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At Healthfully, we strive to deliver objective content that is accurate and up-to-date. Our team periodically reviews articles in order to ensure content quality. The sources cited below consist of evidence from peer-reviewed journals, prominent medical organizations, academic associations, and government data.
The information contained on this site is for informational purposes only, and should not be used as a substitute for the advice of a professional health care provider. Please check with the appropriate physician regarding health questions and concerns. Although we strive to deliver accurate and up-to-date information, no guarantee to that effect is made.
About Alcohol & Mood Swings
An estimated 27 percent of Americans meet diagnostic criteria for alcohol abuse or dependence, according to a study published in the journal "Critical Care Nurse" by Mary G. McKinley, RN 1. The damaging effect alcohol has on the brain is clearly characterized by a person’s inability to do simple tasks like walk and talk. While these are short-term impairments, the National Institutes of Health indicates that drinking has a far more extensive impact on the brain.
If you are experiencing serious medical symptoms, seek emergency treatment immediately.
Mood and Mood Disorders
Mood, also known as temper, is an emotional state. In the most general terms, mood is often defined as being either good or bad. While the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration indicates that mood disorders, most commonly depression and manic depression, are caused by imbalances in brain chemical activity, alcohol is a drug that works by altering brain chemistry.
Mood Swing Patterns
Emotional Effects of Alcohol Abuse
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A study at Santa Ana College in California found that one mood swing that occurs early in a person’s drinking is mild euphoria. This happens when the region of the brain that controls emotion and behavior is impaired by alcohol. More severe emotional outbursts can become more frequent as a person’s drinking increases. And permanent changes to the brain and mood can occur after years of steady drinking.
- A study at Santa Ana College in California found that one mood swing that occurs early in a person’s drinking is mild euphoria.
- More severe emotional outbursts can become more frequent as a person’s drinking increases.
As A Symptom
One symptom of alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence is frequent mood swings. One of the first mental processes to be affected by alcohol dependence, according to attorney Ron Jourard, a criminal defense lawyer in Canada, is the ability to control mood swings. Frequent emotional outbursts are common for people who chronically abuse alcohol.
Manic Depression
Effects of Alcoholism on Behavior
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A 1998 study in the journal "Addictive Behaviors" by Eric B. Raimo of the University of California at San Diego, found a small but significant link between manic-depressive disorder and alcoholism. Manic-depressive disorder, according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, can be a short-acting, extreme mood swing with a pattern of episodes shifting between euphoria and depression. According the National Institute of Mental health, people who suffer from manic depression are at risk for having other behavioral problems. They also tend to abuse alcohol and other substances.
- A 1998 study in the journal "Addictive Behaviors" by Eric B. Raimo of the University of California at San Diego, found a small but significant link between manic-depressive disorder and alcoholism.
- Manic-depressive disorder, according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, can be a short-acting, extreme mood swing with a pattern of episodes shifting between euphoria and depression.
Mood Swings and Recovery
Even after a person abstains from drinking, mood swings are expected to persist for up to about two years. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, medications combined with therapy are an important part of recovery from alcohol dependence. Medications like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, known as SSRIs, can help minimize mood swings. Behavioral therapy works by changing a person’s attitudes and feelings about drinking.
- Even after a person abstains from drinking, mood swings are expected to persist for up to about two years.
- According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, medications combined with therapy are an important part of recovery from alcohol dependence.
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References
- Critical Care Nurse: Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome Overlooked and Mismanaged?
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Writer Bio
Shannon Marks started her journalism career in 1994. She was a reporter at the "Beachcomber" in Rehoboth Beach, Del., and contributed to "Philadelphia Weekly." Marks also served as a research editor, reporter and contributing writer at lifestyle, travel and entertainment magazines in New York City. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in literature from Temple University.