Substance abuse problems often go hand-in-hand with other psychological disorders, often referred to by professionals as … Alcohol abuse including binge drinking can be common for some people with depression, and new research covered by the BBC highlights that this link may be stronger for women than men.
She said clinical depression may encourage some women to drink large amounts of alcohol in the hope of numbing depressed feelings, “with risks of alcohol abuse and dependence”.
And she said doctors had to be aware women may be trying to medicate their moods with alcohol because of this.
Increased drinking can be an important behavioral indicator of a larger problem like depression, especially since feeling depressed is sometimes difficult to recognize for people. It is also nice to see an article talk about self-medicating, since many people engage in this without realizing it.
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Channel Health Direct » Elder Abuse (4/13/2007)
3 Comments to
“Binge Drinking & Depression”
I am quite sure that alcohol and drugs for that matter are definatly a way of self medicating depresion and a great number of other difficulties. Many of these people when it becomes a mater of health; life or death. When pressure from family, or losing jobs becomes too much for them, they can limit or quit drinking all together. However, abuse and binge drinking cannot be classified as alcoholism.
Having a physical reaction after taking the first drink, and becoming unable to stop. When all odds are against the alcoholic and he truely wants to stop, and cannot, distinguishes a person from being a heavy drinker a moderate drinker or a real alcoholic.
I know you never mentioned alcoholism, but is is in the alcoholism category, so a comment was needed.
My Psychiatrist at Mayo Clinic told me that I must avoid alcohol as much as I can because it is a depressant. I have a depressive disorder so alcohol for me truly is a poison. I still have one to three drinks when dining out or at family gatherings or celebrations (about 4 times a year). My day to day diet, however, must be alcohol free. I’ve been restricting my alcohol since 2000 and do see an improvement in my depression. I am also treated with anti-depressants and other meds, as well as therapy.
So could we draw the conclusion that since High-School students have a lot of problems in their busy lives that could make them depressed; and that lowering the legal drinking age would make alcohol availble to teenagers. Would that result in binge drinking?
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Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 3 Jan 2007
