Alcohol & Stress

Stress happens when the pressure and challenges of our lives exceed our ability to cope. Stress isn’t a physical problem but it can make us prone to physical and mental illness. In addition, some of the ways people cope with stress such as changing eating habits, smoking or drinking further reduce well-being in the long term.

Modern life can be very stressful. Many people use alcohol to relax and to combat the effects of stress. However using alcohol in this way can lead to problems:

• The more we drink the more drink we need to feel ‘relaxed’ - this can lead to dependency
• Hangovers make concentration harder and even simple tasks more difficult
• Alcohol disrupts sleep, leaving us tired and irritable
• Knowing we’re drinking too much can be stressful in itself
• Alcohol can make feelings of anxiety and depression worse
• Drinking can result in stressful financial difficulties

If we drink to try and cope with stress, the negative effects of alcohol will only make our stress worse. Keep going like that and a serious problem with alcohol, our physical or mental health - or all three - is sure to follow.

Download the Alcohol & Stress leaflet