This content mentions substance abuse or addiction (which may include mentions of alcohol or drug use), suicide or suicidal thoughts, self-harm, depression and anxiety. Please read with care. There are details of where to find help at the bottom of this page.
Summary
- how alcohol affects your brain
- how alcohol affects your body
- alcohol and mental health
- getting help if you're worried about your drinking
Alcohol and mental health are closely linked. Drinking too much can affect your well-being. Some people may drink to try to relieve the symptoms of mental ill-health.
People drink for many reasons: to celebrate, socialise, commiserate or drown our sorrows. We may drink to try and change our mood: to feel more relaxed, courageous or confident. However, the effect of alcohol is only temporary. As it wears off, we often feel worse because of how alcohol withdrawal affects our brain and body.
You may feel like alcohol is your coping mechanism: a way to deal with depression, stress, anxiety or other difficult feelings. You might be nervous about what life would be like if you stopped drinking or cut back. But relying on alcohol to manage your mental well-being can become a problem in itself. There’s no shame in asking for help and exploring what a new relationship with alcohol could look like.
How alcohol affects your brain
Alcohol is a depressant, which can disrupt the balance of neurotransmitters (chemical messengers) in your brain and affect your feelings, thoughts and behaviour.
Alcohol affects the part of your brain that controls inhibition, so you may feel relaxed, less anxious, and more confident after a drink. But these effects quickly wear off. The chemical changes in your brain can soon lead to more negative feelings, such as anger, depression or anxiety, regardless of your mood.
Alcohol also slows down how your brain processes information, making it harder to work out what you’re really feeling and the possible consequences of your actions.
In the long-term, alcohol uses up and reduces the number of neurotransmitters in our brains, but we need a certain level to ward off anxiety and depression. This can make you want to drink more to relieve these difficult feelings – which can start a cycle of dependence.
How alcohol affects your body
In the short-term, drinking too much can lead to alcohol poisoning, sleep problems, an upset stomach, bloating and migraines. It may make you behave recklessly or aggressively, have an accident or become the victim of violence.
Drinking a lot for many years will take its toll on your body. Long-term alcohol misuse increases your risk of serious health conditions, including heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, liver disease and cancer. It can lead to social problems such as relationship break-ups, unemployment, financial difficulties and homelessness.
Dealing with physical health problems, debt and housing issues can all affect your mental health.
Alcohol and mental health
Alcohol problems and mental ill health are closely linked.
Research shows that people who drink alcohol are more likely to develop mental health problems. It’s also true that people with severe mental illness are more likely to have alcohol problems. This may be because they ‘self-medicate’, meaning they drink to deal with difficult feelings or symptoms.
Alcohol and depression
Regular heavy drinking is linked to symptoms of depression. People with depression who drink alcohol often start to feel better within the first few weeks of stopping drinking. If you try this and feel better, it’s likely the alcohol was causing your depression. If your symptoms of depression continue, speak to your GP for help.
It’s generally not recommended to drink if you’re taking antidepressants. Alcohol can make depression worse and increase the side effects of some antidepressants. If you’re trying to cut down or stop drinking, research shows some antidepressants can increase your risk of relapsing. The NHS website has more information on alcohol and antidepressants.
Alcohol and anxiety
If you experience anxiety, alcohol can give you a very short-lived feeling of relaxation – but this quickly disappears. If you rely on alcohol to cover your anxiety, you may soon find yourself drinking more and more to relax. Over time, this can lead to alcohol dependence.
You may also find a hangover makes your anxiety worse.
If you use alcohol to unwind, think about other ways you can find to relax: meditation, yoga, exercise or making time for things you enjoy, for example.
Alcohol and psychosis
It’s possible to experience psychosis if you regularly drink a lot of alcohol or if you’re a heavy drinker and suddenly stop drinking.
Alcohol, suicide and self-harm
Because alcohol can make you lose your inhibitions and act more impulsively, it may lead to actions such as self-harm or suicide. Heavy drinking is also linked to suicidal thoughts and attempts.
If you’re having suicidal feelings, you can call Samaritans free any time. Call 999 or go to A&E if you’ve hurt yourself or think you might act on suicidal thoughts.
Getting help if you’re worried about your drinking
The government advises that both men and women should not regularly drink more than 14 units a week. This is the equivalent of six pints of average-strength beer or six medium glasses of wine. If you regularly drink as much of this, it’s best to spread it over three or more days.
If you’re worried about drinking or feel it’s affecting your mental health, a lot of help is available.
Getting support
Talk to your GP. It might feel difficult, but they will have heard from many other people going through something similar and will want to help you. They can check your physical health and put you in touch with local support, such as local NHS alcohol addiction support services. You can also ask about other support groups or talking therapies to help you.
If you’re physically dependent on alcohol and need to stop drinking completely, stopping suddenly could be harmful. Your GP can give you advice and/or medication to help you do this safely.
If you have a severe mental health problem and a drinking problem, you may be given a ‘dual diagnosis’. If so, mental health services should be in charge of your treatment, rather than drug and alcohol services. Find out more on our drugs and mental health page.
Ways to help yourself
If you want to cut down on your drinking, avoid situations where you’re tempted to drink. If you usually socialise in the pub, think about other activities you could enjoy with friends: going to the cinema, doing an activity together or trying an evening class. Club Soda – which can help you become more mindful about drinking – has more tips on socialising sober.
Changing your habits can be tough. Talking to people you trust about your plans may help you change. They can encourage you along the way and keep you company if you’re using exercise or other tactics to help you cope.
The NHS website has tips on cutting down. Have a look at the organisations in the useful resources section below too.
Useful resources and information
- Al-Anon offers support and understanding to the family and friends of problem drinkers.
- Alcohol Change UK campaign for better alcohol policies and improved support for people whose lives are affected by alcohol problems. They offer help and support if you want to change your drinking habits.
- Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) runs free self-help groups for anyone who thinks they have a drink problem.
- Drinkaware provides advice, information and tools to help people make better choices about their drinking.
- Drinkline is a free, confidential helpline for anyone worried about their drinking or someone else’s. Call 0300 123 1100. If you are in Scotland you can also contact Drinkline Scotland on 0800 7314 314.
- SMART Recovery groups help people build their motivation to change and offer tools and techniques to help with their recovery.
- Turning Point offers tailored support to people with drug or alcohol problems. This could be advice, medical treatment, peer support, social activities or help getting back into work, for example.
- We Are With You offers free, confidential support with alcohol, drugs or mental health.
LGBTQIA+ support services:
- The Gay and Sober website has regularly updated information on online LGBTQIA+ recovery group meetings.
- The LGBT Foundation provides information, support and advice to LGBTQIA+ people. They offer one-to-one and group support for people concerned about their drug or alcohol use.
- Alcohol Change UK has more resources for LGBTQIA+ people who drink in moderation or don’t drink.
If you are feeling like ending your life or feel unable to keep yourself safe, please call 999 or go to A&E and ask for the contact of the nearest crisis resolution team. These are teams of mental health care professionals who work with people in severe distress. If you feel affected by the content you have read, please see our get help page for support.