Alcoholism & Mental Disorder

Many studies have found a strong connection between alcoholics and mental disorders. Speculators believe depressed or bipolar people tend to self-medicate, especially if they have not yet been diagnosed with these disorders. Also, people who suffer from mental disorders tend to have an addictive personality. Furthermore, there is a genetic component to both mental disorders and alcoholism so the two may be related in terms of brain chemistry.

Alcoholism

• Alcoholism is characterized by a strong dependency on alcoholic substances. Alcoholics continue to drink despite health problems and social consequences. In the short term alcohol can cause diarrhea, lack of coordination, sexual dysfunction, headache and other health problems. In the long term alcohol can lead to serious health problems such as cirrhosis of the liver and heart disease.

Mental Disorders

• The two mental disorders that most commonly occur with alcoholism are bipolar disorder and depression. Depression is generally characterized by a lack of energy and motivation, as well as deep-rooted sadness and suicidal thoughts. Bipolarity is a mental disorder that causes extreme mood swings between depression and mania. Mania consists of periods of high energy, unusual thought patterns, and sometimes psychosis. Those afflicted with bipolar tend to have episodes where these two feelings can both appear in their most extreme form. These episodes can last days, weeks or even months.

Genetics

• Many believe alcoholism is a disease or at least a difficult addiction. This is because of genetic factors. According to a UCSF study, 20 to 25 percent of sons and brothers of alcoholics become alcoholics. The chances are slightly decreased for women, but still approximately 5 percent of daughters and sisters of alcoholics become alcoholics. It is said that 9 percent of the general population is predisposed to the possibility of developing alcoholism based on genetics. Meanwhile about 10 percent of the population suffers from depression at one point in their lives.

Comorbidity

• Studies on the comorbidity between alcoholism and mental disorders have been done for decades. According to Learn-about-alcoholism.com, up to 50 percent of alcoholics exhibit signs of major depression within their lifetime. Psychology Today claims people with bipolar disorder are 3 to 7 times more likely to suffer from alcoholism. Clearly alcoholics are more likely to have a mental disorder than the rest of the population, and clearly people that have a mental disorder are more likely to be alcoholics.

Treatment

• There is no cure for most mental disorders. Alcoholics can choose to quit drinking, but there is no cure for the desire that causes them to become alcoholics. To successfully treat patients that suffer from both mental disorders and alcoholism you must treat both of the problems together. If one is left untreated it can cause the other to become worse. To treat both separately fails to take into account the relationship between the two. If you believe you have a mental disorder and suffer from alcoholism contact a health professional immediately.