The Impact of Alcohol on Mental Health – What You Need to Know
How many times have you poured yourself a glass of wine after a stressful day and considered the impact alcohol has on your mental health? Not many? You may have thought alcohol helps you relax, unwind and relieve stress. The opposite is true.
Alcohol has a negative impact on mental health, exacerbating symptoms of anxiety and depression, causing serotonin to spike and then fall (resulting in a decreased sense of wellbeing), and increasing your cortisol levels (the stress hormone).
The impact of alcohol on mental health
Alcohol is a depressant and a sedative. That means it gives you an instant feeling of relaxation. Typically, we feel it in the first 10 minutes of drinking. We feel relaxed, soothed, and ‘better’. However, studies show alcohol causes us to release cortisol – the stress hormone in charge of our ‘fight-or-flight response.
Long-term production of cortisol through drinking can contribute to increased anxiety overall. Cortisol is not only released when we drink alcohol but also when our bodies are withdrawing from alcohol. If you drink alcohol to alleviate stress, you are making the stress feel worse.
Plus, once the alcohol wears off, we are left with increased amounts of cortisol circulating in the body, resulting in us feeling more stressed and anxious than before we picked up a drink. This feeling of unease usually leads to us picking up a 2nd drink, to relieve the symptoms created by the first drink – and so the vicious cycle begins.
Then there’s dopamine…
Cortisol isn’t the only physiological effect that has an impact on our mental health. Alcohol changes our levels of dopamine which is our reward system and other neurotransmitters like serotonin and endorphins that affect our mood.
That’s why “hangxiety” is so common the morning after a drinking session as a feeling of heightened anxiety. Alcohol might feel like a coping strategy, but it’s not an effective solution. It exacerbates depression and anxiety both in the short and long term.
Studies show people who drink heavily are more likely to suffer from depression and, sadly, alcohol dependence is about three times more likely among people with depression. People with depression or anxiety often ‘self-medicate’ with alcohol, making the situation worse.
What about those moods…
Alcohol changes the chemical makeup of our brains, depleting certain chemicals that help us reduce anxiety naturally. We then feel like we need more alcohol to cope with increased feelings of stress (from drinking alcohol). This all has a direct impact on our moods.
Because alcohol has an impact on serotonin and dopamine – giving them an initial ‘boost’ – the next day you will be deficient in both these chemicals. Leaving you feeling flat, anxious, depressed, and moody. Consistent drinking decreases our ability to cope with tough times and increases our irritability.
10 Ways to Relax - Without Alcohol
1. Breathe.
Try breathing exercises. Engaging in deep belly breathing is the quickest way to send a message to your nervous system that you are safe. Even spending 10 minutes a day breathing deeply into your belly will make a difference to your relaxation and mental health.
2. Exercise.
There’s no better way to boost those endorphins naturally than with exercise. Go for a brisk walk, try hot yoga or a HIIT workout.
3. Watch your nutrition.
Stay away from sugar and processed food as much as possible. Stay hydrated and take care of your gut health with probiotics and fermented food. Much of our moods start in the gut.
4. Get back to nature.
Spending time in nature will boost your serotonin naturally. Throw in some exercise like a brisk bushwalk. Even spending time in your garden will soothe your nervous system and improve your mental health.
5. Essential oils.
Scent is one of the quickest ways to send a message to the brain that we are safe. Essential oils are a powerful way to create a safe, relaxed environment. For stress and anxiety try lavender, frankincense, bergamot, and neroli.
6. Music therapy.
Whether it’s a kitchen dance party with the kids or relaxing background music, listening to music is a great way to help you unwind. Lie still or move your body.
7. Cut the caffeine.
If you find it hard to unwind and relax after 5 pm you may have too much caffeine in your system. Caffeine affects your sleep and mood. Cut back to one coffee a day – in the morning.
8. Havening.
The Havening Technique is an alternative therapy that uses touch, eye movements, and other sensory input. It helps reduce anxiety, stress, and discomfort.
9. Hop in the bath.
Warm water is a great way to soothe your muscles – and mind. Add essential oils like lavender and frankincense for added relaxation.
10. Get help.
If you find it impossible to relax without wine seek out a therapist or mindset coach who can help you. I help women all over the world change their relationship with alcohol and find new ways to unwind and relax. It’s about creating a life you don’t need to escape from.
P.S. Check out my personalized coaching programs HERE, I’d love to support you. You can read more about me HERE.
Join the October Alcohol Free Challenge!
Curious about taking a break from booze? Would like to give your body a chance to detox and reset? Join hundreds of women in my next Alcohol Free Challenge, and get 30 days of information, support and community!