinking night. Forward we go...side by side-Rest In Peace
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Serene In Dixie
Posts: 36,740
The final 5 years of my drinking.....I had daily depression.
Took various meds with little results
I woke up often in tears...had 3 suicide atempts....
checked myself into a mental hospital for depression 3 times.
Nothing externally was wrong I was physically healthy and working.
When my psychiatrist diagnosed me with situational depression
he suggested AA. Rather quickly....my depression began to
lift....no meds required....by the end of 2 months of continious
sobriety my depression vanished. Has never returned...20 years later.
Obviously this is not true for everyone but it is my experience.
During those early sober months I was also following an eating
plan for hypoglycemia....walking a lot ...taking a multi-vitamin + B Complex.
All of which I think helped me recover my mental balance.
Later I read somewhere that alcohol is a depressant.
That certainly seemed true for me....
:
Took various meds with little results
I woke up often in tears...had 3 suicide atempts....
checked myself into a mental hospital for depression 3 times.
Nothing externally was wrong I was physically healthy and working.
When my psychiatrist diagnosed me with situational depression
he suggested AA. Rather quickly....my depression began to
lift....no meds required....by the end of 2 months of continious
sobriety my depression vanished. Has never returned...20 years later.
Obviously this is not true for everyone but it is my experience.
During those early sober months I was also following an eating
plan for hypoglycemia....walking a lot ...taking a multi-vitamin + B Complex.
All of which I think helped me recover my mental balance.
Later I read somewhere that alcohol is a depressant.
That certainly seemed true for me....
:
Last edited by CarolD; 10-06-2009 at 10:05 AM. Reason: Typo
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Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: LA - Lower Alabama
Posts: 5,068
Alcohol is a depressant, meaning it slows down your central nervous system. Many people mistake alcohol as a stimulant but it is in fact a depressant. How that translates into a person being depressed is unclear to me, but in my personal experience when I quit drinking my depression got much better.
jimbo
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: london berks England
Posts: 426
the booze really depressed me
the more i drank to get over my pain and depression the more i was depressing myself
why i could not see it at the time i have no idea
everyone says that my moods are much better since i quite drinking
booze the cause of and wrong answer to most of my problems
drinking to stop being depressed is like fighting fire with fire
just think about it the fire fighting dept uses water and i think so should we
the more i drank to get over my pain and depression the more i was depressing myself
why i could not see it at the time i have no idea
everyone says that my moods are much better since i quite drinking
booze the cause of and wrong answer to most of my problems
drinking to stop being depressed is like fighting fire with fire
just think about it the fire fighting dept uses water and i think so should we
grateful to be here
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 426
thanks for the post lauras. i used alcohol to cover up and not deal with things for over 28yrs. (geesh i feel dumb it's been that many years--the things i missed!) i'm now having to learn to stand still and hurt or whatever without alcohol. i had always known alcohol is a depressant (depresses your system) but as long as i was drinking it made me feel good, it was the times when i wasn't or couldn't because of work, etc that i was depressed. and it made those times so much worse so i would run to get a drink as soon as i could. vicious cycle with a capital v.
carol thanks for sharing ......so glad you are still here...with us.
carol thanks for sharing ......so glad you are still here...with us.
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Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Abroad
Posts: 49
Alcohol is a depressant but that particular property of it does not mean it makes you depressed - "depressant" merely means it slows things down in your body.
For me it causes depression as it is the exact opposite of delayed gratification (which is key to long-term happiness IMO) - it's bringing forward happiness from the future to the here and now. It's like getting into debt - you've got to pay it back eventually.
The illogical thing is that while drinking will generally make things seem better now, the positive payoff now will be countered by a far greater cost later on. Like getting into debt at a stupidly high interest rate..
Fortunately some (most?) here have made the mental leap to be able to enjoy delaying gratification. It works for me 95% of the time but usually about once a month I end up wanting to enjoy the here and now too much, usually when I get downbeat about the future for some reason.
For me it causes depression as it is the exact opposite of delayed gratification (which is key to long-term happiness IMO) - it's bringing forward happiness from the future to the here and now. It's like getting into debt - you've got to pay it back eventually.
The illogical thing is that while drinking will generally make things seem better now, the positive payoff now will be countered by a far greater cost later on. Like getting into debt at a stupidly high interest rate..
Fortunately some (most?) here have made the mental leap to be able to enjoy delaying gratification. It works for me 95% of the time but usually about once a month I end up wanting to enjoy the here and now too much, usually when I get downbeat about the future for some reason.
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Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Living in Today!
Posts: 3,945
Originally Posted by LauraS 
I thought about putting this in the Mental Health section, but for me this is more a discussion about alcohol and its relationship to depression, which is why I am putting it here instead.
Been reading a bit about the relationship between the two. My experience is that some of my darkest moments come out of nowhere when I am drinking heavily. I am, by nature, a pretty upbeat person, but alcohol inevitably brings me eventually into a state that is borderline suicidal, if not actually so.
I'd always assumed, like many probably do, that this is because I cover up my depressive thoughts when I'm not drinking, and that alcohol disinhibits me enough that these thoughts and feelings are unleashed during a drunk. But the more I read about the relationship between the two, the more I come to see that this is backwards. Alcohol isn't a symptom of my depression. It's a cause of depression.
Really seeing this is adding another layer to my resolve to get sober. While I already know that drinking to cover pain does not work, what this tells me is that there is no way it could ever work. Experience has already shown me that I hit a pretty bad state when I drink. Alcohol makes depression worse. If I want to feel good, I can do that by not drinking. Staying sober is the key.
Been reading a bit about the relationship between the two. My experience is that some of my darkest moments come out of nowhere when I am drinking heavily. I am, by nature, a pretty upbeat person, but alcohol inevitably brings me eventually into a state that is borderline suicidal, if not actually so.
I'd always assumed, like many probably do, that this is because I cover up my depressive thoughts when I'm not drinking, and that alcohol disinhibits me enough that these thoughts and feelings are unleashed during a drunk. But the more I read about the relationship between the two, the more I come to see that this is backwards. Alcohol isn't a symptom of my depression. It's a cause of depression.
Really seeing this is adding another layer to my resolve to get sober. While I already know that drinking to cover pain does not work, what this tells me is that there is no way it could ever work. Experience has already shown me that I hit a pretty bad state when I drink. Alcohol makes depression worse. If I want to feel good, I can do that by not drinking. Staying sober is the key.
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Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: far away from the ocean
Posts: 376
I'm in bohemianzen's camp. While I know I can never heal from depression while drinking, dealing with depressing thoughts is easier when I'm drunk. Unfortunately (or fortunately), drinking 24/7 is not an option when you have a full-time job, so I will try to face these moods sober now. A millionth day one here. 
Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Northern California
Posts: 204
Thank you so much for your post. My experience has been similiar. For the last six or so years, I have been in treatment for depression and anxiety. Many different medications for both, different therapists, and two suicidal episodes leading to hospitalization. I knew I shouldn't drink, but had no desire to stop so I lied to my doctors about it for fear they would insist I get treatment or take away my precious sedatives. Any time my depression lifted I lived in mortal terror of it coming back, as I would slide back into it I felt like a freight train was bearing down on me; deadly, unstoppable.
I don't know what caused me to finally get honest the second time in the hospital, desperation, I suppose, but...wow. I knew but I didn't know what a major relationship alcohol and depression have. I've been sober only a little more than two months and I get sad, angry, etc. without feeling that gravitational pull of depression. Like you, I thought I was "the real me" when drinking, that the illness was who I was, and I could not have been more wrong.
It hasn't been easy, but what a suprise it is to discover that the "real me" craves joy and freedom, is worthy of love, and can function without alcohol.
I don't know what caused me to finally get honest the second time in the hospital, desperation, I suppose, but...wow. I knew but I didn't know what a major relationship alcohol and depression have. I've been sober only a little more than two months and I get sad, angry, etc. without feeling that gravitational pull of depression. Like you, I thought I was "the real me" when drinking, that the illness was who I was, and I could not have been more wrong.
It hasn't been easy, but what a suprise it is to discover that the "real me" craves joy and freedom, is worthy of love, and can function without alcohol.
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Oakville, Ontario
Posts: 13
True...all so true these responses. I think the problem I have is deep and dark inside me. Depression. When a serious situation would arise, I would always reach for the bottle. The pain went away for a while, but you always wake up to the same unresolved issue, and feeling like crap. I've lead a very tumultuous life and always turned to alcohol to ease the pain temporarily. What was once a vice has become a habit it was a long evolution. Alcohol actually made me more depressed and miserable. It recently got totally out of control, with all the tricks of hiding, a sip in the morning to stop the shakes. The 'I'll quit tomorrow scenario. I became socially introverted, missed out on so many of life's pleasures. It has recently cost my marriage, she had enough, my home, now I'm alone...now here comes some serious depression. 2 weeks without a drink and I feel physically so much better...dealing with the emotional personal side is crippling, but a test of character. Depression is the root and I plan on rehab for that, alcohol isn't the cure for sure. I wish I could have had the occasional drink like sane people instead of drinking gallons when times got rough...I wish I could have my time back. Don't drink. The depression will abate and you will see how wonderful life really is, it won't happen overnight. Be strong, be determined. Alcohol is poison.
One drink is too many....a thousand is not enough.
One drink is too many....a thousand is not enough.
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Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Virginia
Posts: 818
Laura, Alcohol is a depressant, and consuming alcohol in a depressed mental state will only make things worse. The upside of this is, however, that while we're depressed when we drink, we don't really care that much. Alcohol is also very good at supressing our other emotions.
And your observation is right on the money, alcoholism isn't a symptom of other issues, it's the cause. Your #1 enemy is an addiction to alcohol. And staying sober is the key to emotional and physical health. I suggest you try AA for a while. Check your phone book for the aa hotline (manned 24/7). They'll give you directions to the nearest meeting. If large meetings make you uncomfortable, go to a women's-only meeting. Let them know you need help. And try several different meetings while you're at it. Some groups leave a lot to be desired, but look around and you'll find some that you're comfortable with. As you said, staying sober is the key. Unfortunately, very few of us can do that alone, so AA fits in very nicely here. You've already crossed the biggest obstacle to recovery by accepting that you have a problem. I wish you the best of luck in your recovery.
And your observation is right on the money, alcoholism isn't a symptom of other issues, it's the cause. Your #1 enemy is an addiction to alcohol. And staying sober is the key to emotional and physical health. I suggest you try AA for a while. Check your phone book for the aa hotline (manned 24/7). They'll give you directions to the nearest meeting. If large meetings make you uncomfortable, go to a women's-only meeting. Let them know you need help. And try several different meetings while you're at it. Some groups leave a lot to be desired, but look around and you'll find some that you're comfortable with. As you said, staying sober is the key. Unfortunately, very few of us can do that alone, so AA fits in very nicely here. You've already crossed the biggest obstacle to recovery by accepting that you have a problem. I wish you the best of luck in your recovery.
Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: England
Posts: 89
I find so much to relate to here.
When sober I can pretty much cope. Things might get hard but I can work my way around them. When drinking, there is just the drink. I can't think my way round anything other than drinking more.
Am a few days sober but feel I need anti-depressants to kick start me for the first while so going to the doc later in the week.
Thanks for your post, Laura S. You are right - staying sober is the key x
When sober I can pretty much cope. Things might get hard but I can work my way around them. When drinking, there is just the drink. I can't think my way round anything other than drinking more.
Am a few days sober but feel I need anti-depressants to kick start me for the first while so going to the doc later in the week.
Thanks for your post, Laura S. You are right - staying sober is the key x
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Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Houston
Posts: 309
I'm with Carol. When I was drinking, I had depression coupled with anxiety. I tried medication after medication from my doctor (always omitting my drinking problem). I was miserable, to put it lightly. Then I got honest with my doctor. She recommended AA. So that I did. Over 4 months later, depression and anxiety are gone. The fog lifted, and I got my brain back. 
Member
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 271
Time Article
Since I can't originate it in a thread, I'll post it here:
This is different, at least I've never read a study like this before. The article talks about how people who drink too much suffer depression. Then it talks about how people who don't drink at all suffer even more depression.
I am NOT suggesting anybody relapse over it, but I thought the article would be of interest (note the importance of social contact):
Study: Alcohol Abstainers at Higher Risk of Depression - TIME
This is different, at least I've never read a study like this before. The article talks about how people who drink too much suffer depression. Then it talks about how people who don't drink at all suffer even more depression.
I am NOT suggesting anybody relapse over it, but I thought the article would be of interest (note the importance of social contact):
Study: Alcohol Abstainers at Higher Risk of Depression - TIME
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