How Alcohol Can Trigger Depression After Drinking

Most of us know what the day after the night before can be like. Apart from feeling generally tired and unwell, we can also feel sadness, anxiety and sometimes guilt. But what about those of us who feel depressed? Is it the alcohol that causes us to feel depressed? Or is there something underlying that alcohol is bringing to the surface? 

In this article, we are going to be looking at how alcohol can affect your emotional state and your overall physical well-being and why sometimes we can feel depressed during our hangovers.

Does Alcohol Make Us Feel Depressed?

While there will be other factors involved in bringing about feelings of depression, alcohol can make us feel depressed. 

Consuming any amount of alcohol will affect the central nervous system (CNS), and the more we drink, the more our central nervous system is affected, which then brings feelings of depression. 

Sounds simple. The less we drink, the less depressed we will feel. But we all know it isn’t as simple as that. When we are relaxing at home with a tipple, or we have a few drinks on a night out with friends, it is rare for us to be sitting thinking about how stressed our CNS might be. And, much like the cold, we soon forget how unwell we felt the day after by the time the next night out comes along, and the process begins all over again. 

So what can we do to curb our drinking and rid ourselves of those days filled with sickness and depression? First of all, we can inform ourselves of the effects alcohol has on our central nervous system, which may make us consider how much we are drinking and how we will feel the next day.

What Alcohol Does to our Central Nervous System

Whenever we drink alcohol, it affects our whole body. As Blaise Pascal once said, ‘the entire ocean is affected by a pebble’. Not to say that excessive drinking amounts to a pebble in an ocean; as many of us know, the effects of alcohol feel a lot more than a drop in the ocean, especially when we drink excessively.

Drinking alcohol excessively can reduce neuron function, leading to tiredness, lack of coordination, reduced pain sensation, and potential loss of consciousness. While all of these symptoms may feel familiar, it doesn’t exactly answer our question of why we feel depressed, but the feeling of depression usually comes the day after.

Why Do I Feel Depressed After Drinking the Night Before?

While many of us experience the dreaded hangover the morning after, which includes the usual symptoms such as nausea, anxiety, headaches, and, of course, the ‘no matter how much water I drink, nothing seems to help’. But what about depression? Is it common to feel depressed during a hangover?

Well, not for everyone, but some of us do feel depressed. And there is good reason for this. Alcohol increases the serotonin levels in our brains, and naturally, as the effects of alcohol wear off, we are left with a drop in these levels, which leaves us feeling low. Think of it as a trade-off; what goes up must come down. It is inevitable, like the rising and falling of a wave. 

We can feel this rise in mood and can mistake it for a solution if we are feeling depressed beforehand; though alcohol may suppress our depressive moods, it can only last so long before returning. So, if you think you have found a solution to your depression through alcohol, think again. 

How Long do the Depressive Feelings Last?

The lasting effect of alcohol depression depends on how much you drink and how often. If you only drink now and again, and you happen to have been out last night for a few drinks with friends, then the feelings of depression will usually disappear within a day or two. 

How to avoid depression hangovers

The best way to avoid depressive hangovers is to reduce your alcohol intake. Now, you may be thinking that this is easier said than done, especially when I’ve just got back home from a difficult day at work, or I’m out socialising with friends, but there are ways to help us curb our alcohol intake, such as: 

• If you like beer, cider or wine, look for options with low alcohol content. 
• Every time you have an alcoholic beverage, have a non-alcoholic beverage.
• Why not try a refreshing mocktail instead?
• Sip your beverage slowly, allowing you less time to drink more.
• Have a glass of whatever between drinks for hydration and to reduce alcohol intake.

All of these are tried and tested ways of reducing our alcohol intake, helping us feel less depressed the following day.

Although reducing our alcohol intake may help us feel less depressed, the most effective way is to stop our alcohol intake completely.  

If, on the other hand, you are drinking regularly to curb any feelings of depression, then you are operating in a vicious cycle.

Alcohol Dependence

Drinking alcohol regularly over a long period results in dependence. Moving away from alcohol addiction can take a long time and will require medical intervention due to the withdrawal symptoms that can occur when stopping. 

Treatment for alcohol addiction includes a detox, which ensures your comfort and safety during the withdrawal phase, and a counselling program to help explore the reasons behind what brought you towards relying on alcohol in the first place. 

Finding out whether it was depression that led you towards alcohol, or whether it was the alcohol that led you towards depression, can be a bit like what came first, the chicken of the egg? And is there an answer to that sort of question? Well, that is difficult, but the important thing about trying to answer this question is the trying. Who knows what you will find out while trying to find out? 

If you find yourself in a cycle of being depressed, hiding the depression behind alcohol, and, in turn, making yourself more depressed, then it may seem like you are sitting between a rock and a hard place with no way out. But there is help out there; there is a way out. 

Getting help with Desistal

At Desistal, we specialise in supplying natural supplements that assist in reducing cravings for alcohol. 

Desistal is a capsule that, if taken consistently, can help you reduce your alcohol consumption and adopt a healthier lifestyle. 

By reducing the urge for alcohol, Desistal can assist you in controlling your alcohol intake and focusing on your overall physical while moving away from depressive thoughts and feelings.

How Does Desistal Work?

Desistal can improve the absorption of acetate in the brain, which alleviates alcohol withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety, tremors and cravings—supporting the body’s transition away from alcohol dependence.

Desistal contains:

• Acetate ACV
• Bacopa Monnieri
• MCT Oil

Furthermore, by enhancing the NAD+/NADH ratio in cells, Desistal can help improve cellular function and energy production in the brain, leading to mental clarity, improved cognitive function, and an overall sense of well-being as the brain no longer relies on alcohol for energy.

Overall, Desistal offers a comprehensive approach to managing alcohol withdrawal by addressing both the physical and mental aspects of dependence, helping you break free from the cycle of alcohol dependence and start on the path towards a healthier, alcohol-free life.

How Do I Buy Desistal?

If you need a regular supply of Desistal or want to try it out, our website, desistal.com, offers a convenient and user-friendly platform for placing your order.

Upon accessing our website, you can easily navigate to the Desistal product page, where you will find comprehensive information about the product, including its benefits, ingredients, and usage instructions, allowing you to make an informed decision before purchasing. 

Our website is designed to make the ordering process as seamless as possible, ensuring a hassle-free experience for our customers.