You’ve likely either said or heard someone say, “I need a drink.” From the way it’s portrayed on television to social media, Americans see alcohol use as a normal and often important part of everyday life. The pervasiveness and general acceptance of alcohol consumption allow us to minimize just how dangerous it can actually be.
While a majority of people can consume alcohol in moderation and without consequence, millions of people of all ages and from all walks of life struggle with alcohol use disorder (AUD). And AUD is common among people struggling with mental health conditions like depression. The Right Step Hill Country’s dual diagnosis treatment program is designed to address the ways AUD and mental health conditions impact one another and to treat each simultaneously.
What to Know About Alcohol and Mood Swings
It’s commonplace for many people to have a drink to wind down at the end of the day. Alcohol initially increases dopamine levels, helping create feelings of relaxation and pleasure, so a drink, or maybe two every so often, isn’t typically a problem. However, many people are unable to stop at one or two.
Further, many people who live with chronic pain, chronic stress, anxiety, depression, PTSD, or other mental health conditions often rely on alcohol to manage distressing thoughts or feelings related to their mental health. While drinking may provide temporary relief, it ultimately worsens symptoms over time and can lead to additional problems.
If you are relying on alcohol to manage your mental health symptoms, here are some things you should know:
- Alcohol is a depressant – While uplifting at first, when alcohol metabolizes, dopamine levels drop, which can contribute to sadness, irritability, and emotional instability.
- Alcohol lowers serotonin levels – Serotonin is critical to mood regulation, and decreased levels contribute to aggression, irritability, anxiety, and depression.
- Alcohol lowers inhibitions – Impaired judgment makes people more likely to be impulsive or overly emotional.
Everyone’s reactions to drinking too much alcohol are different. Some people become angry and aggressive, others become sad and weepy, and others become overly friendly and outgoing. Further, a single person may cycle through all of these emotions and moods, highlighting the unpredictability of alcohol and mood swings.
Alcohol-related mood swings do not only occur while someone is drinking. Upon sobering up, people may have a hangover that causes irritability or experience feelings of guilt, shame, depression, or anxiety about having drunk too much or about their behavior.
A Closer Look at Alcoholic Mood Swings
Alcoholic mood swings are sudden or unpredictable changes in emotions and behaviors brought on by drinking or withdrawals from not drinking. The causes of alcoholic mood swings are a combination of the chemical effects of alcohol on the brain and underlying issues an individual is experiencing.
While alcohol affects everyone differently, there are some typical patterns of alcoholic mood swings, including:
- Relaxation to depression – Alcohol initially makes someone feel relaxed and calm, but as they become more intoxicated or as the effects wear off, they become sad, hopeless, and may cry.
- Confidence to anxiety – With a few drinks, a person feels talkative, bold, and outgoing, but as they continue to drink, they begin to doubt themselves and feel anxious.
- Affection to hostility – A person may start out overly friendly and loving, hugging people and pouring their heart out, but then switch to being resentful or lashing out about past grievances.
- Carefree to reckless – With a few drinks, a person is enjoying themselves in a controlled manner, but with more alcohol, they start taking risks, like picking fights or driving.
- Social to withdrawn – A person who starts out as the life of the party suddenly becomes quiet and withdrawn and may leave without explanation.
Of course, these examples are not set in stone and do not apply to everyone. However, they demonstrate the sweeping effects of alcohol. It is important to emphasize that alcoholic mood swings impact life even when a person is not drinking. Alcohol withdrawal symptoms often include anxiety, depression, irritability, aggression, and unpredictable mood swings.
Enroll in Dual Diagnosis Treatment at Hill Country Today
If you or a loved one is experiencing alcoholic mood swings, you may likely be struggling with alcohol use disorder and a mental health condition. The two feed off of one another, worsening the symptoms of both. Through dual diagnosis treatment at Hill Country, you can receive comprehensive treatment that includes therapy, education about co-occurring disorders, and the tools needed to live a life of recovery. Call 1.844.675.1628 or complete the online form to enroll in treatment today.