MHM Counselling reposted this
Yes, it is so true! And yet, looking into our alcohol consumption when the rest of our life seems either dark, joyless, or out of control is challenging or may seem impossible, and may not even make sense. But that part of the loop, which is alcohol feeding depressive moods and anxiety, is often disregarded, dismissed or even unknown or understood by the person suffering or even the health practitioner consulted.
CEO Hello Sunday Morning | CEO 360Edge | Adjunct Prof National Drug Research Institute | Board member, The Loop Australia | GAICD
As a psychologist, I’ve seen many people over the years who are willing to make significant life changes to improve their mental health. But there’s one element they often overlook – their alcohol consumption. They’ll change their eating habits, get strict with their sleep hygiene, make sure they’re regularly exercising, and cut down on screen time. What’s less commonly tackled is how much they drink. What I’ve come to realise is that many people simply don’t understand the way alcohol can affect our mental health. So on this #WorldMentalHealthDay, let’s have a look at it. Alcohol dependency is not a brain disease, but alcohol does affect the brain in many ways, and can significantly impact our mood. Alcohol impacts the brain's neurotransmitters – gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glutamate – which are key in regulating mood and anxiety. When we drink, it increases GABA which leads to sedative and anxiolytic (anti-anxiety) effects, and also inhibits glutamate, creating the depressant effect. Low GABA levels are associated with anxiety. Alcohol can also reduce the influence of the prefrontal cortex, which has an important role in emotional regulation by interpreting emotional responses from the limbic system – the emotional centre of the brain. If something makes you feel anxious, the prefrontal cortex can help “talk you down” or make sense of the emotions. For example, imagine a cat jumps out at you in a dark alley, the limbic system might give you a start and the prefrontal cortex looks at the situation logically and says, “don’t worry it’s just a cat, you're safe.” Without the frontal cortex working well it’s harder to manage stress. A poorly functioning prefrontal cortex also reduces impulse control so it’s harder to suppress strong emotions like anger. Drinking impacts on all of that. It goes both ways: people who have mental health issues might use alcohol to help manage strong or unwanted emotions. Depression is linked to low dopamine and drinking can, at least temporarily, increase dopamine, the feel-good chemical. But of course, what goes up must come down. People who are already struggling with their mental health may find their mood crashes after a night of drinking, so it’s likely causing more harm than good. If you’re not sure how alcohol is affecting you, it can be worthwhile to keep a diary that tracks your mood next to your drinking. The most important thing is to be mindful of the role that alcohol can play in your mental health. And if you need support, you can join Hello Sunday Morning's free and non-judgmental peer support community, Daybreak. Find out more here: https://lnkd.in/gWwzMUvn #alcoholharmreduction #mentalhealth# #behaviourchange