Can giving up alcohol improve your mental health?

There have been debates for many years about this issue and opinions vary

When considering this subject, ones need to consider what alcohol does to the brain.

 

It is proven that if you drink large amounts in the long term it can cause big problems for your mental health and can cause a range of issues such as depression, memory loss and, even psychosis.

 

Alcohol is a depressant; our brains are delicate and rely on a delicate balance of chemicals and hormones. Alcohol can disrupt that balance affecting thoughts, feelings, actions, and, long term mental health. Neurotransmitters and chemicals help transmit signals from one nerve to the other.

 

 

You may feel relaxed when you first have a drink due to chemical changes that alcohol causes to the brain and for some, they may feel confident and less anxious because it starts to depress the part of the brain that we associate with inhibition.

But as you drink the brain starts to be affected when high levels of alcohol are involved and this can trigger an emotional response, such as anger or aggression.

It also contributes to depression, and anxiety as already mentioned. The neurotransmitters needed for good mental health are affected.

 

Regulars drinking lowers the serotonin a chemical that helps regulate mood this is a vicious circle.

 

Some of the warning signs that alcohol affects our mood are poor sleep after drinking and feeling tired due to a hangover.

 

It can also make people lose their inhibitions and behave impulsively in some cases people self-harm or feel suicidal, and it can even lead to severe mental illness, such as psychosis where one gets hallucinations and delusions, and if heavy drinkers stop suddenly it can be dangerous. A person who drinks heavily can also get a condition called the delirium tremens this causes body tremors and confusion.

 

If drinking is becoming problematic you should consider consulting a doctor.

Keep hydrated and eat better are all steps to help your wellbeing.

 

You lose around four times as much liquid as what you drink which causes headaches. Your organs take water from the brain due to their own water loss, salt, and potassium levels also reduce which can impact on a nerve and proper muscle function.  Alcohol is also a diuretic which means that the body loses extra fluid through sweat.

 

If you stop drinking it reduces the risk of getting cancer or liver failure.

It also reduces blood pressure and makes you more alert.

 

Claudette is a passionate campaigner and activist for mental health stigma and domestic abuse. She believes that everyone should be treated equally regardless of their disability or gender. She has diagnoses of Bipolar Disorder, endometriosis, Chronic Fatigue, and Fibromyalgia. Claudette has a certificate in Management studies.  Her interests include beauty, makeup, animals politics, current affairs and social networking.

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