In this article, we focus on the impact that alcohol addiction (alcoholism) has on mental health. If you think that you, or someone you care about, might be drinking too much alcohol, get in touch with our Outpatient Community Detox team for a free and discreet conversation.
For a lot of people, having an alcoholic drink is synonymous with having a good time, but a study by Public Health England showed that 55% of people receiving alcohol treatment also sought some form of treatment to help improve their mental health.
Something you should ask yourself is… what impact does drinking alcohol have on your happiness? Does the consumption of Alcohol change your behaviour or decisions?
How alcohol impacts our mental health
Improved mental health is one of the many benefits of reducing, or stopping drinking, and our alcohol rehabilitation programme is a flexible, discreet and effective way of addressing the physical symptoms of alcohol addiction whilst simultaneously providing tailored theraputic support to address the inevitable phycological dependcies which directly affect your mental health.
Part of this treatment involves learning more around the physical and chemical changes that happen to us when we consume alcohol.
The brain has a balance of chemicals and systems. As a depressant, alcohol interferes with this balance by impacting the neurotransmitters, which transmit signals from one nerve another.
The more you drink, the more these signals are disrupted, and the moods we feel as a result can be erratic or negative.
Additionally, the stress caused by our behaviours when drunk also challenges your mental stability; saying or doing things that you wouldn’t choose to when sober can leave you feeling low and tense, long after you have been drunk.
The mental health impact varies from person to person, but drinkaware.co.uk lists aggression, anxiety and depression as just some of the negative side effects of drinking, either at the time, or in the days to come after drinking.
Breaking the cycle
Alcohol interferes with how our brain regulates mood, so whilst having a drink might ‘take the edge off’ and help you to relax, the high is only temporary in comparison to the longer-term effects of alcohol on the brain.
Identifying drinking as a key factor in your mental health and stability is a huge step for anyone wanting to improve their mood, wellbeing and mental health.
Signs that drinking is harming your mental health
The following could suggest that your alcohol intake is having a negative impact on your mental health:
Physical Signs
- Difficulty sleeping after drinking
- Consistent muscle or bone pain
- Irregular heart rate
- Muscular weakness or issues with balance
- Having Difficulty breathing
- Experiencing withdrawal symptoms such as headaches, fatigue or clammy skin
Phycological Signs
- A sense of worry and dread without being entirely clear what is causing it
- General low mood and lack of energy
- Paranoia after drinking, often called ‘beer fear’ or ‘hangxiety’
- Experiencing memory loss
- Craving or only organising social events around alcohol
- Lying or hiding drinking from close relatives or friends
- Neglecting responsibilities at home or work for alcohol
Check if you are drinking too much with our quick and easy quiz >> https://www.delphimedical.co.uk/alcohol-units-quiz/
Conversely, there are many benefits to reducing your alcohol intake and many of those can help go on to help improve your mental health. Drinkaware.co.uk list these benefits as:
- Better skin
- Weight loss
- Saving money
- Better sleep
- More energy
When you stop or reduce your alcohol intake, there is no sudden moment when you ‘feel better’, but the impact is notable with the majority of people who have used Delphi Medicals’ private addiction treatment service, reporting a brighter, positive outlook, feeling able to live their life more easily and gaining more pleasure from it
How we can help!
Our approach is to provide a treatment service that supports both aspects of addiction to live a fulfilled life
A return to physical wellbeing independence of substance needs and restoring some of the psychological health and wellbeing. We strongly believe addressing only one of these areas will only lead to further problems down the line.
At Delphi, we have a wide range of talented, kind, caring and experienced clinical and psychosocial practitioners, specialised in providing care for those who require alcohol addiction treatment. We provide a fully tailored approach to alcohol addiction treatment, which is hugely important, as everyone has different needs. This flexibility gives YOU the option and choice of either detoxing within our secluded and beautiful residential drug and alcohol treatment centre or from the comfort of your own home.
In addition to alcohol clinical detox services, we recommend all clients suffering with addiction to participate in therapeutic support services to address the mental health needs which undoubtedly proceed and in most cases cause addiction. Our Lead Therapist will create a tailored plan from a free consultation and discuss elements of a recovery plan to ensure that your mental health and physical health are at the forefront of everything we do together.
“We recognise that the hardest thing is often the first step in acknowledging the problem and that alcohol is impacting the quality of day-to-day life, work and relationships.”
– Niki Alan, Lead Therapist
We want to say, well done to those who read this and are considering receiving support. We recognise that one of the hardest stages in seeking help with alcohol addiction is adminiting you have a problem and reaching out for support. If you would like to talk to our lovely enquiries team about your drinking and/or have concerns about your loved one/friend, get in touch today for a free discreet assessment.
