Alcohol's Emotional Mask: Unraveling Addiction's Mental Health Maze

According to Medical Xpress, this discovery challenges the long-held belief that the pleasure from drinking alcohol decreases with addiction, and that people mainly drink to reduce negative feelings as a form of self-medication.

"We used to think that people drink too much when they feel down and that it's a way of self-healing," explains Dr. Andrea King, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral neuroscience at the University of Chicago and the study's lead author. Dr. King has spent decades studying how people respond to alcohol to understand the factors leading to addiction, particularly in relation to mental health services for drug and alcohol addiction.

"In this study, by tracking drinking behavior in natural settings using real-time smartphone reports, participants with AUD and depression reported experiencing clear and lasting positive effects from alcohol, similar to those without depression. This finding has important implications for alcohol drug addiction and mental health services."

The study, published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, challenges traditional views about how alcohol affects people who experience depression and drink excessively. The research provides valuable insights that could help improve mental health services for drug and alcohol addiction.

The findings suggest that the common belief about alcohol's ability to significantly reduce negative emotions might not be accurate, which could change how we approach treatment for those struggling with both depression and alcohol use. 

This study monitored 232 individuals aged 21 to 35 across the United States - a period when most people tend to drink the most in their lives.

Half of the participants met the criteria for Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) in the past year and were divided into two groups based on whether they had a history of severe depression or not.

Using smartphones, participants answered questions every 30 minutes for three continuous hours while drinking and during one day without alcohol consumption.

The researchers found that while alcohol did reduce negative feelings, the reduction was quite small and wasn't specific to people with AUD or depression. This finding is particularly relevant for professionals providing mental health services for drug and alcohol addiction.

"For nearly a decade, our research team has been improving methods using mobile technology to measure the clinical effects of alcohol in real-time among people with AUD and those at risk for alcohol-related problems," explains co-author Dr. Daniel Fridberg, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral neuroscience at the University of Chicago. His work has significantly contributed to understanding how alcohol drug addiction and mental health services can be better integrated. 

The study's findings question the common hypothesis that alcohol addiction develops because the brain tries to maintain stability after repeated alcohol use, highlighting the need for more comprehensive approaches in treating alcohol-related disorders. 

This hypothesis suggests that the "dark side of addiction" alters brain systems related to stress and reward, causing people to shift from drinking for pleasure to drinking to avoid withdrawal symptoms and stress. This understanding is crucial for mental health services for drug and alcohol addiction.

However, alcohol's effects on the brain are quite complex. Understanding the factors that influence the risk of developing AUD and depression is essential for early identification and intervention. This knowledge helps alcohol drug addiction and mental health services providers to develop more effective treatment strategies. 

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Source: tuoitre.vn / 07-Feb-2025 / https://tuoitre.vn/uong-ruou-co-xua-tan-noi-buon-20250204130208908.htm