Understanding the Relationship between Alcoholism and Depression
Alcoholism and depression may be two seemingly dissimilar things, but they are closely knit. The symptoms that are present leading to excessive alcoholic consumption are the same as those required to diagnose someone as under a state of depression. Nonetheless, a lot of people treat alcohol as an antidepressant and they feel relieved whenever they have a shot of it. But though it may give initial relief, it will eventually put you back in a more serious state of depression.
Let it be known that alcohol is not an antidepressant. It may even cause a more severe depression. Sad to say though, a lot of people still go for alcohol when they want to stave off sadness. But to clearly state the relation between alcoholism and depression, here are some thoughts that you might want to consider:
1. Alcoholism can cause depression to relapse.
2. The depression level of a patient significantly drops after he has given up alcohol for three to four weeks.
3. You may suffer from alcoholism and depression if your family has a history of both situations.
4. When someone is under the spell of alcoholism and depression, suicidal attempts are high.
5. Alcoholics and depressed people are often irritated and offensive.
Because of these similarities, alcoholics and depressed people need more attention. They have the potential to be dangerous not only to others but to themselves as well. Once someone is suffering from both conditions, medical help is urgent so that the deadly effects of these situations can be prevented.
Therefore, there is a strong relation between alcoholism and depression. Because alcohol is often seen as an antidepressant, most depressed people resort to it to forget their problems. They would drink a high volume of alcoholic drinks that will leave them calm for a moment but more depressed as time goes by.
Using alcohol to repel depression will only worsen the depressed state that someone is experiencing. Sure there is an initial relief, but once the hangover of alcohol is gone, a person is brought to a worse level of depression. There is scientific proof to back this up.
Studies show that alcoholism elevates the level of depression and as many as 50 percent of alcoholics also suffer from depression. However, it is not clear though whether depression gives birth to alcoholism, although a recent study shows that about ten percent of depressed people carry alcoholism symptoms too.
But whatever the causes of these two may be, an individual should stand his ground against them. Depression alone can lead someone to commit suicide. And depressing as it may sound, alcoholism might take people’s lives as well through the diseases that it will eventually manifest. These problems have to be faced, solved, and trashed for good.
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