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Can Alcohol Consumption Cause Depression After Two Days Of Drinking?
Question: Is it normal for alcohol consumption to depress a person two days after drinking? I dont drink anymore because i started to notice that two days after drinking, I would become extremely depressed, cry a lot, not want to get out of bed, have no motivation, no patience, snap at people, and could not function in my job or at school. Also, toward the end of my drinking days, I would always cry while drinking. I thought most people were happy and carefree while drinking. Why am I different?
Brief Answer:
This is pretty common
Detailed Answer:
Remember that alcohol is taken in huge quantities:
200 ml, 5% 10 ml alcohol , about 10 gram for a beer. Compared to 10 milligram valium (one thousandth). So it has huge effects in some ways. It changes the tone of the autonomic nervous system (hangover, reflex rise in blood pressure the next day(s), etc.) there is at least some brain cells killed by a binge. That would be everyone.
Alcohol is a depressant. It should have more depressive effects than it does, but the expectation and social millieu alters the perception of it's chemical effects. Also there is social pressure to say drinking is more fun than it actually is. This is also everyone.
Then, there are substantial minority genetic variations on alcohol effect. Asians do not metabolize alcohol the same and we have a build up of one metabolite of alcohol (acetaldehyde) that feels uniquely unpleasant.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcohol_flush_reaction. Considering the population of those with this condition is at least somewhat larger than the entire population of the United States, calling it a genetic anomaly is a mis-statement.
Alcohol can trigger release of natural opiates. This neural pathway is being increasingly studied due to the FDA approved success of a narcotic blocker on alcohol addiction. There will be found to be a LOT of variations on this neural pathway and some people are going to have more of the opiate-associated-bad-feelings. If you also find that narcotics have an atypically weak effect on pain and an increased feeling of being "yucky", then, this is uniquely your condition.
So, to summarize. You aren't that different.
Withdrawal effects from alcohol everyone has; these last longer the more alcohol one takes and with a binge of 4 drinks or more in a short time, alterations in feeling lasting days is the norm.
You might be additionally be different due to metabolism of alcohol (very common), or wiring of narcotic receptors (not rare, certainly 1% maybe 5%), or other brain effects that are only now being studied (serotonin and alcohol, etc.).
This is pretty common
Detailed Answer:
Remember that alcohol is taken in huge quantities:
200 ml, 5% 10 ml alcohol , about 10 gram for a beer. Compared to 10 milligram valium (one thousandth). So it has huge effects in some ways. It changes the tone of the autonomic nervous system (hangover, reflex rise in blood pressure the next day(s), etc.) there is at least some brain cells killed by a binge. That would be everyone.
Alcohol is a depressant. It should have more depressive effects than it does, but the expectation and social millieu alters the perception of it's chemical effects. Also there is social pressure to say drinking is more fun than it actually is. This is also everyone.
Then, there are substantial minority genetic variations on alcohol effect. Asians do not metabolize alcohol the same and we have a build up of one metabolite of alcohol (acetaldehyde) that feels uniquely unpleasant.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcohol_flush_reaction. Considering the population of those with this condition is at least somewhat larger than the entire population of the United States, calling it a genetic anomaly is a mis-statement.
Alcohol can trigger release of natural opiates. This neural pathway is being increasingly studied due to the FDA approved success of a narcotic blocker on alcohol addiction. There will be found to be a LOT of variations on this neural pathway and some people are going to have more of the opiate-associated-bad-feelings. If you also find that narcotics have an atypically weak effect on pain and an increased feeling of being "yucky", then, this is uniquely your condition.
So, to summarize. You aren't that different.
Withdrawal effects from alcohol everyone has; these last longer the more alcohol one takes and with a binge of 4 drinks or more in a short time, alterations in feeling lasting days is the norm.
You might be additionally be different due to metabolism of alcohol (very common), or wiring of narcotic receptors (not rare, certainly 1% maybe 5%), or other brain effects that are only now being studied (serotonin and alcohol, etc.).
Note: In case of any other concern or query related to prevention, evaluation, diagnosis, treatment, or the recovery of persons with the any type of addiction or substance use, follow up with our Addiction Medicine Specialist. Click here to book a consultation now.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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