Alcohol plays a very significant part in our culture and is present in almost every type of social occasion. Although drinking in moderation doesn’t harm us, drinking excessively has risen sharply over the last few years, and people not only start at a younger age, they also drink a lot more.

What are the affects of alcohol on the brain? Alcohol as well as other drugs such as tranquillizers acts directly on the brain and as we build up a tolerance to alcohol, the effect is reduced. The result is quite obvious as we are forced to drink more to get the same results and we are now on the road to becoming an alcoholic.

Alcohol dependency can also result in;- 1) Dementia - Basically that’s memory loss, a bit like Alzheimer’s dementia. 2)Psychosis - Scary stuff when you start to hear voices.

3)Dependence - if you stop drinking, you get withdrawal symptoms such as shaking, nervousness and (sometimes) seeing things that aren’t there. 4)Suicide - 40% of men who try to kill themselves have had a long- standing alcohol problem. - 70% of those who succeed in killing themselves have drunk alcohol before doing so.

What is the connection between depression and alcohol? We know that there is a connection - self-harm and suicide are much more common in people with alcohol problems. There is also evidence that alcohol changes the chemistry of the brain itself and that this increases the risk of depression. Another problem that arises is that regular drinking can make life depressing - family problems, poor work, unreliable memory and sexual problems.

Alcohol will also help us in forgetting our problems, although only temporarily. We will feel much more relaxed and more confident when it comes to socializing. It’s an ideal tool for chatting and having fun and meeting other people, but once again this effect is only temporary.

If you are depressed and lacking in energy, it can be tempting to use alcohol to help you keep going and cope with life. The problem is that it is easy to slip into drinking regularly, using it like a medication. So if you have found yourself falling into this false method of hope then you first have to come to terms with your problems, and admit that you do have a problem. If you then want to pursue a way out then have a look at the blog provided by stopdrinkingadvice.org which will help you to get started.