Plenty of people reach for a drink when they’re feeling down, and plenty of people feel low after they’ve been drinking. In many cases, the two are closely bound together, but it isn’t always clear which one came first.
Alcohol and depression have a genuine, bidirectional relationship and understanding how that connection works is the first step to doing something about it.
This guide explains how alcohol and depression are linked, along with the questions that many people will ask, like how long the low mood lasts and whether stopping drinking will help.
Most importantly, this guide advises you where to turn to when you’re ready for support, whether that’s for you or someone you care about.
How does Alcohol affect Depression and Mental Health?
Alcohol is a type of drug known as a depressant, but that doesn’t mean it makes you feel depressed the moment you drink it. Instead, the idea is that when consumed, alcohol’s effects can slow down activity in the brain and in the central nervous system. In simple terms, alcohol affects brain chemistry, so it may briefly lift mood and lower inhibitions at first, but as the effect wears off it can trigger negative emotions and leave you with more negative feelings, which is part of why it’s such a common way to unwind.
It works by changing the balance of the chemicals used in your brain to regulate mood. This is one reason brain alcohol responses can feel unpredictable: it boosts the calming chemical, GABA, and lowers the stimulating chemical glutamate, which is where the relaxing feeling comes from.
However, with heavier, regular drinking, that balance is disrupted, along with serotonin, which is one of the main chemicals involved in keeping mood steady. This can result in alcohol lowering mood rather than lifting it up, which is why you can feel depressed or anxious after heavy drinking.
How to Stop Feeling Depressed after Drinking
If you’ve found this page because you’re feeling low or anxious after drinking, sometimes referred to as hangxiety, it can help to know that what you’re feeling is real and, more importantly, fixable, and these after-effects can include both psychological symptoms and physical symptoms.
Hangxiety happens largely due to the disrupted balance of chemicals we spoke about earlier, and as the alcohol clears from your body, your brain overcorrects the other way. This can leave you feeling low and anxious until the balance is restored.
There’s no instant fix, but a few things can certainly help:
Drinking plenty of water to rehydrate
Eating something that steadies your blood sugar, like protein and slower-release carbs
Letting yourself catch up on sleep
Gentle movement, like a short walk
The one thing to avoid in this situation is having another drink to take the edge off the hangover. It might work for an hour, but it resets the whole cycle and is exactly how a day-after habit can begin.
Some situations may need more time, though, and if you’ve noticed that the low mood is severe, the anxiety feels overwhelming or includes panic attacks, and it lasts for a few days, let someone know. This could be a trusted friend, family member, or even your GP. Going through this isn’t something you have to face alone.
Can Alcohol cause Depression?
Sometimes you can overdrink to the point where the low mood lasts several days, which can lead many to ask the question: “Can alcohol consumption actually cause depression?”
The answer is complex, but heavy or regular drinking is linked to an increased risk of developing depression.
Alongside the everyday low mood that drinking can cause, there’s a recognised condition known as alcohol-induced depressive disorder. It’s listed in the DSM-V which clinicians use to classify mental health conditions. The disorder describes a genuine depressive state that develops during or shortly after heavy drinking and it’s treated as distinct from depression that exists in its own right, including major depressive disorder.
Studies have found that heavy, or even regular, drinking can raise the risk of developing depression later on, which points to alcohol misuse playing a causal role in this relationship. In other words, for some people, the drinking comes first and the depression follows.
Does Depression Lead to Drinking?
If you’re asking the question whether alcohol causes depression, you’re more than likely asking the reverse, and the reality is, the link between alcohol and depression can run both ways. Just as drinking can lead to depression, depression can lead to drinking. Many people who already feel low or anxious, or who live with a mental illness, may use alcohol to cope or to try to relieve symptoms, which is a behaviour known as self-medication, even though this can make depression worse.
The problem with this idea is that it can make whatever the underlying problem is, worse, then a recurring loop sets in:
You drink to cope with a low mood
The drinking may help briefly, but it can worsen your mood over time
You drink again to cope with feeling worse.
This loop is one of the clearest examples of how co-occurring disorders work and it’s actually more common than many people realise. It can also be described as one of the most common patterns behind alcohol problems. One UK survey finding that more than half of people who drink do so because of a mental health reason. Common reasons in this survey ranged from feeling symptoms of anxiety to simply feeling low.
Reaching for a drink to manage how you feel is a very human response but it’s also where the cycle we mentioned earlier can begin.
How Long does Alcohol Related Depression Last?
This is a question that depends on a person’s drinking habits and how exactly the alcohol and depression link affects them. For example, if a person is experiencing low mood that has been driven by drinking, in a lot of cases, the mood lifts once the drinking stops.
A well-known study found that among people entering treatment for alcohol dependence, 42% had clear depressive symptoms at the start.8 After four weeks without alcohol, 6% were still classed as clinically depressed. The study found that most of the improvement for those whose depression lifted came within the first couple of weeks of abstinence.
This is why the timeframe usually given is around three to four weeks of abstinence from alcohol-related depression to ease. Of course, this doesn’t make it easy, and the early days can be hard, but for a lot of people, the low mood can start to clear once alcohol is out of the picture.
However, if depressive symptoms were there before drinking started, or they’re still there a few weeks without drinking, it could be a sign that the depression exists on its own and not caused by alcohol. In that case, clinicians may look for underlying symptoms of depression that are separate from alcohol use, and the depression would need its own focused treatment, and if this rings true for you, it’s something you’re urged to speak with a GP or mental health professional about.
Signs you’re using Alcohol to Cope with Depression
Noticing that you’ve been using alcohol to cope with depression isn’t always as straightforward as you might think. In an ideal world, everyone would spot the signs early, get mental health support and perhaps step away from alcohol, but in reality, it’s not always this easy.
Some people do notice, but don’t know any other way to handle what they’re feeling, so the drinking feels mandatory to feel right and that’s where the self-medication theory comes in again.
Other people aren’t sure whether what they’re feeling is depression at all, especially when it’s been there so long it just feels normal. This is where a drink to take the edge off has become a part of the routine in feeling well.
These examples are a good reason to take a step back and assess the situation honestly, which you can do by answering the questions below:
Do you drink mainly to change how you feel?
Do you need to drink more than you used to to feel the same effect?
Do you feel low or anxious when you’re not drinking?
Do you lean on alcohol to fall asleep?
Do you need a drink to face social situations?
Is drinking getting in the way of everyday life?
Answering “yes” to some of these questions does not confirm alcohol addiction, but it can point to alcohol misuse and a good reason to seek advice.
A GP is a good starting point, who can discuss with you the impact of addiction on your mental health. Drinkaware’s free, confidential Drinking Check can help you gauge where you stand.
If any of this feels familiar, you don’t have to work out the answer on your own. Talking it through with someone who understands how alcohol and depression feed into each other can help you see the situation more clearly and figure out what might help, and people who regularly drink to cope are more likely to see mood problems continue.
Rehab Today offers confidential dual diagnosis support that treats both sides together, and a free, confidential phone call is a no-pressure place to start.
Will Quitting Alcohol help my Depression?
Whichever side of the discussion you lie on, whether that’s depression caused by drinking, or depression fuelling the drinking, quitting drinking can help both. If you do still drink, UK low-risk guidance is to stay within no more than 14 units of alcohol weekly. It can also help to plan regular drink free days rather than drinking every day. However, there are a few things that must be taken into consideration before you decide to do so.
The first is that if your low mood doesn’t lift after a few weeks of not drinking, including using alcohol free weeks to reassess your mood, it’s a conversation that is worth having with your GP, as it may point to depression that needs treating directly.
The second is that the first few days without alcohol can actually feel worse before they feel better, and this is because your body is adjusting to being without it. In some cases, especially if you’re drinking heavily or every day, it’s important not to stop suddenly without advice, which we come to next.
What to Expect from Alcohol Withdrawal and Depression
For someone who drinks heavily or has become dependent, stopping brings its own challenges, and low mood and anxiety are common features of alcohol withdrawal. As the brain adjusts to functioning without alcohol, that same chemical rebound that causes the day-after slump can show up more intensely, with ongoing low mood and other psychological symptoms as the brain readjusts.
The most important thing to understand is that withdrawal from heavy drinking can be dangerous, and in some cases life-threatening. Stopping abruptly can trigger serious symptoms, including seizures, and alcohol dependence can also be linked with self harm and suicidal thoughts, so for this reason, anyone who is drinking heavily or daily should not simply stop on their own.
Speak to your GP or a specialist alcohol service first, so your withdrawal can be managed safely, usually with medication to ease the process, and to reduce serious short-term risks from heavy drinking such as alcohol poisoning. Done properly and with support, withdrawal is far safer and far more manageable.
Treatment Options for Co-Ocurring Alcohol Dependence and Depression
When alcohol and depression occur together, the most effective approach is to treat both at the same time, rather than one and then the other. This approach is known as dual diagnosis treatment, and addressing the two together produces better results than tackling them separately. Because the two feed each other, leaving one untreated can undo progress on the other.
Here’s what treatment can look like:
A Medically Supported Detox
Where someone has become dependent on alcohol, the first step is usually a detox to help them stop drinking safely, especially where alcohol dependence overlaps with depression or other substance abuse issues. If someone were to stop abruptly, it could cause dangerous withdrawal symptoms to arise, so detoxing under medical supervision lowers the risk of serious complications. Medications may also be used to relieve symptoms that do arise during detox.
Once the detox stage is over, the next part of treatment can begin.
Therapy
Talking therapy is where much of the real work happens, and cognitive behavioural therapy, or CBT, is one of the most established approaches for both drinking and low mood, sometimes alongside a self help group or support groups depending on the person.
CBT helps you notice what drives the drinking, like difficult thoughts and feelings in particular situations, then build practical ways to respond differently.
Because low mood and drinking are so tied to the same triggers, working on one helps with the other. That’s what makes CBT such a good fit when the two occur together.
Medication
Medication can also play a part, depending on your situation. For the depression side, antidepressant medication may be considered, and doctors may also use other pharmacological treatments for alcohol use disorder, though there’s an important point to understand here. Antidepressants can interact with alcohol, so the usual guidance is to reassess depression after a period without alcohol, rather than starting medication automatically, especially when major depressive disorder is suspected.
There are also medicines that can help reduce cravings or support someone to stay off alcohol once they’ve stopped. What’s right for any individual is always a decision for a doctor.
In the UK, a GP is the usual first step and can refer you to local alcohol services, alcohol support services or talking therapies on the NHS. Private treatment is another route, offering quicker access and structured, residential care that treats the addiction and the mental health side together under one roof.
How Rehab Today can help
If alcohol and depression have become a part of your life, either for you or someone you love, this isn’t something you have to deal with alone. Rehab Today provides residential treatment across the UK, including at its centre in Clapham, London, with a dual diagnosis approach built for exactly this situation.
Care starts with a proper clinical assessment, including a psychiatric assessment, so treatment can identify both alcohol abuse and depression and address the full picture rather than a template.
From there, it brings together medically supervised detox, one-to-one and group therapy, and relapse-prevention work, with mental-wellbeing support running throughout. Clinicians are on site around the clock, care meets CQC and HIW standards, and many of the team have been through recovery themselves.
The first step is simple, and it’s free. A confidential telephone assessment lets you talk through what you’re facing with someone who understands, with no cost and no obligation. When you’re ready, get in touch with Rehab Today to take that first step.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is There a Link Between Alcohol and Depression in Women?
Research suggests women are more likely than men to use alcohol as a way of coping with difficult feelings, and that among women with a drinking problem, depression is more common.
If you recognise this pattern in yourself, it’s worth knowing that support is available, and that building other ways of coping can make a real difference.
What Support Is Available for Alcohol and Depression on the NHS?
The NHS is a good, free first port of call. A GP can talk through what you’re experiencing and point you toward the right help, and the NHS website is also a useful source of guidance on alcohol, depression, and treatment options. If you’d rather not start with your GP, you can contact many local alcohol services directly, and Drinkaware and Drinkline can help you find what’s near you, while the Royal College of Psychiatrists is another authoritative source you may find helpful.
What Does Treatment for Alcohol and Depression Involve?
Treatment usually means addressing both together, an approach known as dual diagnosis, after assessing whether someone has alcohol dependence alongside a depressive disorder or other mental health problems. Where someone is dependent on alcohol, it starts with a medically supported detox, followed by talking therapy such as cognitive behavioural therapy. Medication, including antidepressants, may also play a part, though the timing matters and is best guided by a doctor, and treatment may need to support both mental health and physical health, especially if alcohol misuse has led to physical health problems such as liver disease.
The aim is to treat the whole picture, so that progress on one side isn’t undone by the other. People should not drink alcohol while taking medication unless a doctor says it is safe.
