JudicatorPanzer

I have anxiety disorder and depression. Both are a topic that come up quite often at meetings. Is it harder for us to relax and take it easy?

Dee74

Hi JP

I'm not sure there's been any studies done but if there have been this community will know

What I do know for sure is my depression and anxiety got a lot better when I quit drinking.

Not right away - I had some help from my doctor and a counsellor - and neither disappeared entirely (both have been life long issues) but they are at their least impactful now I'm sober

I hope you'll be able to look back and say the same

D

Gottalife

There was an article in the featured article section about research on the relationship between alcoholism and depression. It found alcoholism can cause depression. However with the usual rider that more research needs to be done. the study found that depression did not cause alcoholism.

Depression and anxiety are the most common symptoms of alcoholism, though they can be symptomatic of other illnesses too.

Wastinglife

I suffer from both conditiongs too. Alcohol makes it much worse but the instant relief it provides, if only for a few hours, is difficult to pass up. I've had anxiety attacks and have had to drink. Of course, the next day the anxiety is back. But just being anxiety-free for those few hours whlile drinking is usually why I drink. I have a lot of problems to deal with and constany thinking bout them often is my motive to drink yet alcohol is often a reason for my problems. I've never known true happiness. Even before I developed alcoholism.

16YearsDrunk

From personal experience I am going to say yes. Alcohol was the crutch that helped me avoid depression and anxiety.

Caralara144

I found when I was drinking it seemed to lessen my anxiety
But the next few days were hell on earth
I've suffered from depression an anxiety from I was 6 years old seen alot of Doctors etc....
From I stopped drinking my depression has all but gone and I'd rate my anxiety as 4 out of 10
For me alcohol definitely made it worse
Caralara ❤️

D122y

Jud,

Ime...I didn't start to naturally heal my own anxiety and depression until I quit being drunk all the time.

Now that I am clean, I find myself getting happy all the time over things.

For example, planning and going on a dinner date. I find great joy in that now.

I get excited thinking about it, find joy doing it, and look forward to the next time afterwards.

That fills a good deal of time.

I look forward to many things like that now that I am clean.

That is a normal life.

Thanks.

brighterday1234

Yes highly probably. Strong significant relationship between the two.

daveglass1

There is a science - something to do with substances released in the brain when drinking causing confusion etc once the drinking stops - read Alcohol Explained - William Porter

Josie321

From chatting with others and reading online, there seems to be a very strong connection between anxiety/depression and alcohol. I know from my personal experience, the drinking initially started as an 'aid' (ironically) to coping with social anxiety.

If only there was another, less addictive way to cope with certain situations.

Stride34

Without a doubt. Bigtime. It comes with the package of messing with your natural brain chemistry. Everyone experiences to some degree. Many had it before and that's why the self-medicated.

shortstop81

I've suffered from depression and anxiety issues most of my life. In my case, I believe there were signs of it even before the drinking started. So it was a decades-long vicious cycle of self-medication, which only exacerbated the underlying mood disorder.

zjw

yeah i basicly self medicated with booze.

I do notice however a fairly simlier mindset amongst alcholics but I tend to notice the same mind set in people who dont have an alcohol issue as well but oddly could probably benefit from some AA meetings. Some of these other people might have food addiction issues or some other self medicating tendancy. Or they might not have any of this at all even.

But the mindset can be prety similier.

Forward12

Those with mental health issues are substantially more likely to abuse alcohol and other drugs, I have dealt with horrible anxiety/depression for years and was pretty much the main reason for my alcohol abuse.
Though on the flipside, alcohol also causes mental health issues like depression and anxiety that otherwise were never there for many people.

Freedomexists

Are those with depression and anxiety more prone to abusing and alcohol and using drugs?

Those with untreated mental illnesses are extremely vulnerable and prone to substance and alcohol abuse.

I'm sure you have witnessed many of them later self identify as alcoholics for want and need of some sort of explanation in such a nebulous existence and thus the true underlying issue never truly gets dealt with. Instead they enter a merry go around of framing their experiences and lack of resources to deal with the world with recovery speak perpetually wondering why they are "failing".

Wrong train, heading for the wrong station.

MindfulMan

There is a strong correlation between substance abuse and depression (and her sister Anxiety), even nicotine.

It's hard to say what causes what. In my case it was a vicious circle. I turned to drugs to self-medicate, and the brain chemistry changes worsened the depression/anxiety/hypomania.

There is a HUGE correlation between bipolar disorder and alcohol and/or cocaine abuse, usually as an attempt to self medicate. When taking a family history, some of markers for bipolar disorder other than relatives that have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder are relatives that have attempted or committed suicide, mental hospitalizations, and substance abuse, in particularly polydrug addictions.

My family history was lit up like a Christmas tree.

I don't think a doctor can really evaluate mental health treatment, particularly medication, in someone who is actively using. Psychoactive substances can completely change the effect that psych meds have.