Individuals with depression must avoid alcohol. Alcohol is a brain depressant. It also increases adrenal hormone output, interferes with many brain cell processes, and disrupts normal sleep cycles. Alcohol ingestion also leads to hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). The resultant drop in blood sugar produces a craving for sugar because it can quickly elevate blood sugar. Unfortunately, increased sugar consumption ultimately aggravates the hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemia aggravates the mental and emotional problems of the drinker and can increase the need/urge to smoke or use tobacco, creating a vicious cycle that can be hard to stop.
What you can do:
If you smoke: when you make up your mind to quit smoking, you may want to give up drinking alcohol for a while as well to make the whole process easier. In addition, it will be a good idea to stay away from drinking establishments (bars, pubs, etc.) as you will undoubtedly be tempted to drink and there will be a lot of other drinkers and smokers to encourage you.
If you don’t smoke: you will still want to limit your alcohol intact while you use these steps to help you get back control of your life. Alcohol severely depletes neurotransmitters and can lead to imbalances very quickly. Once you are feeling better, you can decide how much you want to consume alcohol, and you will be in a much better frame of mind to do so.
