America has an alcohol problem, and it’s not hard to see why. Unlike many other addictive substances, alcohol is both legal and socially acceptable in American society. Many religious and secular events, holidays, and activities implicitly assume the presence and consumption of alcohol. However, how alcohol affects mental health is often not discussed or even widely considered by most Americans who are culturally and socially consumers of alcohol.
For many Americans, alcohol consumption is part of weddings, Super Bowl parties, New Year’s Eve celebrations, after-work happy hours, poker nights, and many other activities and events. However, many of these same Americans develop an alcohol use disorder—responsible drinking becomes alcohol misuse, such as binge drinking and mental health complications, and then leads to alcohol dependency and addiction.
The impact of alcohol on mental health takes a toll on not only an individual’s health and well-being but their family, friends, and professional relationships. It can lead to legal and financial troubles and, ultimately, the loss of life. 7 Summit Pathways offers alcohol addiction rehab in Tampa, Florida. Call (813) 212-8129 today if you need help breaking the cycle of addiction.
Understanding How Alcohol Affects Mental Health and Well-Being
The mental effects of alcohol can take hold before someone’s drinking becomes a diagnosable problem. One night of binge drinking can produce marked changes in mental well-being for several days afterward, and the changes become more permanent as the person begins to consume alcohol more frequently. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), 224.3 million people ages 12 and older (79.1% in this age group) reported that they drank alcohol at some point in their lifetime.
The following dimensions of mental well-being showcase how powerfully alcohol affects mental health:
The Psychological Effects of Alcohol on Mood
A significant portion of people with alcoholism start as “problem drinkers.” Problem drinking refers to the use of alcohol in response to specific negative events, such as a job loss, or to reduce the intensity of unpleasant emotions. In essence, people turn to alcohol to make them feel better. However, alcohol consumption is never a solution to any problem and ends up worsening mood overall.
How does alcohol affect mental health in terms of mood regulation? Initially, alcohol lowers inhibition and creates temporary feelings of happiness upon consumption. However, its toxic effects require the body to work harder to eliminate the alcohol, leading to disrupted sleep and lower energy levels.
Drinking creates a temporary surge in the chemical serotonin, which makes people feel happier. Once that surge is over, people experience a “crash” that leaves them feeling anxious and unhappy. At this point, someone may choose to begin drinking again to alleviate these feelings, leading to a vicious cycle of continuous drinking. The effects of alcohol on mental health over the long term result in the brain producing less serotonin on its own, leading to significant mood dysregulation.
Learn more about how to deal with alcohol cravings and the connection between alcohol and depression.
How Alcohol Impacts Motivation and Goal-Setting
Alcohol’s effect on mental health extends beyond mood into fundamental life motivation. Alcohol is one of the killers of internal motivation. Once a person realizes they can have a few drinks and temporarily “turn off” their negative emotions, avoidance of those emotions becomes a central goal in life. Why spend time and effort working through problems or pursuing goals when you can purchase an artificial way to ignore them?
A hallmark of alcoholism and mental illness is a loss of interest in nearly anything but finding the next drink. People developing an addiction slowly begin withdrawing from family and friends and losing performance at work or school. Alcohol becomes the only thing that matters, at the expense of long-term goals and the motivation to achieve them.
For those struggling with motivation, our 5 activities to improve mental health can provide healthier alternatives.
The Mental Effects of Alcohol on Self-Esteem
People who struggle with low self-esteem may struggle with their self-worth. They tend to believe their opinions and thoughts don’t hold as much value as those of others and that they will not achieve the same levels of success as others. Low self-esteem may be a problem in and of itself, or it could be the result of a mental illness.
Those with low self-esteem are more susceptible to relying on alcohol to dull the pangs of anxiety and alcoholism cycle and stop them from obsessively thinking about their perceived inadequacies. This form of self-medication can briefly make a person feel more confident, but after the feelings of warmth and well-being subside, they only feel more anxious and more ashamed than before. The psychological effects of alcohol are never positive for very long.
Alcohol and Mental Health — Understanding Co-Occurring Disorders
It is common for alcoholism and mental health conditions to occur together. According to the CDC, excessive alcohol use can have immediate and long-term effects, including injuries, violence, and alcohol poisoning. This co-occurrence is known as dual diagnosis or co-occurring disorders, and it requires specialized behavioral health treatment.
Is alcoholism a mental illness? While alcoholism itself is classified as a substance use disorder, it frequently co-occurs with mental health conditions. Essentially, dual diagnosis treatment addresses both the alcohol use disorder and mental health condition simultaneously. It is crucial to have specialized dual diagnosis treatment because the two conditions can exacerbate each other, making it difficult to achieve lasting recovery without addressing both.
Research from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism shows the importance of addressing both conditions together for optimal treatment outcomes.
Common Mental Health Conditions Affected by Alcohol
While alcohol can alcoholism cause mental illness and exacerbate any mental health condition, requiring specialized treatment, some of the most common include:
- Depression – Individuals with alcohol use disorder may experience a deepening of depressive symptoms, a despair that is compounded by the effects of alcohol on mental health. Our depression treatment program addresses these interconnected issues.
- Anxiety disorders – The misuse of alcohol can heighten feelings of anxiety and panic, contributing to a vicious cycle where alcohol is used as a coping mechanism for mounting anxiety. Learn about our anxiety treatment options.
- Bipolar disorder – How does alcohol affect emotional health in those with bipolar disorder? Alcohol can destabilize the mood of those with bipolar disorder, leading to more severe manic episodes or depressive states. We offer specialized bipolar disorder therapy.
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) – Those who have PTSD may turn to alcohol to numb the intense psychological distress associated with traumatic memories and experiences. Our trauma therapy program and PTSD treatment program provide comprehensive care.
- Schizophrenia – Alcohol abuse and mental health complications are particularly severe with schizophrenia. Alcohol abuse can exacerbate the symptoms of schizophrenia, including paranoia and hallucinations, making treatment and management more complex.
The Impact of Sobriety on Mental Health
Understanding the impact of sobriety on mental health is crucial for recovery. Many people are surprised to discover that their mental health actually improves significantly when they stop drinking. The long term mental effects of alcohol can be reversed with proper treatment and sobriety.
Recovery often brings:
- Improved mood stability
- Better sleep quality
- Enhanced cognitive function
- Increased motivation and goal-setting ability
- Stronger relationships
- Better stress management skills
Learn more about the benefits of alcohol recovery and explore our stages of addiction recovery.
Evidence-Based Statistics on Alcohol and Mental Health
Current research reveals alarming trends about alcohol mental health connections:
- About 178,000 people die from excessive alcohol use each year in the United States
- Many factors may have contributed to increases in alcohol-related deaths, including challenges in accessing health care and increases in people experiencing mental health conditions
- 17% of adults binge drink, meaning they have four or more drinks (women) or five or more drinks (men) on an occasion
- 29.5 million people had an alcohol use disorder, and 27.2 million had a drug use disorder in 2022
How Addiction Affects Mental Health: The Comprehensive Impact
How addiction affects mental health extends beyond the individual to affect families and communities. Deaths from excessive alcohol use increased approximately 29% from 137,927 during 2016–2017 to 178,307 during 2020–2021, highlighting the urgent need for comprehensive treatment approaches.
The relationship between mental health and alcohol is bidirectional:
- Mental health conditions can lead to alcohol abuse as self-medication
- Alcohol abuse can trigger or worsen mental health conditions
- Both conditions feed into each other, creating a cycle that requires professional intervention
Treatment Options for Alcohol and Mental Health Issues
Seeking dual diagnosis treatment at a professional behavioral health treatment center is essential to break the cycle of addiction and restore mental health and well-being. Treatment options include:
Comprehensive Treatment Programs
- Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP)
- Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)
- Outpatient Treatment
- Inpatient Treatment
Specialized Therapies
Holistic Approaches
Resources and Support for Recovery
Government and clinical resources provide additional support:
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) – Federal research and information
- CDC Alcohol Program – Prevention and public health data
- SAMHSA Treatment Locator – Find local treatment resources
For immediate support with suicidal thoughts related to alcohol and mental health issues, call 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
Contact 7 Summit Pathways for Alcohol and Mental Health Treatment
If you or a loved one is struggling with alcohol addiction and a co-occurring mental health condition, please seek help at 7 Summit Pathways in Tampa, Florida. Our compassionate team of professionals understands how alcohol affects mental health. We are dedicated to helping individuals break free from the cycle of alcoholism and achieve long-term recovery.
Understanding what are the mental effects of alcohol is the first step toward recovery. Our evidence-based treatment approaches address both the substance use disorder and underlying mental health conditions simultaneously.
Don’t let alcohol mental illness continue to control your life. Contact us online or call (813) 212-8129 to get started on the pathway to recovery today.
Located in Tampa, Florida, we serve individuals and families throughout the state with personalized, compassionate care for alcohol and mental health treatment.