Psychological Factors
Various psychological factors may increase the likelihood of heavy drinking. Every person handles different situations in a unique way. How you cope with these feelings, however, can affect certain behavioral characteristics. For instance, people with high depression, stress, anxiety, and other conditions of mental health are more vulnerable to developing alcohol abuse. Alcohol is often used to relieve the symptoms of psychological disorders and suppress feelings in these types of circumstances.
Drinking can become habitual over time and lead to an AUD. The more a person turns to alcohol to ease his pain and hardships, the more tolerant his or her body becomes of the drug. Co-occurring abuse of alcohol and mental health conditions, such as depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia, can cause a range of severe side effects. Each psychological disorder is treated separately by a medical specialist to overcome these problems.