The Connection Between Alcohol and Stress
It’s not uncommon to hear people talk about cracking open a beer or bottle of wine after a long, hard day. For centuries now, humans have linked alcohol and stress, thinking that the former will somehow alleviate or get rid of the latter. Despite this popular connection, the truth is much more complicated — and a reliance on alcohol to deal with stress is clearly shown to pave the way to problematic drinking habits or even alcohol addiction. If you’re wondering can anxiety cause addiction, it’s not a straightforward path from one to the other. Still, there’s an undeniable link between the two, and that’s why it’s important to understand why this isn’t a healthy solution to a basic human emotion like stress or anxiety.
What Is the Relationship Between Stress and Alcohol?
There are obvious links between alcohol and stress, as well as our mental health overall, according to the Mental Health Foundation. Drinking can feel like a way to deal with stress or anxiety. But it’s crucial to keep in mind that alcohol is a depressant, meaning it changes how the neurotransmitters in our brains function and balance each other out — and that leads to direct impacts on our feelings and behaviors.
It’s also only a temporary thing because the effects of alcohol will eventually wear off. As this happens, people who drink to cope with stress, anxiety, or depression will likely just feel worse, which is again related to how our brain chemicals are changed by the introduction of and weaning off of alcohol. The Mental Health Foundation says the research is clear: People who drink heavily are more likely to develop problems with their mental health. So-called “self-medication” isn’t treating the underlying condition. Instead, it might be fueling the worsening of symptoms and mental health struggles. When this starts to happen, and a person begins to suffer from not only alcohol addiction but also co-occurring mental health conditions like depression or anxiety, getting professional help from an alcohol rehab in Florida like WhiteSands Treatment is a crucial step to getting better.
Why Do People Drink Alcohol As a Coping Mechanism?
There’s a fairly simple answer if you’re wondering why people drink alcohol as a coping mechanism — consuming alcohol can cause a measurable stress-response dampening effect, according to a 1999 article published in the Alcohol Research & Health journal. Literature and historical artifacts going back thousands of years show that humans have long held the belief that alcohol is a way of coping with stress or distress. Still, the article pointed out that research over past decades that found its actual ability to serve as a coping mechanism is complicated at best, and it’s not entirely clear that this stress-response-dampening effect actually takes place from consuming alcohol.
What is clear, according to a growing body of research, is that stress can have an undeniable effect on alcohol consumption and alcohol abuse. A 2012 issue of Alcohol Research: Current Reviews, for example, pointed to the well-established trend of alcohol addiction problems in combat veterans who experienced post-traumatic stress disorder due to their service. Even then, the journal issue found that it isn’t as simple as saying that stress increases drinking because stress is much more complicated than that. Early-life events like child abuse can lead to delayed stress, for example, while natural disasters or other traumatic experiences can directly lead to changes in drinking. Even when considering when the person experienced stress — or what the stressful event was — the research shows there are many other factors in play, including the genetics of each person. That’s why it’s not easy to answer why some people might drink as a coping mechanism while others who experience the same stress do not.
Why Do We Crave Alcohol When Stressed?
The actual cause of alcohol cravings will differ from person to person, but there are some common prompts for these cravings. The University of Queensland says negative emotional states like stress can serve as their trigger for the craving for alcohol, which is then followed by responses in the body like increased salivation and a faster heartbeat. Between the psychological yearning for alcohol because of stress and the physiological reactions of the body, we can think that we need to drink — and that can cause a self-fulfilling cycle of desire for alcohol that might seem hard to beat.
At What Point Does Alcohol Become a Problem?
Alcohol is consumed across the globe, and for millions of people, an occasional drink will be enough. However, there are signs when alcohol use is starting to become a problem, such as:
- Strong cravings to drink.
- Not being able to stop yourself or limit yourself in how much you drink.
- Unsuccessfully trying to reduce your drinking.
- Relationship, work, or school problems due to alcohol consumption or hangovers.
- Isolating or no longer taking pleasure in hobbies and activities that used to be important to you.
- Getting into unsafe situations while under the influence, such as driving while intoxicated.
- A higher tolerance requires you to drink more to feel the effects of alcohol.
- Withdrawal symptoms when you don’t drink.
- Continuing to drink despite being aware that it’s causing problems with work, health, or relationships.
WhiteSands Treatment Can Help If Alcohol and Stress Have Become Unmanageable
Stress is a natural, normal part of everyday life for all of us. But if it’s getting out of hand and leading to problematic drinking as an attempt to cope, it’s time to get help. Drinking won’t resolve stress or make the problems go away. Even if it feels like a temporary solution to the problem, combining alcohol and stress can fuel the rise of mental health conditions like anxiety and depression while also making someone vulnerable to alcohol use disorder.
In Florida, WhiteSands Treatment is proud to have a network of premier alcohol addiction treatment centers where people can learn to deal with life’s daily challenges in a healthy, sustainable way. Through a combination of addiction therapy programs and treatment methods, we’ve helped people overcome addiction and mental health struggles and achieve lasting recovery and a better life. We’re ready to help you or a loved one get started on the road to recovery today. If you’re ready to learn more about how we can make this new life possible, call us at 877-855-3470.
External Sources
- National Library of Medicine — Does Drinking Reduce Stress?
- National Library of Medicine — Effects of Stress on Alcohol Consumption
- Mental Health Foundation — Alcohol and Mental Health
- The University of Queensland — What the Health: Why Do We Crave Alcohol?
If you or a loved one needs help with abuse and/or treatment, please call the WhiteSands Treatment at (877) 855-3470. Our addiction specialists can assess your recovery needs and help you get the addiction treatment that provides the best chance for your long-term recovery.
About the Author
Jackie has been involved in the substance abuse and addiction treatment sector for over five years and this is something that she is truly eager about. She has a passion for writing and continuously works to create informative pieces that not only educate and inform the public about the disease of addiction but also provide solutions for those who struggle with drug and alcohol abuse.
