Emotional and Psychological effects of Alcohol
Name
Walden University
2022
Emotional effects of Alcohol
Hajdu, (2007) notes that, when someone who is an alcoholic is intoxicated, they may resort to
crying jags, bouts of hysteria, become angry, physically or verbally abusive. In short, their
moods are wildly erratic and unpredictable. Attempts at abstinence, even for short periods, result
in depression and anxiety often leading the alcoholic to quickly return to drinking. Alcohol
blunts or blocks out emotional pain and allows the drinker to tolerate situations he or she may
not want to or feels unable to deal with.
Jernigan, (2001) finds out that, in personal relationships, especially in the home, alcoholism
causes serious disruption, even irreparable damage. Other family members as untrustworthy,
unreliable, unworthy of respect often regard the alcoholic. Normal, everyday activities and
conversation are impossible around the alcoholic, since a word or a look may be perceived by the
drinker as a provocation. Family members tiptoe around the house, afraid to speak, fearful of
what may happen next. Violent arguments and physical abuse may occur, further fracturing the
family dynamic.
Kairouz, (2003) notes that, children of alcoholics often have low self-esteem, suffer from
depression, anxiety, and stress, and tend to do worse academically than their peers. In addition to
potentially inherited risks for later alcoholism, children of alcoholics, according to studies, may
have lifelong coping abilities. As adults, they are at higher risk for divorce and psychiatric
symptoms.
Sayal, (2007) suggest that, prolonged drinking leads to instability of the emotions. Depression is
the most common effect of long-term alcohol use. Alcohol is a powerful nervous system
depressant, that's why it is so relaxing. However, the depression of the nervous system, and
hence the emotions, lasts much longer than the pleasurable effects. Another major emotional
problem which alcohol leads to is irritability, or anger management problems. This has a number
of causes, but probably the most immediate is from low blood-sugar levels.
According to Zorko (2001), alcohol consumption usually boosts blood sugar levels in the short
term. Alcohol then disturbs the normal production of sugar by the liver. While your liver is
metabolizing any alcohol you've had, it won't release its stored sugar once your blood sugar level
starts to drop. The blood sugar can then drop too low, causing irritability, usually the day after
drinking. And finally, probably the biggest cause of emotional problems associated with alcohol
use comes from the disruptive behavior which drunken people tend to engage in. After drinking,
people will act in ways which they normally would not, be it increased risk taking, aggression or
violence, accidents, arguments and a whole lot more. These altered behaviors then have
emotional consequences - both directly on the individual (such as guilt), then indirectly on that
person's relationships. The people closest to an alcoholic will often find themselves in an abusive
relationship.
Sabo (1998) discussed that, a common contributing factor to alcohol addiction is depression.
Unfortunately, alcoholism only worsens depression. Somebody who is addicted to alcohol will
lose control of his or her emotions. An angry person will become angrier and more violent, for
example. Also, alcohol abuse has a negative impact on motivation. An alcoholic will show low
performance in school or at work, and will eventually stop participating in life altogether. Studies
have also shown alcohol abuse to cause anxiety disorders, depression, and even hallucinations.
Psychological effects of Alcohol
Strandberg (2008) states that, alcoholism causes a variety of physical consequences that are well
known and easy to recognize, but it also causes a variety of psychological consequences that
people rarely discuss. When people talk about the “effects of alcoholism” they often only talk
about the physical effects; people rarely talk about alcoholism and the mental effects. Because of
this, many alcoholics will continue to self-medicate their mental symptoms without realizing that
their drinking is causing these problems in the first place.
Nikulina (2001) argues that, the mental effects of alcoholism vary from person to person,
depending on how much they drink and how long they’ve been drinking. People who rarely
drink will experience feelings of relaxation and an energizing release of inhibitions. People who
drink a moderate amount on a regular basis will begin to experience feelings of nervousness,
melancholy, restlessness, irritation and some relationship troubles. People who drink heavily and
often will begin to experience insomnia, paranoia and hallucinations.
Other common mental effects of alcoholism are:
Depression
The old saying that you can “drown your sorrows” by drinking alcohol comes from the fact that
many youths drink to make their feelings go away. Drinking may provide a temporary escape,
but the truth is that prolonged drinking can actually bring on feelings of depression while you’re
drinking and even when you’re sober.
Dysthymia
Alcoholism can lead to Dysthymia, a disorder less severe than major depression but one that
causes many of the same symptoms: fatigue, low self-esteem, difficulty concentrating, unusual
eating or sleeping habits, and a persistently depressed mood. Anxiety, Alcohol is a depressant
that decreases activity within the brain’s nervous system. When combined with the physical
stresses that alcohol abuse causes, feelings of anxiety can be aggravated. These feelings can
include restlessness, nightmares, general discontent and general feelings of anxiety, Kairouz,
(2003)
Personality changes
Alcohol abuse can cause big changes in youth’s personality. Normal personality traits can
disappear during intoxication and be replaced with selfish, angry and egotistical behavior.
Aggression and mood swings are very common as well as a general deterioration of morals.
Alcohol slows the brain’s synapses and chemically alters the body by affecting serotonin levels,
the chemical responsible for transmitting signals of mood to the brain. These physical changes
cause emotions to get out of control and cause your do say and do things you normally wouldn’t
do, Nikulina (2001)
Compulsive behavior
Alcoholics are addicts with the same impulses and urges as drug addicts. Someone who is
dependent on alcohol will become obsessed with drinking and is no different than a drug addict
seeking his next hit. Youth obsession with alcohol can lead to make decisions that negatively
impact your life and cause youths to lose interest in activities and people they normally enjoy
when they are sober.
Denial
Denial is a common characteristic of alcoholism. Alcoholics will deny they have a problem in
order to keep drinking, or may not even realize how serious their drinking really is. Denial is a
dangerous place to be mentally because it can keep youth from getting the help they so
desperately need. Co-occurring disorder, Co-occurring mental and mood disorders often exist in
alcoholics. They can be caused by the mental effects of heavy drinking or can be the reason
heavy drinking occurs in the first place. Oftentimes a person with a co-occurring disorder such as
depression or anxiety will become addicted to alcohol after trying to self-medicate their
symptoms, Mwenesi (1995)
Loss of Memory
The cumulative effects of chronic alcoholism result in brain cells that are destroyed, synapses
broken, circuits that no longer fire or do so in wrong sequences. A person who drinks heavily
over a long period of time may suffer brain deficits that persist long after he or she achieves
sobriety. Heavy drinking may have extensive and far-reaching results, ranging from simple
memory slips to permanently debilitating conditions that require long-term custodial care.
After heavy drinking – too much in too short a time a person can experience blackouts, or
periods where they can’t remember what they did, said, or thought while they were drinking.
Studies of male and female alcoholics also showed significant brain shrinkage, which caused the
memory loss as well as learning problems. Other more recent studies have shown that women’s
brains may be even more vulnerable to alcohol-induced damage than men’s. Other studies have
shown that alcoholics have deficits in the frontal lobe deficits, which are responsible for many
functions associated with memory and learning, and also the cerebellum, which controls
coordination and movement, Mwenesi (1995)
Difficulty with Learning
Along with memory loss, other cognitive impairment common in alcoholics is difficulty
learning. Serious and persistent changes to the brain may be the direct result of alcoholic intake
or may indirectly result from poor overall health or severe liver disease. Thiamine deficiency, a
nutrient essential to all tissues, including the brain, is common in alcoholics (up to 80 percent
have thiamine deficiency). It is caused by poor nutrition. Many alcoholics with thiamine
deficiency develop serious brain disorders, consisting of two separate syndromes. Wernicke
syndrome is a short-lived and severe encephalopathy. Its symptoms include mental confusion,
eye nerve paralysis, and difficulty with muscle coordination. Up to 90 percent of those with
Wernicke syndrome also develop Korsakoff’s psychosis, a chronic and debilitating condition
characterized by persistent memory and learning problems, Nikulina (2001)
Poor Judgment and Loss of Inhibition
Excessive alcohol in the brain’s cerebral cortex affects thought processes, leading to the
individual having problems with poor judgment. The more alcohol a person consumes, the more
they lose their inhibitions. This may result in them becoming overly talkative and/or more
confident.
