Alcohol makes Depression even worse
Unfortunately, one of the biggest causes of people drinking too much alcohol is as a way of coping with depression. The unfortunate thing is, that as a solution it’s probably the worst there is, because alcohol itself causes further depression.
It directly reduces the levels of Serotonin in the brain – this is the neurotransmitter that anti-depressant drugs like Prozac (an SSRI) increase your levels of.
Only when you cut down your drinking will you be able to feel any happier. But once you’ve cut down, how do you stop the cycle beginning again? You have to deal with your depression some other way…
Read this report from the Mental Health Foundation on the effects of Alcohol on Mental Health, it explains in more depth the link between alcohol and depression.
(if you don’t have Adobe Acrobat installed to read this pdf, get it from the Adobe Website)
I believe that alcohol can raise the levels of serotonin just for a little while (just right after drinking), but in a short while it happens just like it was said in this article. But Prosac shouldn’t be used in the treatment of alcohol addicted people since it’s an addictive substance and for people who have some predisposition to addiction can Prosac become a substance for abuse instead of alcohol.
Prozac is not addictive. It takes a long time to leave the bloodstream, so its effects linger a long time after the last dose is taken. Quite different from anti-depressants like Paxil or Effexor, which are perhaps what the above writer meant. These drugs are metabolized very fast and could be called “addictive” in the sense that you’ll go through withdrawal symptoms if you forget a dose. On the other hand, you won’t become tolerant of them so you won’t need ever-higher doses, and they won’t give you “cravings”, just a purely physical reaction to their withdrawal.
Hi my name is kenny , I am 44 years old I have been having serious bouts of depression since I was 16 , I have been on fluoxitine again for the last 6 months , this has been the worst bout of depression I have had in years , this time the anxiety seems a whole lot worst too , could this have something to do with me drinking to much , if so should I quit ? Many thanks – Kenny.
Hi Kenny, I was on fluoxitine for 8 months last year – i had some CBT counselling through my then employer’s occ health too – I completely stopped drinking as the tablets advised and felt much better for it.
My main problem since is my friend’s (plural) failure to understand that depression or mental health issues do not just go away when you come off the medication. Yes i feel better than I did but i am not cured! I never want to feel that bad again and if avoiding alcohol can minimise the low moods when they hit then I am all for that – it hurts that they feel I am being boring if I don’t drink when I am out but I need to look after myself. Yes I do miss it sometimes but i don’t miss feeling rubbish…Try quitting, what have you got to loose? Take care, Liz
HEY Kenny & liz i totaly understand how you both feel.I went through the same problem as you both did.I have to say quiting alcahol was the best advised my girl friend(alvina) gave me.Just know after I quit I’m thinking of having a baby and start looking out for my family.To tell you both the truth if its a boy i will name it Kenny & if its a girl I’ll name Liz because i’m happy that there are other out there just like me.
Hi liz and thomas , im now a year and 2 months on prozac but have only started to admitto myself that i need to stop drinking its only my second night off it so wish me luck guys .
nice sentament thomas hope you have a boy ( sorry liz ) lol.
keep me posted cheers to you both .
god bless .
Kenny .
I have been suffering with using alcohol since I was young and this year took an overdose which lead me to be prescribed Effexor/Venlafaxine. Since then my drinking increased, I have been done for drink driving and have had a serious fall resulting in a serious facial injury.
Whilst looking up Effexor I have found numerous sites that state Effexor actually GIVES you cravings for alcohol and can in fact make 1 glass of wine the eqivilant to 3 glasses. A lot of people have stated it gave them a drink problem when they never had one before.
I am now very worried and confused as to why I have been presecribed this if this is the case and am wondering if you had heard anything in regards to this?
Thanks