Alcoholism and Depression

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Alcohol offers many apparent benefits to one suffering from emotional problems at first. These benefits principally are, it is readily available and accessible. Second, it is inexpensive compared to drugs, pornography or social sex. Third, it is fast acting once the sufferer is in the bar, with friends or at home. Lastly it is socially acceptable.

Alcoholic beverages and their industries comprise much of the northern European cultures lifestyle, which are the majority of the settlers in early America. Germans, Irish, French, English, Italians all consumed alcohol as part of their daily lives, so there are no negative cultural associations with its use.

Where the problem arises is with the purpose and the scale in how we use it. Alcohol at the front end elevates the mood going in as its levels increase. On the back end as its levels decrease in the bloodstream, it is a powerful depressant and reinforces negative feelings one is trying to avoid. Health problems include shallow sleep patterns and mild sickness and headaches, as well as degeneration of all areas of our bodies.

Behaviorally alcohol lowers our threshold to anger and violent responses, as we more readily connect to provocative situations.

The long term effects are cumulative damage to not just our health, but our finances, and most damaging of all our relationships. Over time the vehicle of escape becomes more important than that which is to be escaped. We end up imprisoned in the security of our routine intoxications, at great expense to ourselves.

Whether it is in the game of football, tactics in warfare, planning a meal, or writing a screenplay, no choice works effectively if used repeatedly. Alcohol is no exception. Depression is at its basic level a lack of emotional satisfaction with everyday life; no drive, enjoyment, feelings of enthusiasm, motivation of any kind. Depression is not feeling like facing anyone or anything. If we remain in that state for a long time, it causes sadness, and if that continues then confusion, guilt and self-isolation. Beyond that, depression will cause loss of self-esteem.

Alcohol overuse increases the speed at which we go down that road. The obvious first step is to get off the alcohol abuse and use moderately. Extreme forced mood changes are not going to solve our problem. Identifying the problem is going to solve our problem. All alcohol does is to diminish our ability to even see our obstacles.

Sometimes God sends us a problem just so we can learn to identify it, and then he takes it away from us by sending the solution. Why is that we may ask? First is so we can learn strength and responsibility in facing life objectively. Second is so we can learn dependence on God and not just ourselves as He sends his answer later. ‘A man alone is not a man,’ and ‘lone wolfs are easy prey,’ are relevant sayings here.

It is a duality of two lessons. The first part of the lesson is that we are all responsible as leaders. God seeks to bring that leadership side out in all of us. Whether we lead a large corporation, a family, or just our own individual lives, we need the skill of leadership to face life objectively, including facing that which is negative.

We need the strength to identify hardship and choose a course of action. That polishes our leadership and independence side, which embellishes responsibility. This in and of itself is an empowering act.

There is a saying in therapy, ‘If we can name it we can claim it.’ That is why God brought all the animals to Adam for Adam to name. God was trying to teach Adam that humanity’s responsibility is to face the world objectively.

The flip side of this which completes our duality is our dependent relationship to God and that we are not alone in facing our problems and obstacles. When we use Alcohol as a relief and a crutch, then it assumes that role which is supposed to be filled by God. We cannot project our expectations on alcohol or anything else for which we are to look to God.

Realized or not, utilized or not, we all have a dependent relationship to God, who wishes our success and happiness. This includes a life of victory over depression and alcohol. Notice we said dependent relationship. Not asking God’s help with our depression and alcohol is like have a large bank account and not utilizing any of it!

What are God’s assets to help us? They are planted all around us. Externally, they are our employers, relatives, neighbors, friends, co workers, and even strangers we meet, the things we notice, the signs we read, and the talks we have. There are internal assets as well, things such as the ideas we get, the talents and interests we want to pursue, the dreams we want to fulfill, and simply our wants, intuitions and desires.

When we start to spiritually relax, we can face our problems with more strength, and lessen our bond with alcohol and depression. Even as we define our situation with the help and counsel of loving friends, we will feel a sense of achievement. That is the personal responsibility part that our alcoholism was preventing us from doing. The next step is the dependent relationship with God; start leaning on God and the counsel of those nurturing others he sends. We must seek their aid, support and advice, for we are not alone in facing the world.

Notice and act on the ques in our environment which God is sending. Also revisit our dreams, talents from long ago which God had put there. As we focus on a problem, the Holy Spirit will send inspiration about it, inspiration upon which we can act.

All of this is God’s plan, and all of this will be short circuited by alcoholism and depression, which are both a cause and a result. Do not use alcohol as a tool to deal with depression, anxiety or any other problem for that matter. You do not need it any more. Start your journey back to your Authentic self, the self God made, and the Self of which God is very proud!

Giving in to Alcoholism and Depression is for losers, and you are not a loser, otherwise you would not be here!

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