What’s The Connection Between Alcohol Abuse And Mental Health

People have various reasons for drinking. Whether to celebrate good times, hang out with friends, or even deal with challenging situations, alcohol can make us feel differently. However, the truth is that the feeling doesn't last forever. Once the alcohol wears off, we can feel worse because of withdrawal. This blog post will examine how alcohol abuse connects to mental health.

The Connection Between Alcohol Abuse and Mental Health

Medical practitioners in rehabilitation face uphill tasks in diagnosing their clients whose alcoholism coexists with various psychiatric syndromes. The clients could be alcohol dependent or alcohol abusing, with mental disorders acting as a contribution, coexistence, or a result of abuse.

With time, clinicians have developed algorithms and patterns that distinguish the three factors. The algorithm works on the principle that a client can have independent psychiatric disorders, alcohol-related psychiatric symptoms, and alcohol-induced psychiatric syndromes. A client's gender, course of illness, and family history are crucial in conducting an accurate diagnosis.

Alcoholism mimics psychiatric syndromes, making accurate diagnosis very difficult. 

The co-occurrence of alcoholism and mental illness means that clients will likely have difficulty abstaining from abuse, attempting or committing suicide, and utilizing mental health services.

If you or a loved one are struggling with alcohol addiction, consider seeking professional services at a reputable rehab in Arizona.

The Diagnosis Difficulties in Assessing Psychiatric Complaints of an Alcoholic Client

Among the dilemmas clinicians face during diagnosis include the following:

• Does the client have significant episodes of depressive characteristics? If yes, does the client need aggressive psychosocial and pharmacological treatment?
• What is the role of alcohol in the clients' complaints?
• How can the clinician deduce whether alcohol use contributes to the mental problem or is it the result?
• Is the client’s condition a major depression? If it is not, then what could it be? What is its likely course, and what's the next step toward treatment?

Mental Health Disorders Related to Alcohol Abuse

The following are the most common psychological disorders that affect or lead to Alcohol abuse.

Depression

Depression, the most common, affects a person’s actions and thoughts. To suppress depression, most individuals will use alcohol as a quick fix, or in this case, some sort of self-medicating. Continued Alcohol consumption leads to the stimulation of the brain's reward system. With time, clients rely on alcohol to feel happy and forget their problems.

Depression affects people of all backgrounds, ages, or genders. Its most noticeable symptoms include:

• Restlessness
• Decreased energy
• Low interest in activities and hobbies 
• Concentration difficulties
• Insomnia
• Anger management issues

Bipolar Disorder

Irregular mood changes ranging from extreme highs to severe lows characterize bipolar disorder. Also known as manic-depressive illness, bipolar disorder clients can feel excited, have lots of energy, and have extreme confidence. Conversely, during lows, the patients might exhibit fatigue, restlessness, and loss of interest in outdoor activities. Individuals with bipolar disorder have a greater chance of struggling with alcohol abuse than those who don't have bipolar disorder. 

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder 

OCD clients turn to alcohol as an escape and a distraction from intrusive thoughts or behaviors.  As a form of anxiety, diagnosing OCD involves checking for uncontrollable obsessions, which trigger repeated compulsions. OCD clients exhibit the following behaviors:

• Repeated counting of items. 
• Excessive washing of hands.
• Constantly arranging things in a specific way. 

Heavy reliance on alcohol to manage your mental well-being can do more harm than good. Remember, there's no shame in asking for help and figuring out what a healthier relationship with alcohol could look like.