Does Alcohol Relieve Stress and Anxiety?

Many people believe that drinking alcohol can relieve stress and anxiety – whether it’s relaxing with a drink after work, reaching for a bottle of wine as soon as the kids are in bed or drinking in an attempt to deal with serious stress from money worries, relationship problems, ill health or any other source.

Some people can find drinking in moderation to be relaxing in the short term, but drinking too much or too regularly can actually increase stress and anxiety, as well as make some stress-inducing situations worse. It’s important to understand the true impact of alcohol on mental health, especially if you’re prone to reaching for a bottle when you feel stressed or anxious.

How Does Alcohol Affect the Brain?

Alcohol has a number of effects on the brain. It impacts chemical messengers or neurotransmitters in different ways, but it chiefly acts as a depressant. Despite this, it can make you feel relaxed, less anxious and more confident during the early stages of intoxication. This is because it affects the part of your brain that controls inhibition.

If you drink too much, this can easily tip into mood swings, aggression and other negative feelings. Drinking regularly over time can have long-term effects on the brain, including reducing the number of neurotransmitters which are needed to cope with stress and anxiety in a usual, healthy manner.

Does Alcohol Relieve Stress and Anxiety?

So, does alcohol relieve stress and anxiety? Alcohol’s depressant properties can have a calming effect when taken in moderation. This can temporarily relieve stress and anxiety – or at least give the impression that it is doing so. Alcohol is frequently used as a self-medicating method to reduce stress and anxiety. So, people come to connect the amount they drink with the amount of stress and anxiety relief they expect to achieve.

This is not necessarily the case, as drinking regularly can raise baseline levels of both stress and anxiety in a variety of ways. Drinking alcohol might, therefore, only have, at best, a temporary impact on stress and anxiety that it is making worse overall.

What Are the Risks of Using Alcohol to Cope with Stress and Anxiety?

Alcohol is an addictive substance, and using it regularly can lead to developing tolerance and dependence. Tolerance means that you need to use more and more for the same effect, and dependence is when your system adjusts to the alcohol. This leads to unpleasant and potentially dangerous withdrawal symptoms when you don’t drink alcohol.

You can also develop a psychological dependency on alcohol, and this could be more likely if you use it as a crutch to cope with stress and anxiety. As well as the risk of dependency and addiction, the misuse of alcohol is related to many other types of harm. Alcohol misuse, in fact, is the biggest risk factor for death, ill health and disability among 15-49-year-olds in the UK and the fifth biggest risk factor across all ages.

It is a causal factor in dozens of physical conditions, including serious illnesses, liver disease and several types of cancer. It is also linked to numerous mental health issues, including depression and anxiety.

The Vicious Cycle of Alcohol and Anxiety

The links between alcohol and stress can be complex. While many people believe they drink to relieve stress and anxiety, and while low levels of alcohol can temporarily produce such effects, drinking too much is almost certainly likely to be counterproductive.

For a start, drinking larger quantities is more likely to bring on a depressive state and lead to more stress and anxiety rather than calming you down in the short term. Excessive drinking in the longer term, especially if it develops into an alcohol addiction, can also contribute to stressful conditions and situations – including health, work, money and relationship issues.

Many people experience anxiety after drinking alcohol, as part of a hangover or during withdrawal symptoms if they have developed an alcohol dependency. Alcoholics are also known to experience episodes of intense depression and severe anxiety frequently.

The relationship between alcohol, addiction and mental health issues can be very complex, with each element influencing the other to some degree. A person may drink in an attempt to self-medicate their stress or anxiety, while in other cases, it may be the drinking that actually triggers or worsens the mental health issue. This can result in a vicious cycle of alcohol, stress and anxiety.

Healthier Alternatives to Manage Stress and Anxiety

There are many ways to manage stress and anxiety that are both more effective and less harmful than turning to alcohol. Mental health charity Mind suggests a number of things, including talking to someone you trust, looking after your physical health, breathing exercises and peer support.

Some people also find complementary or alternative therapies valuable, including:

• Yoga
• Meditation
• Aromatherapy
• Massage
• Reflexology
• Herbal treatments
• Bach flower remedies
• Hypnotherapy

Professional therapy and mental health support might be the best solution in some cases of severe stress and anxiety.

Recognising When Alcohol Use Becomes a Problem

If you frequently find yourself turning to alcohol, you might have a problem that needs to be addressed.
Some signs to watch out for include:

• Drinking every day or more regularly
• Drinking more
• Continuing to drink despite negative consequence
• Feeling more stressed or anxious during or after drinking
• Becoming secretive or defensive about your drinking
• Ill effects (withdrawal symptoms) when you do not drink

While many people believe that drinking alcohol can relieve stress and anxiety, it is much more likely to make things worse in the long run.
If you have developed a drinking problem, this can be particularly damaging to your mental health. It can also be very difficult to tackle without expert help.

At Asana Lodge, we have a wealth of experience in treating alcohol and other addictions with holistic, evidence-based treatment programmes. We can also treat associated mental health issues, including depression and anxiety, through dual-diagnosis treatment programmes. Get in touch today and find out how we can help.