Alcohol isn’t always thought of as a drug. Yet, it changes your perception of the world around you. It changes the way you feel, alters your emotional state, and may even contribute to your mental health. In all ways, alcohol is a drug, and as such, it can play an important role in contributing to the way you deal with stress, trauma, and mental health disorders.
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism shares that 28.9 million people over the age of 12 in the United States suffer from alcohol use disorder (AUD). The organization also notes that AUD often occurs with other mental health disorders. One can cause the other. With conditions such as severe anxiety and depression often going hand-in-hand with AUD.
How do you know if you (or your loved one) are battling addiction or just using alcohol to unwind after a long day? How do you know if you need help with AUD or a mental health disorder? Start with these five signs that you’re using alcohol as a coping strategy.
#1: Stress Causes You to Crave Alcohol
At work, home, or anywhere else you feel stress, the more that feeling of tension increases, the more you think about having a drink. It is very common for those who have AUD to have cravings for the substance. Your brain is also wired to seek out that substance to “fix” your negative thoughts or feelings.
If you find yourself needing a drink because life is too stressful, or you cannot stop thinking about having a drink to take the stress off, it may be time to seek out help. Alcohol is not a healthy coping mechanism for stress.
#2: Life Is Too Hard Not to Drink
Many people who struggle with AUD do so because it makes life less frustrating. Whether it is personal disappointment in health or relationships, or the past trauma that infiltrates your thoughts, alcohol may be the go-to solution for navigating life.
Yet, that’s often an indication that depression is actually behind what you’re feeling. Depression is not always being sad all of the time. Yet, it is often a lingering feeling of negativity in your life, even if you don’t even know why you feel that way.
#3: Alcohol Calms Your Nerves
Big appointments, huge decisions, or pressure at work make you anxious. You may be frustrated with a long to-do list or overwhelmed by the people demanding things from you. You just want all of the noise in your head to stop or slow down. Anxiety is a very real mental health disorder.
Some people use alcohol as a way to slow down their thought processes. Because alcohol works as a depressant, it can be effective in calming your nerves and even stopping anxious feelings. Yet, that’s not a healthy way to deal with anxiety.
#4: Shifts in Mood and Personality Are Common
You start the day thinking about having a drink. You move through the day frustrated and thinking about your next drink. You may even be facing moments of happiness and moments of overwhelming depression. You just want to have a drink in your hand to make it all calm down.
Shirts in mood and personality can happen for many reasons. Some people become aggressive, while others become very anxious or grumpy. If you have angry outbursts or struggle with emotional stability, it could be due to the AUD.
#5: If You Don’t Drink, You Think
Trauma is a mental health challenge that impacts millions of people. Most have no idea that they are battling those intense emotions from their past. Yet, trauma is like a festering wound in your brain and self-consciousness. Until you find the source and work through it, nothing – even alcohol – will make it easier to navigate.
Trauma treatment is possible, and it can be highly effective. Yet, you must be able to realize you need that help and then reach out for it. Trauma can alter the quality of your life and infiltrate relationships and your health.
Seeking Help for Co-Occurring Disorders
You’re ready to embark on a treatment plan. Can addiction be cured? Can you gain control over both your mental health disorder and AUD? Dual diagnosis treatment can be an effective therapy plan for co-occurring disorders (such as AUD and depression).
To find the best possible treatment for you, contact our Iron Bridge Recovery Center team. Let us offer guidance to you on understanding why you may be turning to alcohol. Then, through a comprehensive treatment plan, we can work to build a lasting life with better control over your mental health and AUD. Contact us now to learn more.
