Stigma of Alcohol Dependence Compared with Other Mental Disorders: A Review of Population Studies Alcohol and Alcoholism

Approaches based on group CBT have been found to be effective in reducing substance use and trauma-related symptoms in some studies but not in others. The presence of a psychiatric disorder can also increase one’s propensity to abuse substances. Psychologists who are trained and experienced in treating alcohol problems can be helpful in many ways. Before the drinker seeks assistance, a psychologist can guide the family or others in helping to increase the drinker’s motivation to change.

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• Results of the 2018 National Survey on Drug Abuse and Health found 9.2 million adults aged 18 and older had a co-occurring mental health disorder and alcohol or drug addiction.
• An entire generation of people with severe mental illnesses developed their disorders during the era of deinstitutionalization.

Alcohol addiction is a complex disease with psychological, biological and social components, and like other chronic illnesses, addiction often involves cycles of relapse and remission. Some people can drink alcohol—and even over-indulge on occasion—without it becoming an issue. For others, drinking can turn into mild, moderate or severe alcohol use disorder, the term doctors and clinicians now use instead of alcoholism, alcoholic or alcohol abuse. Both mood disorders and alcohol and drug abuse problems are treatable conditions. Recovering from co-occurring disorders takes time, commitment, and courage, but people with substance abuse and mental health problems can and do get better.

How do mental illnesses (namely depression) and alcoholism play into each other?

But it is the first step towards healing, personal growth, and regaining control over your life. Addiction is a disease, but like many diseases, alcoholism isn’t curable. For those who are experiencing an addiction to alcohol, a future free of alcohol dependence exists. A compulsive need to consume alcohol despite the physical, psychological, and social ramifications characterize this end-stage.

Positive emotional connection to those around you is the quickest way to calm your nervous system. If you don’t have anyone you feel close to, it’s never too late to meet new people and develop meaningful friendships. ‌Drinking alcohol excessively can also get in sober house the way of other activities, your relationships, and your self-esteem, which can further affect your mental health. Mark Shandrow is CEO of Asana Recovery, and has 20+ years of experience in business development and operations in the addiction treatment industry.

Alcohol Addiction and Co-Occurring Disorders

Data regarding the course and outcome of co-occurring mental illness and AUD are accumulating rapidly. For example, outpatients with schizophrenia and co-occurring AUD had twice the rate of hospitalization during 1-year followup compared with patients with only schizophrenia (Drake et al. 1989). Fewer studies have been conducted on the long-term outcomes (i.e., results more than 1 year later), but findings tend to show persistent AUD and poor adjustment (Drake et al. 1996a; Kozaric-Kovacic et al. 1995).

They might also start showing some of the more common signs of addiction. They are known as problematic drinking, severe alcohol abuse, and obsessive alcohol abuse. As we have mentioned earlier, unlike many other types of addiction and mental health issues, the transition from innocent social drinking to alcohol abuse and alcoholism can be subtle and take a long time.

The Relationship Between Alcohol and Other Mental Disorders

If you still have depression after 4 weeks of not drinking, talk to your doctor. SAMHSA works to reduce the impact of the most common mental health and substance use disorders on America’s communities. People who are experiencing major life stresses like a breakup or job loss commonly use the phrase “drowning in your sorrows”. A lot of people also drink beer or wine to relax after a long day of work.

About half of those who have an addiction also deal with a diagnosable mental illness such as anxiety or depression. As a matter of fact, alcohol abuse can cause an increase in symptoms of a mental illness or contribute to developing one. This can create a terrible cycle in which the person drinks to relieve symptoms like anxiety, depression, or trauma-related flashbacks while at the same time, the drinking increases the symptoms. Clinicians refer to alcohol addiction as alcohol use disorder (AUD) or substance use disorder (SUD). While AUD refers only to alcohol addiction, SUD may refer to either a drug or alcohol addiction. The National Institute on Drug Abuse urges all people, including healthcare workers, to use the terms alcohol use disorder or substance use disorder rather than addiction, to avoid stigmatization.

How Does Alcohol Affect the Brain?

The changes in brain chemistry are linked to the brain’s “reward” system and how alcohol consumption influences the production of the brain’s “feel-good” chemical, dopamine. When someone does something that they find pleasurable, such as eating delicious food or hearing a song they love, dopamine is produced in the brain. Motivational interviewing is an evidence-based method that can help people build motivation to reduce or abstain from alcohol. It’s effective because motivation and active participation are often key in AUD recovery. Mental health conditions cause distress or setbacks socially, at work, and in other meaningful activities.

Since 13 of 17 surveys included comparisons with depression and schizophrenia, we pay particular attention to these conditions, aiming to establish overriding patterns of public attitudes towards alcoholism, depression and schizophrenia. For many people, drinking alcohol is nothing more than a pleasant way to relax. People with alcohol use disorders, however, drink to excess, endangering both themselves and others.