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Cheers?: understanding the relationship between alcohol and mental health
- Author:
- MENTAL HEALTH FOUNDATION
- Publisher:
- Mental Health Foundation
- Publication year:
- 2006
- Pagination:
- 40p.
- Place of publication:
- London
While much debate has taken place recently about alcohol, researchers have failed to draw out the reasons why so many people have troubled relationships with it. The reasons we drink and the consequences of excessive drinking are intimately linked with our mental health, and this holds the key to dealing with growing worries about alcohol misuse. Evidence outlined in this report shows that: there are significant connections between reported alcohol use and depressive symptoms; people report using alcohol to help them sleep people drink more when experiencing moderate to high levels of shyness or fear; anxious people use drinking ‘to cope’ and are more likely to avoid social situations where alcohol is not available; as many as 65% of suicides have been linked to excessive drinking 70% of men who kill themselves have drunk alcohol before doing so almost a third of suicides amongst young people are committed while the person is intoxicated; anxiety and depressive symptoms are more common in heavy drinkers; heavy drinking is more common in those with anxiety and depression; there is a significant relationship between job stress and alcohol consumption. Many GPs believe that alcohol is a cause of mental health problems.
The mental health of veterans: executive briefing
- Author:
- MENTAL HEALTH FOUNDATION
- Publisher:
- Mental Health Foundation
- Publication year:
- 2010
- Pagination:
- 8p., bibliog.
- Place of publication:
- London
Many veterans (ex-members of the armed forces) who develop mental health problems experience a common mental disorder such as depression or anxiety, with a smaller number being diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder. Veterans also experience a high rate of alcohol abuse, which can be linked to mental health problems. Post-deployment reservists appear to be at a greater risk of developing psychiatric problems than regular service personnel, and younger men who have served for a relatively short period are at higher risk of suicide and are more likely to experience problems returning to civilian life. Many veterans do not seek help for their problems, partly because of the stigma attached to mental illness, or because they lack confidence that civilian health professionals will understand the military context. More needs to be done both in terms of understanding the origins and range of mental health problems that veterans may have, and providing accessible and appropriate services.