WELCOME back to our exploration into all things emotional. In this edition our Emotional Health columnist Leigh Smith invites us take control of our drinking this Christmas and New Year.
WITH the festive season it can be so tempting to reach for a glass of the strong stuff, to help us cope with the demands of the season and to join in with the celebrations. Alcohol is a huge part of our society and culture and plays a big part in how we socialise. This time of year can be a real challenge on our emotional health, with all of the added financial, family, social and work demands on us it’s no surprise we need to find the ‘off switch’ at times. Up and down the country we will be treated to festive markets selling mulled wine and delicious spiced ciders, tempting us to reduce our stress, join the fun, and spend more than we can actually afford. This is the time of year when alcohol consumption is at its highest, and socialising and partying are the expected norms. So what’s wrong with a little tipple at Christmas time? Surely that can’t be so bad? And I know that I will be treating myself to a festive bottle of Baileys this year. Alcohol in moderation isn’t a concern, not if we manage our alcohol consumption in a healthy way, and the drink is not masking an issue which warrants more serious attention. There are many reasons for an increase in our drinking during this time of year, and some which we might not be conscious of. We may be using alcohol as a mood enhancer, a strategy for managing difficult life situations. We may be drinking more to ‘get in the spirit’ and join in with the fun, not wanting to be a ‘Bah Humbug’. Some of these reasons for drinking may be masking underlying emotional health issues, like low self esteem, depression, anxiety, loneliness or social insecurities, and in these cases alcohol may be an unhealthy sticking plaster which masks a deep lying emotional health issue. So what might seem like a good solution to a challenging event, could be negatively effecting our brain’s ability to stay emotionally healthy.
Make mine a brain cocktail
Our brains are intricate organs and rely on a measured cocktail of chemicals and neurotransmitters. When we drink alcohol we alter this balance, which can then have adverse affects and consequences on the way we think, our mood, and our behaviour. Using drink to improve our mood or mask depression can cause a decline in our emotional health and worsen existing mental health conditions. Consuming alcohol on a regular basis changes the chemical make up of our brain and can decrease the level of serotonin, a chemical which helps to regulate mood. Alcohol can ‘numb’ our emotions, making us more able to cope with our strong emotions by depressing our central nervous system, which might be helpful in the short term but creates further issues down the line. We can get caught up in a catch 22 situation, using alcohol to cope with difficult mental health issues, and then needing more when the situation is worsened. And it’s not just depression which is negatively affected by alcohol, people who suffer from anxiety issues may think that a pint or three will help them to relax, but actually this can make the anxiety worse. Drinking can create tunnel vision, we can miss out on the whole story and hone in on the one thing which could be potentially threatening, ignoring all the other information surrounding it, and badly misreading a situation. For example, misinterpreting the glance in your direction from a stranger, leading to heightened anxiety and angry outbursts. The more we drink to manage our anxiety the more the brain struggles to regulate our mood, and this can lead to aggression, anxiety and depression, making us prone to violent outbursts and vulnerability. I look forward to enjoying a drink over Christmas, and know that it’s quite likely that (in the company of my bestie) I will probably, like a lot of us, have a bit too much at some point. All good messy fun, but let’s not miss a great chance to support our emotional health by allowing a bit of reflection into our behaviour. A good question to ask is: “could I manage this social situation without a drink?” If the honest answer is no, then perhaps we are leaning on drink to support us a bit too much and it could be time to support our needs and be curious about what might be going unaddressed in our emotional health. Perhaps your biggest Christmas gift this year could be to give yourself the chance to exercise some choice over your life, and choose healthy strategies.
There is help out there for people affected by alcohol:
Drinkaware is an independent charity working to reduce alcohol misuse and harm in the UK. There are AA groups up and down the country, and Al Anon can support you if you have family or friends who are struggling with alcohol 0800 0086811. Alateen supports children between12- 17yrs old who have a friend or family struggling with alcohol 02075 932070. Wishing you all a very merry and emotionally healthy Christmas and New Year.