Alcohol addiction affects not only the lives of the addict but also of their family members. Since the addict suffers from poor mental health, it impacts all spheres of their as well as other’s lives.
If you are currently dealing with a family member who is addicted to alcohol, you must remember that they are probably dealing with unstable emotions as well. The guilt of consuming alcohol, along with the inability to control consumption, can really make a human being unable to deal with their emotions appropriately.
Hence, to support your loved one during the recovery process, it is important to enroll them in a dual diagnosis treatment center that works on their mental and physical well-being while ensuring that they don’t fall back into the same pattern of consumption. But how does alcohol addiction impact the addict’s mental health, and why do most addicts fall back to the same consumption pattern? The following article aims to clear a few doubts of the readers:
The Correlation Between Alcohol Addiction and Mental Health
Alcohol impacts the brain by providing it with momentary pleasure and relaxation for some time but then makes the addict anxious and unsteady as soon as the effect wears down, thus forcing them to repeat their behavior. Once the addict gets used to the amount of alcohol they were consuming earlier, their brain stops sending the same signals of pleasure and relaxation, which leads to overconsumption.
One of the reasons why alcohol consumption is dangerous is a person, while indulging in substance abuse, may not realize that their addiction is impacting their mental health, and it is much later in life that they experience the true impact. Now that you know what is the correlation between alcohol addiction and mental health, let us look at its impact.
Impact of Alcohol on Mental Health
- Makes a person lack self-esteem:
Alcohol gives the addict short-term confidence, and when they are no longer intoxicated, they suffer from low self-esteem that impacts the quality of their life. Most addicts don’t know how to cope with the challenges that arise in their lives, which undermine their ability to maintain relationships, be happy in their lives, and celebrate achievements, which directly affects the addict’s esteem, leading to living a low-quality life.
- Alcohol triggers depression:
When people drink high amounts of alcohol on a regular basis, they become addicted to it, and if they plan to stop it, they start experiencing withdrawal symptoms such as shaky hands, fatigue, anxiety, and hallucinations, which in turn leads to depression.
Now, to cope with these symptoms, most individuals fall back into the old pattern and start consuming alcohol again, which leads to more problems. Hence, professional help that focuses on both mental and physical well-being is crucial.
- Alcohol induces self-harm:
When one starts consuming alcohol in a high quantity, they lose their sense of self-control, which leads to self-harm and suicide. There have been numerous instances of suicide among addicts due to a lack of self-esteem, depression, and loss of their sense of self. Therefore, if any of your family members are suffering from addiction, you must be very cautious about their behavior.
- Alcohol leads to stress:
Most people drink alcohol to relax and relieve stress. However, what they don’t realize is that once the effect wears off, they are left more stressed than ever. Alcohol addiction comes with a lot of financial repercussions, and on top of that, when a person is unable to control their urge to drink, they tend to experience more stress, and the vicious cycle never ends!
How Much Alcohol is Too Much Alcohol?
Ideally, a person should never be consuming alcohol. However, most people give in to peer pressure and are forced to drink occasionally at social gatherings. So if an individual’s get-togethers and parties involve alcohol, they must not exceed 14 ounces of alcohol consumption, and if they are already suffering from depression and anxiety, then it is best to stay away from any form of substance abuse completely.
Conclusion
Alcohol addiction significantly impacts the quality of one’s life. Since the addict is not just ruining their physical health but also their mental health through regular consumption, they get tangled in the vicious cycle of addiction and find it difficult to escape.
Unfortunately, the physical impact of alcohol is noticeable just after a few drinks, but it takes a lot of time to realize that the addiction is impacting one’s mental health as well. So, if you have someone who is currently suffering from alcohol addiction, it is best to enroll them in a dual treatment center that focuses on both physical and mental well-being.
