On my last year in college, we noticed something different with this friend of ours. He suddenly becomes quiet and sad and cries while he sleeps. We thought it was just a normal thing for any young adult who just lost his girlfriend to another man. To cheer him up, we often go to this bar to hang-out, chill out a bit, find some girls, and drink until we are wasted. While we are out partying one time, he saw the girl and the guy on this same bar. Then all of a sudden, he just jumped right at this guy and beat him up with an ashtray then he left. The next day, my friend was dead on an apparent suicide.
Recent studies suggest that alcohol and depression are interrelated. Both of these subjects create a very perilous kind of living especially if both of these subjects are present to an individual. But are they really related? Is there really a connection between them? Understanding the difference and a potential relationship between the two will be much easier if these will be explained separately.
Depression
One of the common mental problems right now is depression. In America alone, 17 million people have been affected by this illness on all age, gender and ethnicity. Depression is a predictable state of response by an individual which is a direct result of one’s saddest experience or lowest point in life. A depressed person usually exhibit or experience different behaviors such as appetite loss, constant sadness, lack of sleep, fatigue, feeling of helplessness, sudden irritation or anger, and among many other things. This invincible disease if not properly treated, may lead to suicides or even murder.
Alcohol
On the other hand, alcohol problems are common these days. We all know that drinking alcohol has been a part for most young and old adults around the world. A small amount of this liquor gives a relaxing, soothing condition for most of them–especially after a hard day of work. But we also know that too much alcohol can cause bad multiple effects such as blurred state of mind, confusion, dizziness, sudden sleepiness, vomiting, or may even pass out. Because it is a psychoactive drug, continued use of alcohol has an addictive behavior and it leads to another subject, alcoholism.
Are Alcohol and Depression Interrelated?
As we have now a minute understanding on their positive and negative effects, how do we know their relationship? Study shows that most depressed people tend to use alcohol as a way to cope up and express their feelings. On the second paragraph, I mentioned that alcohol can affect the brain such as in the form of confusion or a blur state of mind. And it could be both. If a depressed individual drinks and become confused and suddenly have a distorted mind, what do you think will happen? More so, if this individual is an alcoholic, imagine what kind of person it will turn out.
Alcoholism and depression is another subject that needs a lot of concern. The problem is that the most alcoholic people are also the most depressed. And the dangerous subject of all. It is a lethal combination that most experts believe causes suicides and other deaths. Alcohol use and depression can be subjugated if this is properly used and practiced. People occasionally use alcohol just to heal their depression and cheer them up or they just want to sleep and forget about their setbacks quickly. They also use alcohol to express their depressed emotions and let it be heard by their closest friends. But people tend to abuse this and as a result, many psychological effects have been observed in each individual. Their interrelationship and abusive behavior can still be controlled if proper treatment is given.
Treatment
Because of their relationship, alcohol and depression treatment centers are now available worldwide to facilitate these troubled individuals to help them start a new life. Different methods and approach will also be conducted by experts who surely know what must be done. There are also other treatment programs that will assist them but they must first trust and believe in themselves that their problems can be cured. Sometimes believing in one’s self is the key to their problems after all.
Related posts:
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
A very interesting and informative article. Of course alcohol and depression are connected. Depression can appear due to the excessive use of alcohol. And alcoholism as a disease can happen in result of depression. to my mind both problems should be treated parallel.