Research Links Heavy Drinking and Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression
New research indicates that women who drink to excess are more likely to experience symptoms of anxiety and depression. The report also found the lowest rates of anxiety and depression for women in their 30s were for those who drank lightly.
Research from The University of Queensland’s School of Population Health and the University of Bristol indicates that women who have more than 15 drinks a week have an increased risk of experiencing symptoms of anxiety and depression.
The report also showed that heavy drinking was linked to smoking, and that women from low income groups were more likely to be heavy drinkers; these correlations may account for some of the association between high levels of alcohol use and symptoms of anxiety and depression.
According to the press release on the research — which is part of the Mater-University of Queensland Study of Pregnancy (MUSP), Australia’s largest longitudinal study tracking mothers and their children from pre-birth to early adulthood — light drinking (up to 5 drinks per week) was associated with the lowest rates of anxiety and depression when women were in their early 30s.
Those who drank six or more drinks per week were more likely to have symptoms of depression and anxiety than those drinking less, regardless of age, while for women in their 20s and 40s, the lowest rates of symptoms were in those who did not drink any alcohol.
The report’s author said these results suggest a varying relationship between alcohol and depression and anxiety over the course of a woman’s life.
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This article was last reviewed by on Wednesday, 8th June 2005. You can leave a response below.
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10th June 2005
The ABC national tv news ran this story last night but I can’t find it in their website - they used the figure of more than 6 drinks a week - not fifteen - is there in your opinion a marked/ significant difference between drinking 6 drinks per week and drinking 15 drinks - say three drinks on five days - in terms of its affects on anxiety disorders? Is the solution for those with anxiety conditions not to drink at all? IOr is less than five drinks per week ok? Is it best to havce say one drink on five nights ie low alcolhol levels at all times -is this very different in terms of results from someone who sdrinks all five drinks on one night a week - I imagine the latter approach would NOT be good- safe one?
17th June 2005
Well, Debora, I personally can’t really advise you one way or the other regarding the benefits or risks of drinking particular levels of alcohol.
I can say that from my reading of the original article referenced above, it sounded like this particular aspect of the impact of alcohol varied significantly with a woman’s age — so the answer to your question might not be straightforward. (Also, I wonder about the broader context/broader impact of differing levels of alcohol consumption — financially, socially, psychologically, and in terms of other specific health risks.)
27th November 2006
Hello, I am maxed out and tired of my suffering from social anxiety paralysis. It has gotten to the point that I won’t even sing my favorite music in the car by myself during the day because my voice will shake like it does when I even think about talking to an authority figure, member of the opposite sex or speaking in front of people (even a few). I have chosen to take an anti anxiety medication but I drink socially and do not want to stop that all together but decrease it signicantly..I was told that there may be SSRI’s that do not make you panicky the morning after drinking again. Is that true? Is there one specific med. that I can take, drink in moderation and not feel nervous and anxious the next morning? I am praying there is so I do not have to feel like some sort of social outcast. It already took a lot to come to grips with the social anxiety disorder. Please help. Thank you. :-)
1st December 2006
I read somewhere that Prozac ( which I take) can actually MAKE a person want to drink alcohol. Is that true? I have tried for so long to totally stop any alcohol consumption and when I come off my Prozac, my urges for alcohol totally stop. When I go back on it…here they come again. I am just curious.
1st December 2006
Hi Kelly,
That’s an interesting possibility; do you remember where you read it? (I haven’t encountered the idea myself.) Our page on fluoxetine/Prozac, in the “Find Medication Information” section, has links to the FDA product inserts and related information directly from the manufacturer, if you’d like to follow up on it in more detail.
All the best,
Greg
5th December 2007
If there weren’t for drug and alcoholic treatment centers my life would’ve been ruined. What can I say .. in this moment it ain’t that great, but I’m glad I managed to be rehabilitated. I don’t wish anyone to go through to what I’ve been..