Depression is one of the most common mental health problems in the UK – experienced by as many as one in ten people in any year – and it shares a complex, mutually reinforcing relationship with excessive alcohol consumption, according to a new factsheet from Alcohol Concern.

It shows how the relationship works both ways; depression is found in heavy drinkers at a significantly higher rate than in the general population, and those suffering from depression have an increased likelihood of excessive alcohol consumption and dependence in the future.

Excessive alcohol consumption over a long period of time has been shown to cause depressive symptoms. A number of clinical research studies have found that regularly drinking alcohol disrupts the brain’s chemical responses, altering the way it operates due to lowering levels of serotonin.

To download the factsheet go here

Anyone concerned about their use of drugs or alcohol can contact our local services for help and advice:

http://www.cw-recovery.org.uk/contact-us/