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Hangovers and depression share similar symptoms, making it difficult to distinguish between the two. Hangovers can trigger depression, and heavy drinking can lead to persistent depressive symptoms even when not drinking. Alcohol affects brain chemistry, potentially predisposing individuals to depression.
A hangover occurs after a person drinks to excess. The symptoms of a hangover and depression can mimic each other, so it’s often difficult to tell one from the other. Some studies show, however, that the physiological and psychological effects of a hangover can trigger depression. It is also possible that changes that occur in an individual’s brain chemistry due to heavy drinking and subsequent hangovers may predispose that individual to depression.
Alcohol contains a certain amount of toxins and other chemicals that cause a physical reaction in the human body. It is also a natural diuretic, which means that it can cause a person to lose excessive fluids from their body and become dehydrated. If a person consumes more alcohol than the body can effectively metabolize in a certain period of time, they will likely experience the physical symptoms of a hangover. These symptoms, which occur several hours after a person stops drinking, can include headaches, dry mouth, heartburn, and fatigue. A hangover can also cause irritability, anxiety and insomnia.
In addition to the physical symptoms, a hangover can cause psychological symptoms as well. These symptoms can include feelings of guilt, sadness, general malaise, lack of concentration and lack of interest in daily activities. Hangover symptoms, both physical and psychological, can generally last up to 24 hours.
A person suffering from depression may also experience symptoms of fatigue, malaise, irritability and anxiety. Additionally, depression often causes an individual to be unable to focus on various tasks, lose interest in daily activities, and experience feelings of guilt or sadness. Clearly, the physical and psychological symptoms of a hangover and depression are very similar to each other. Due to this fact, it is difficult to determine if a hangover causes depression or if a hangover and depression just share similar symptoms.
The length of time that symptoms persist can serve to distinguish between hangover symptoms and depression, and can also help determine whether the hangover has led to depression. When an individual is clinically depressed, the symptoms persist for an extended period of time. With a hangover, though, symptoms that mimic depression often fade within a day or two. In some cases, however, the symptoms of depression caused by a hangover can persist for weeks and even months. If so, the hangover can be said to have triggered the clinical depression or exacerbated an underlying condition.
Drinking alcohol in excess on a regular basis can result in repeated bouts of depressive symptoms and can lead to depression that persists even when a person is not drinking. Aside from the overlapping symptoms of a hangover and depression, this phenomenon could be linked to the fact that alcohol, when consumed in large quantities on a regular basis, can affect a person’s brain chemistry. Some studies suggest that changes in brain chemistry caused by excessive alcohol consumption and subsequent hangover may predispose an individual to clinical depression.
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