Depression and Alcoholism
Why is Alcohol Abuse Frequently Linked to Depression?
Depression is one of the most common adverse mental health conditions in the US. Every year, more than 6% of US adults will experience an episode of major depression. In addition, alcohol abuse disorder is commonly linked to depressive symptoms. But it’s not always clear which came first – the depression or the alcohol abuse disorder. Alcohol abuse can cause depressive symptoms, and untreated depression can cause people to turn to substances for relief. The following article will explore the prevalence of alcohol abuse and the rates of comorbid depression, and why these two disorders are so commonly linked.
What are the current statistics linking alcohol abuse and depression?
Depression or major depressive disorder is characterized by a significant decrease in mood and functioning. Symptoms of depression can vary significantly from one person to the next. For example, some depressive patients may experience a marked reduction in the ability to feel much of anything, including sadness. Whereas intense, negative feelings can cripple other depressive patients. Untreated depression can lead to thoughts of suicide or attempts to self-harm. Depression also puts patients at high risk of engaging in substance abuse as a way to self-medicate their distressing symptoms.
Alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence are two different things that are commonly linked with comorbid major depressive episodes. An alcohol abuse disorder is characterized by continued drinking despite the consequences and the inability to fulfill adult responsibilities. Alcohol dependence, on the other hand, is characterized by cravings for alcohol, a physical dependence on alcohol, an inability to control drinking, and a high tolerance to the effects of alcohol. The following are the prevalence rates of alcohol abuse, alcohol dependence, and major depressive disorder.
- The risk of engaging in alcohol abuse as a result of a major depressive disorder is 11.3%.
- The risk of alcohol dependence when experiencing a major depressive episode is 27.9%.
Out of all psychiatric disorders, major depressive episodes, mood disorders, and anxiety disorders put mental health patients at the highest risk of abusing alcohol and developing an alcohol dependence disorder.
Why are depression and alcoholism linked so frequently?
Heavy alcohol use can produce, or even worsen depressive symptoms in several different ways. Moderate doses of alcohol are known to reduce important neurochemicals in the brain that are linked to feelings of mood and well-being. Tryptophan is a precursor to serotonin, and alcohol reduces the circulation of tryptophan in the brain, leading to a decrease in serotonin. A lack of serotonin, an important neurotransmitter, is directly linked to symptoms of depression. Increasing the amount of serotonin in the brain is one of the most effective treatment methods for depression, and is the leading mechanism behind the use of SSRIs.
Also, the consequences of heavy alcohol use can lead to feelings of guilt or worthlessness, which are common symptoms of depression. Heavy alcohol use can prevent people from seeking treatment or even cause patients to forget to take their antidepressant medication.
What are the dangers of abusing alcohol when depressed?
Alcohol use interferes with healthy ways of coping with adverse events or other stressors that can trigger a depressive episode. Relying on alcohol as a way to cope is closely associated with depression sufferers engaging in higher levels of alcohol consumption. Also, substance abusers are often unable to engage in levels of self-care. They may forget to take their medications, and many drugs for depression cannot be taken with alcohol without serious side effects or rendering the medication ineffective. Depressed users who continue to drink are at high risk of experiencing significant problems related to alcohol use.
Who is most at risk of developing an alcohol abuse disorder and simultaneous depression?
Heavy drinking is associated with a two to three times greater risk of developing mood disorders, compared to those who completely abstain from alcohol. Heavy drinking in adolescence and early adulthood significantly predicts the onset of a major depressive episode later on in a person’s life, particularly in their late twenties.
Also, depressed people are at a higher risk of becoming frequent, heavy drinkers. There are differences in gender, too. Depressed female problem drinkers are twice as likely to develop alcohol dependence than nondepressed female problem drinkers. Depressed male problem drinkers are three times as likely to go on to develop alcohol dependency than male problem drinkers without depression.
Is alcoholism a result of depression, or depression a result of addiction?
Both conditions can cause or worsen the other in at-risk individuals. But it is not definitive whether one is directly responsible for the other. Alcohol abuse is found to produce greater depressive symptoms among people who are not undergoing treatment for depression. Men who abuse alcohol experience less positive effects and more significant depression and anxiety, while women who abuse alcohol experience greater negative effects and depression. The level of depressive symptoms a person may experience has been found to be directly linked to the frequency of intoxication. Many studies have found that heavy drinkers are consistently more likely than light drinkers to experience depressive symptoms, even when controlling for other factors.
What can someone do to curb alcoholism and treat depression?
People who suffer from alcohol dependence and depression have difficulty receiving specialized treatment for both conditions. But mixed treatment methods for both disorders can help people find relief from depressive symptoms and prevent alcohol abuse.
Medical detox centers and rehabilitation facilities are highly effective at helping people safely withdraw from alcohol. SSRIs and SNRIs, along with CBT and one-on-one talk therapy are effective methods of treating these comorbid conditions. Rehab centers can also put customized maintenance plans in place, so at-risk patients can develop healthy coping mechanisms for stress and other triggers to prevent a relapse of symptoms.
For patients with treatment-resistant depression, deep brain stimulation techniques such as transcranial magnetic stimulation for treatment of depression are effective. Alleviating depression with transcranial magnetic stimulation can significantly reduce the risk of patients using alcohol to cope with stress and other adverse events. Lessening the symptoms of depression can lead to decreased dependence or cravings for alcohol and improve life outcomes for people with depression and alcohol dependence.
