Binge Drinking May Be Linked to Major Depression, Especially in Women
A Canadian study which surveyed 14,000 men and women showed that major depression – especially in women – was likely to be linked to binge drinking. Women who drank five or more drinks per social occasion were considered to be binge drinkers.
The study appearing in the January issue of Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research was based on a one-time survey in which about 10% of women and nearly 6% of men met criteria for major depression.
Most study or poll participants were not heavy drinkers on a regular basis. Fewer than two persons in 10 admitted to drinking more than once or twice a week, with an average of one or two drinks per occasion.
A pattern of frequent but low quantity drinking has not been associated with depression. People who just felt low but didn’t have major depression did not appear likely to binge drink. Since participants weren’t followed over a period of time, it is unclear whether major depression causes binge drinking, or the reverse.
Major depression is a serious and often treatable condition that can make a person unable to function or even lead to suicide. It is characterized by at least five of the following symptoms occurring over a period of two weeks or longer:
- Persistent sadness or pessimism
- Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, helplessness or hopelessness
- Lost interest or pleasure in usual activities, including sex
- Difficulty concentrating and poor memory
- Worsening of chronic disease such as rheumatoid arthritis or diabetes
- Insomnia or sleeping excessively
- Pronounced weight gain or loss
- Fatigue or lack of energy
- Anxiety, agitation, irritability
- Persistent thoughts of suicide or death
- Slow speech or movements
- Headache, stomachache and digestive problems such as irritable bowel syndrome
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