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How Alcoholism is the mother of depression and anxiety


A number of people say they drink alcohol to ‘hide their sorrows’ after a messy breakup, loss of job, or other major stresses related to the usual ups and downs of life. Alcohol does have a temporary tranquilizing effect on the brain. A few pints of beer or an occasional glass of wine do have a calming effect and tend to relieve a lot of people of their anxieties.

Drinking alcohol occasionally with friends and having a good time is one thing, but using it to deal with personal problems is symptomatic of alcohol abuse. Drinking heavily might also be an indication that a person is depressed, or in worst cases is the cause of depression itself….

Studies conducted across the world are finding a strong link between serious alcohol use and behavioral problems like depression and anxiety. The moot question that perplexes researchers is, whether regular alcohol consumption leads to depression, or depressed people tend to drink more than other.

Opinion is divided on the issue. The following article discusses in brief some of the causative factors that make alcohol abuse and depression so inextricably linked with each other.

Can depression lead to reckless alcohol consumption?

According to a major study conducted by the American National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, almost one-third of people suffering from depression related problems, also grappled with alcohol related issues at some point in their life. In the majority of cases, depression may be the first to occur.

The same research also shows that people who were depressed during their childhood are more susceptible to develop alcohol problems once they reach adolescence. Teenagers who have suffered from an episode of major depression are two times as likely to start drinking alcohol in comparison to people who didn’t have any major psychological problem before.

Depression may also be a significant causal factor for alcohol abuse in women, who are highly susceptible to start drinking profoundly if they have a history of depression. Experts say that women have a higher propensity to heal themselves with alcohol than men.

Does uncontrolled alcohol consumption lead to depressed minds? Human Behavioral studies suggest that excessive alcohol consumption increases the risk of suffering from depression in a significant number of people. This causal link may be because of the direct exposure of the brain to the toxic effects of heavy alcohol consumption.

Reckless alcohol consumption also can have serious impact on a person’s life by causing financial and legal troubles, weakened judgment & thinking, as well as marital discord. If a person is struggling with paucity of monetary resources or coming to terms with a failed relationship, they have a higher chance to feel depressed and may also resort to binge drinking.

Are Genetic or Lifestyle characteristics accountable for the connection between reckless alcohol use and Depression?

Researchers have not yet come across clinching evidence that depression triggers alcohol abuse or vice versa, but it’s very likely that they share causative factors. Studies conducted on twins have shown that the same determinants that add to heavy drinking in families are also responsible for causing major depression in the same person.

Researchers have been probing for a similar gene or genes that might be behind both conditions. They have located at least one such gene i.e. a sub-type of the gene CHRM2 that plays a major role in controlling important brain functions, including memory and retention. Variations in the quantity and availability of this gene might put people at risk for alcohol dependence and depression.

A person’s domestic and social environment also plays a huge role in determining whether they might be susceptible to both depression and a drinking problem. Children who have been privy to physical or mental abuse or the ones who were raised in poverty tend to be more susceptible to both the conditions than other children of the same age-group.


Heavy and irresponsible consumption of alcohol results in worsening the problem of depression that a person already suffers from. People who are depressed and are dependent on severe alcohol addiction have more recurrent and harsh episodes of depression, and are more likely encounter suicidal feelings.

Alcohol abuse and depression are both serious problems that shouldn’t be ignored at any cost. People with chronic alcohol related problems can look up to Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) to help them better understand their problem.

They must visit one of AA’s meetings, at least once and instead of relying on other people’s opinions, should seek a first-hand experience of the strong peer support group that AA has built for its members. Also consulting with a psychologist on a regular basis and subscribing to non-medicinal treatments like cognitive behavioral therapy helps to lessen the frequency of depressing episode in a patient’s life.

There is some evidence that taking antidepressants may help relieve depression on a long term basis and also reduce the craving for consuming alcohol for relieving stress and anxiety from such depression. However, recourse to any such medicine should be taken only after a thorough consultation with a reputable physician or psychiatrist.

About The Author: Alia is a writer/blogger. She loves writing, travelling and Spices. These days she is busy to write an article on Indian Sweets.

Caffeine elimination for Anxiety treatment


English: A photo of a cup of coffee. Esperanto

There are many methods used in the treatment of anxiety. One of them is the elimination of caffeine from your diet since it is one of the triggers of anxiety and is one of the substances that make the condition worse. It is highly addictive and found in coffee, popular soft drinks, tea and chocolate.

It is a psychoactive substance that affects the mind, behavior and mood. Once ingested it is completely absorbed by your stomach and digested nearly 45 minutes later after which it is distributed to the brain through the blood vessels.

Why caffeine elimination is vital in the treatment of anxiety?

Caffeine is highly effective in changing the brain’s biochemistry leaving you vulnerable to anxiety attacks and worsening them in the following ways.

The intake of caffeine causes excitement to your mind and body and creates energy which is turned into anxiety. This is because caffeine speeds up your heart rate and lead to the creation of physical sensations that are unusual.

English: Chemical structure of Caffeine.

The intake of caffeine leads to sleeping difficulties. Sleeping is one of the best known techniques in the elimination of anxiety.

Unused energy in your body can present problems if you have anxiety. Since caffeine results in the creation of more energy, the situation becomes worse.

Other effects that are caused by caffeine and related to anxiety include trembling or twitching, restlessness, nervousness, speech and thought distractions, mood swings, physical agitation and light-headedness.

Research has shown that caffeine causes more mental problems to women and children than to men. This is because of their limited ability to detoxify it. This results in it staying in their blood and brain for longer periods than for men affecting their mental functions which exposes them to anxiety.

Since only 1 percent is excreted your liver is left with the difficult task of detoxifying the rest which is difficult and slow. It takes your liver a massive 12 hours to detoxify a cup of coffee and an additional 3 weeks for your body’s stress hormones to return to normal. This means that your morning cup of coffee heightens your stress levels throughout the day.

It may cause temporary lift of moods because it causes the increase of adrenalin levels in your body, but this is usually followed by negative mental effects which include anxiety.

It results in the constriction of the brain’ blood vessels reducing its oxygen flow by nearly 30 percent which results in decreased mental keenness especially in the areas of thought and vision. This is a perfect breeding ground for anxiety attacks.

Anxiety may be turned into a worse disorder by the intake of caffeine especially if it causes the symptoms to become worse. You end up having an anxiety about your anxiety condition.

How to effectively cut caffeine in your diet?

Because of its addictive nature care must be taken to benefit from its elimination in the treatment of anxiety.

Its total elimination from your diet abruptly can lead to serious side effects which may heighten your anxiety. It is best advised that you cut your caffeine intake by 10 to 20 percent each week over a period of 5 to 10 weeks. In case your consumption was heavy, you may need to extend this period further.

The preparation of caffeine drinks should include shortened brewing times so that the caffeine content is reduced. Caffeine products should not be used in the mid and late afternoons to avoid disrupting your sleep pattern.

The urge to take caffeine products can be reduced by sleeping early and ensuring that you get at least 8 hours of it so that you are in no need of caffeine products to keep you awake during the day.

Make sure your water intake is high to act as a substitute for caffeine products and to help your liver and kidney in their detoxification processes.

Your physician can be consulted on the healthy alternatives for gradual elimination of caffeine such as herbal teas such as red tea caffeine.

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Computer Workstation Variables




Use a wrist rest


Use a proper chair and sit in the right posture


Take regular breaks


Sit straight


Take it easy after the holiday


Eat vegetables and exercise


If you think you have RSI, visit your doctor



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