Over-consumption of alcohol can not only worsen existing mental health problems but even create new issues. Because alcohol temporarily makes drinkers feel elated or removed from their feelings, it’s hardly surprising that people turn to it. It can feel like an easy way to deal with negative feelings or difficult situations.
But on the other side of this, alcohol can cause devastating short-term and prolonged effects on our well-being. Not only does drinking alter your brain chemistry, but it can lead you to do things you regret. It can disrupt relationships and cause injury and illness, all of which can affect our mental health.
What alcohol does to your brain
Whether you have existing mental health problems or not, drinking alcohol can negatively affect your brain chemistry over time. It does this by changing the way your neurotransmitters work. Alcohol also makes it harder for you to absorb the nutrients and vitamins that your brain needs to function effectively.
Other effects of alcohol that can impact mental health
Alcohol can cause people to react more slowly and take more risks. Both of these can result in physical injury, but also in embarrassment and/or regrets. The long-term effects of such regrets or physical injury can seriously impact our mental health. This is especially true if we start to feel very anxious about things we have done or said.
The physical long-term effects of alcohol, such as liver disease and cancer, can also have a negative effect on a person’s mental well-being and they may develop depression as a result. Alcohol can also disrupt our relationships, finances and careers, any one of which can have devastating effects on our mental health.
Learn more about alcohol and mental health
You can learn more about alcohol and mental health when you book mental health training courses Blackpool, such as those offered by tidaltraining.co.uk/mental-health-training-courses/blackpool.
Alcohol can affect your mental health in a number of ways. The best thing you can do is to try to cut out alcohol, or try to stay within the government guidelines.
Roman Cyrus