4 Most Common Psychological Effects Of Alcohol Abuse and what you can do if you find yourself behaving and feeling this way?
Most alcoholics are aware of the fact that alcohol abuse can lead to some unwanted psychological effects. However, it is not always easy to determine which psychological effects are most common. In this article, you’ll learn four of the most common psychological effects alcohol abuse has on people and how you can tell if they’re happening to you!
Alcohol Abuse Can Lead To Depression
Alcohol can easily cause depression by altering brain chemistry and even the body’s immune system. Depression is a common alcohol abuse symptom, and alcoholics are more prone to depression than people who don’t drink.
- Alcohol can affect neurotransmitters in the brain that regulate moods like dopamine or serotonin
- The liver eliminates alcohol from alcoholics bodies faster than usual which leaves alcoholics more vulnerable to depression
- Alcohol can also cause inflammation in the brain and body which is a major risk factor for depression
This symptom can often lead to problems that people cannot handle themselves anymore. The smartest thing to do in these situations is to find a good mental health center where they’ll care for the person. Depression is a dangerous disease that’s hard to cure, which is why it’s smarter to leave it to professionals.
Chronic alcohol abuse can cause anxiety and panic attacks
Panic attacks are often preceded by alcohol abuse. In some cases, alcohol triggers them in people who already have a history of them but have never drunk alcohol before. Alcohol-induced anxiety and panic disorder is often associated with other mental health disorders like depression or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
These individuals may drink alcohol to self-medicate the symptoms of their condition. For example, someone who suffers from PTSD might use alcohol because it helps him forget his traumatic memories for at least a long enough so he can sleep without nightmares. Someone experiencing severe bouts of depression might turn to alcohol as an escape mechanism in order to numb themselves against intrusive thoughts that are causing them intense emotional pain.
Alcohol abuse is linked to the development of dementia in later life
Even if a person stops drinking at one point and develops dementia, alcohol abuse is still the underlying cause. Drinking can affect brain cells and lead to neurodegeneration in later life. Alcohol abuse damages nerve cells and disrupts the connections between these cells, eventually killing them off.
The hippocampus is a part of the brain that alcohol affects significantly. It encodes new memories for storage when alcohol enters the bloodstream. Without this process, people may be more forgetful as they age due to alcoholics not forming any or many long-term memories while drinking regularly.
Alcoholism can lead to violent behavior
Violence is also a common symptom of alcohol abuse. This is because alcohol impairs judgment, perception, and self-control, which can lead to violent behavior. Alcohol addiction can also cause people to act impulsively in order to get alcohol or avoid withdrawal symptoms (such as rapid heartbeat or shaking).
Alcohol can be very dangerous and that’s why you have to be careful with it. It can cause serious mental issues and violent behavior so don’t let it get a hold of you. Depression and dementia are best handled by professionals in these sorts of facilities so contact them for help. They can also help with panic attacks and other problems related to substance abuse.
