How does Alcohol affect mental disorders?

Question

After being involuntarily admitted to the psych hospital, they helped me realize that i am an alcoholic. they explained to me how bad it is and that it effects my mental health since i have schizophrenia affective disorder, but i dont understand how. like how does it make it worse?

Answer 1

Not only can alcohol affect mental disorders, it can actually create mental conditions that mimic those mental disorders.  People are sometimes diagnosed as schizophrenic or manic-depressive, but when they stop drinking (which is a long and complicated process usually including long-term psychotherapy), the supposed condition goes away.  Alcoholism can mimic almost any mental disorder.  This is because alcohol damages the capacity to connect different parts of the mind, disconnects the aware part of the mind from the whole of the feelings (while sometimes accentuating small parts as a result) and from empathy, understanding etc.  

Since alcoholism can actually mimic such disorders, you can see that it will easily exacerbate any pre-existing conditions.  It really does interfere with the connections in the brain, the behaviour of neuro-chemicals etc.  I very much hope you can get the help you need to not merely stop drinking, but to address the underlying issues that have led you to drink.

EDIT:  I'm a bit concerned that you initially said you had REALISED you were an alcoholic and then in your addition you say you have "still been told that you're an alcoholic" (despite, apparently, only drinking on holiday).  Get real, Gabe - do you accept that alcohol has been having a serious and addictive impact on your life or not?  I don't honestly think it's very likely that you could have been told you are an alcoholic at a psychiatric hospital unless there was rather more to it than drinking for a couple of weeks a year!  And unless you get to grips with what has really been going on, there isn't a snowball's chance in h**l of your recovering.

Answer 2

Alcohol makes anyone worse. It should be illegal in my opinion. Marijuana is the way. AND IF PEOPLE TELL YOU THAT IT WILL AFFECT YOU & YOUR CONDITION, THEY ARE LYING. The alternatives to marijuana are dangerous.  

Answer 3

It will ether make it bedder.. or a h**l of a lot worse!  

Answer 4

I dont know how they make it worse all I know is that I am taking meds for psychosis and just the other day my employer was having a party and they gave me two glasses of wine and I was thoroughly drunk.  This was at least 18 hours after I had taken my medication.

Answer 5

First if you are on Medications alcohol will react poorly with the medications. Second, since you are schizophrenic without medications, alcohol can intensify a bad outbreak of your condition. At least you have begun the first steps you need to be better. You have recognized your problems. You are treating you Alcoholism like it is a disease. And you are getting help with your mental issues.

I wish you well in your trials. Keep up the good work. May you find the peace you are looking for.

Bill

Answer 6

alcohol is a depressant so it affects your short term mental state well, but brings you down later. alot of people who are drinking regularly are unknowingly 'self medicating'.