The Typical Timeline for Depression from Alcohol Abuse
What goes up must come down is not limited only to the laws of gravity.
It applies to booze too, and while drinking alcohol might feel good in the moment, it comes with some unexpected side effects when the ‘sauce’ wears off. Namely, many people will experience depression in the aftermath of a hangover and binge drinking episode.
In this case, the most important question is: how long does alcohol-induced depression last?
Let’s get you a short answer right away: alcohol impacts your levels of neurotransmitters in the brain and causes physical symptoms that trigger depression. Most people experience alcohol-induced depression for three to four weeks after their last drink. And it is a treatable condition, typically with cognitive behavioral therapy, medication, and intensive treatment.
Icarus Wellness and Recovery can help you navigate the early days without alcohol, especially if you feel you’ll have worse outcomes due to your mood. From inpatient to outpatient care, we offer the support you need.
Keep reading to learn more about the connection between drinking alcohol and depression–and what you can do to mitigate the symptoms.
The Connection Between Co-Occurring Depression and Alcohol Use Disorder
When you decide to give up the booze for good, you likely know that you’ll have an array of symptoms that will feel uncomfortable at first. Most people are prepared for the shakes, nausea, and vomiting, but they don’t expect the mood symptoms that come on the heels of withdrawal.
What should you know about how depressive symptoms surface in the wake of your new sobriety?
How Alcohol Affects Your Mood and Brain Chemistry
The first thing you should know about alcohol-induced depression is that it has a root cause in your physical body chemistry. Alcohol consumption impacts your brain chemistry, specifically the serotonin and dopamine levels in your brain. Both play a role in maintaining your mood.
Serotonin is well-known for causing depressive symptoms when the levels drop too low. Dopamine is known as the feel-good chemical of the body. When chemical changes impact the levels of both serotonin and dopamine, you are likely to experience a depressed mood.
You might feel really good while you’re drinking alcohol, but the aftermath causes depression as these neurotransmitters bottom out.
The problem is that correcting the levels of neurotransmitters isn’t a simple solution. You could take selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors during recovery to supplement your levels. However, this may not be the right move for everyone.
Talk with your doctor about what medications could be right for your depression. Keep in mind that these drugs work best when used in combination with therapeutic interventions as well.
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How Does Drinking Make Depression Worse?
In addition to the ways that your brain chemistry is altered with alcohol-induced depressive disorder, it’s also important to realize that drinking impacts almost every aspect of your mental health. When you engage in binge drinking, you’ll have physical health symptoms that add up.
For example, you might experience sleep disruptions and increased levels of anxiety. Many people who drink regularly withdraw from their friends and family because they fear that they just won’t understand the underlying issues that drive them to drink.
Depression symptoms can add up under the guise of these physical symptoms, worsening the other symptoms of depression that you might feel.
One of the issues faced in treatment is the risk of overdoing it. The more depressive symptoms you experience, the more likely you are to drink. Binge drinking is common when your mood nosedives because you think that you’ll find temporary relief in the bottle.
How Long Does Depressive Disorder Last When You Quit Drinking?
Substance abuse is tricky to treat, especially when it’s coupled with major depressive disorder. The good news is that depression symptoms often resolve on their own once the worst of your alcohol withdrawal symptoms have passed.
Some people who are into heavy drinking can experience depressive symptoms as a rebound effect as soon as they stop that very first drink. As the effects of your night of revelry come to an end, the next morning might be met with anhedonia (lack of pleasure) or more general depression-like symptoms.
Because of this discomfort, many people will continue to drink to make the symptoms abate.
But what can you expect if you give up alcohol consumption once and for all?
Can You Avoid Depression in the Withdrawal Phase?
If you make the decision to face your alcohol dependence head-on and quit drinking altogether, then you might have more prolonged depressive symptoms. The question is, why does depression occur if you decide to do something healthy, like quitting drinking?
According to new cutting-edge research, scientists believe that there is a pause placed on how the brain manufactures new neurons in the hippocampus. When these new neurons fail to form in a crucial process known as neurogenesis, even people with moderate drinking habits can develop depression.
Fortunately, they also found that there’s a way to restore the brain’s ability to create new neurons. A fourteen-day trial of abstinence coupled with an antidepressant was enough to kickstart the brain’s production of new neurons and alleviate some depressive symptoms.
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How Long Do Mood Disorders Caused by Alcohol Intoxication Last?
This type of hangover depression and mental health decline caused by alcohol consumption is a unique issue for your mental health. Research shows that alcohol-induced depression symptoms are similar to those found in major depressive disorder, but they might not last long enough to qualify for an episode of major depression.
In most people, an abrupt stop to their alcohol intake would lead to some symptoms of mental illness for a limited period of time. Three to four weeks is the standard before you start to feel some relief from your mental health concerns.
This could be shortened if your doctor prescribes something for your mood disorders, such as an SSRI or another form of antidepressant, as shown in the research study on neurogenesis.
Keep in mind that depression and alcohol use disorder often go hand in hand. The same study from the National Institute of Health found that people who have an alcohol use disorder are 2.3 times more likely to have a major depression episode in the last year.
What is the Treatment for Alcohol-Induced Depression?
If you experience depressive symptoms after you cease to pick up the booze again, there are plenty of options you can explore for treatment. Looking at the guidelines of the American Psychiatric Association can help you determine which treatment for mental health issues is right for you.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for a Drinking Problem
When you have alcohol misuse issues, it can help to get to the root cause of your problems. This is best done in the safe confines of the therapy room with a clinician trained in cognitive behavioral therapy or CBT.
CBT helps you to examine the interplay between your thoughts, feelings, and actions. They might be able to help you pinpoint the exact moment you feel depressed, what you think about those thoughts, and what you do to make yourself feel better.
If you can interrupt this triad, you might stop the self-medication and deal with the emotions from the outset. Common symptoms of depression are often treated with CBT even without a drinking problem in the mix. It’s a powerful tool in the right hands, but it can be a slow process as alcohol wears off.
Does Medication Complement Psychosocial Therapies for Alcohol Abuse?
When you have overlapping symptoms with alcohol problems and mood issues, it might be helpful to talk with your doctor or treatment team about antidepressants. These drugs can help, but only if you remain committed to stopping drinking.
They can help not only with your mood, but they can also impact physical health related to depression. For example, it might help with significant weight loss by restoring your appetite, correcting bad sleep habits, and more. Having five or more symptoms of depression can all be resolved with antidepressants.
Keep in mind that there is a risk factor for those who continue to drink and abuse antidepressants. The effects of alcohol on these drug classes are serious: they can increase your impairment due to drinking and negate the efficacy of the drugs for your depressive disorder.
The Benefits of Treatment at Icarus for an Alcohol Use Disorder
Icarus Wellness and Recovery in Boise wants to help you take the first steps away from alcohol abuse. We follow the best practices laid out by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism so that you get the best outcomes for depression and co-occurring AUD.
Our comprehensive treatment plans support you every step of the journey. We have both an inpatient program perfect for those struggling with suicidal thoughts, as well as an outpatient program for those who need less support. You can start at one level and step down to the next when you feel ready.
To make sure that you get the help you need, we accept a variety of private insurances in addition to Idaho Medicaid. Our enrollment team can verify your insurance benefits in a quick call to help you get the ball rolling.
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Enroll at Icarus Today for Help with Drinking and Depression
While the unfortunate reality is that you might feel worse when you stop drinking, Icarus Wellness and Recovery is here to help you experience the best outcomes. We’ll walk with you every step of the way from the first moment you contact us. Our enrollment team is ready and waiting to answer all of your questions.
Don’t delay getting the help you need for your mood and heavy drinking. Call today to reserve your spot in one of our comprehensive treatment programs!
References
- Banerjee N. (2014). Neurotransmitters in alcoholism: A review of neurobiological and genetic studies. Indian journal of human genetics, 20(1), 20–31.
- Ramsey, S. E., Engler, P. A., & Stein, M. D. (2005). Alcohol Use Among Depressed Patients: The Need for Assessment and Intervention. Professional psychology, research and practice, 36(2), 203–207.
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. (2017, December 11). UNC study ties ending moderate drinking to depression. Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies.
- McHugh, R. K., & Weiss, R. D. (2019). Alcohol Use Disorder and Depressive Disorders. Alcohol research : current reviews, 40(1), arcr.v40.1.01.
- Dongier M. (2005). What are the treatment options for comorbid alcohol abuse and depressive disorders?. Journal of psychiatry & neuroscience : JPN, 30(3), 224.
- Stanford Neurodevelopment Affect and Psychopathology Laboratory. (n.d.-c). Substance abuse.
