I’ve seen several pieces of advice saying to avoid alcohol as it contributes to depression and anxiety. I believe it’s true, from experience. Just wondering why it’s true- what mechanisms are impacted by alcohol that contribute to depression and anxiety.
Only request: please don’t say ‘alcohol is a depressant.’ unless explaining how that makes alcohol contribute to depression/ anxiety (depressants are a completely different thing to depression)
In: Chemistry
The primary method by which alcohol exerts its effects is believed to be as a positive allosteric modulator of GABA. To put it short, it slows down neurons by making the “brake” chemical in our brain work better. Since the brain attempts to maintain a certain baseline, it increases its activity in response to something slowing it down. Once the alcohol wears off, you are left with an overactive brain that can burn out its neurons like forcing too much current through a lightbulb.
Enough cumulative damage over time will worsen any psychological conditions one might have.
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