Mindful Drinking + New Year Depression
The often overlooked link between 5 cocktails and anxiety—and how to apply the concept of mindfulness to alcohol. Plus, why you might be feeling emotionally poopy right now.
Practicing Mindfulness—With Alcohol
Have you heard of the BOTH/AND concept of emotions? It’s the idea that you can feel both gratitude and sadness, or joy and grief, both at the same time. It’s the opposite of either/or, and let’s be honest: It’s how feelings happen IRL.
Turns out, the latest expert thinking on alcohol use is similar. “If we say you have to be 100 percent sober for the rest of your life, it is so daunting for most people,” says therapist Amanda White, LPC, who herself overcame alcohol issues, coining the phrase “disordered drinking” to refer to the spectrum people can be on with alcohol. (NOTE: This is for people who may binge-drink but not those with alcohol use disorder.)
“We can go through phases in life where we do have an unhealthy relationship with alcohol and it doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re an alcoholic and can never drink again,” says White, host of the Recovered-ish podcast.
What’s this got to do with mental health? People who drink a lot in social settings don’t always connect excessive booze with crap mental health. But there can be a significant link. Lots of alcohol can…
interrupt sleep (less REM, and we don’t mean Michael Stipe)
cause “hangxiety” (it’s a real thing! where brain neurotransmitters try to readjust from a hangover, sparking jitters, irritability, and anxiety)
increase impulsivity and risky behaviors
lead to depression
bring on panic attacks
The sober-curious movement is not just for people trying to get completely sober. If you’re looking for ways to cut back on booze—but can’t imagine how, ‘cause it’s basically your entire social life now—you’ve got to read our writer’s essay. She shares the realistic techniques she used to replace weekend bingeing with mindful drinking.
Girl Talk
Why Are Women More Prone to Depression?
If we took it from Ryan Seacrest, the beginning of a new year is all confetti and excitement. But for many people, it can be far less sparkly. There’s letdown after the holidays, pressure to set goals, angst about reaching those goals—and gray weather ain’t helping much, either.
Depression sucks for anyone. But it’s worse for women, and especially younger women. Should you blame your hormones? Your parents? The patriarchy?
As with many mental health conditions, science can’t pinpoint any one cause of depression. But all of those factors—and more—play a part in making women nearly twice as likely to have depression as men.
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Consider hormones. The deck is stacked against us, ladies. Studies show a strong connection between reproductive hormones and depression. One particular hormone, estradiol—a form of estrogen involved in ovulation—may be a big culprit. Plus general hormone fluctuations can bring on negative emotions. “If you’re not pregnant, your body continues to prepare for pregnancy every month, so the hormones are raging,” says Donna Sheperis, Ph.D., a therapist and professor of psychology at Palo Alto University in California.
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Find out everything you need to know about depression and women—including, on the upside, the best treatments, good social follows, and apps to check out.
When Life Is Bananas…
Refer Back to This
Remember: Mushy bananas make the best banana bread.