Depression after a night out?

breadmonkey

A friend told me yesterday (yes, a friend, not me, I could post annonymously if that was the case) that for the last 3 or 4 years, he has felt depressed after a big night of drinking.

The problem became much worse this summer after he returned from a brief holiday in Rio. He came home two weeks early (from a 3 week holiday) and won't really tell anyone why he hated it so much, just that he saw loads of things you would never see in Ireland. He was there visiting another friend of ours who was over there for the summer. AFAIK from talking to the other friend, nothing really major happened.

I presume it's in some way linked to alcohol. He's by no means an "alcoholic". He would binge drink just as much (perhaps very slightly more) as the average student (2nd year). Not the type of person who you'd see drinking on their own or getting locked on a night where everyone else was taking it easy.

I'm one of the first (if not the first ) person that he's told about this. I really didn't know what to say to him and feel I need to help him out on this.

Any thoughts greatly appreciated.

Draupnir

I get that type of depression myself a lot and I think its for the following reason:

A few times in the past, maybe about 5, I have been so hammered that I have lost the plot with my mates over stupid little things and ended up in arguments and sometimes scraps with them. Purely because I was drunk and being a dick.

Now I find, that whenever I wake up the day after being drunk, I have this terrible fear that I have done something stupid and that people are pissed off at me. It puts me into a really depressed state and worries me like hell until I can clear everything up.

Since this started happening, I have cut back considerably on the old binge drinking, it just doesnt do you any favours.

Maybe he has the same problem, maybe he doesnt remember what went on and is worried he did something stupid.

The other side of the coin, is just that alcohol can be a depressant and some people just arent supposed to consume huge amounts.

seamus

It's called a hangover, even if you don't feel all that bad.

Not content with a headache and a dodgy tummy, your body has this knack of making you feel like a complete and utter dickhead for the entire day. You find yourself remembering drunken incidents from five years ago and cringing as if they occured last night.

If it's bothering him so much, maybe he should cut down on his drinking.

Jesper

All alcoholic drinks are depressants contain some chemicles that I won't even try to name. The only one that isn't is Brandy (thats why people with high blood pressure/heart problems are not allowed drink it and why you should never mix an energy drink like red bull with it). He could try drinking Brandy for a night just to see what effect it has. Peoples response to alcoholic depression is like peoples tolerence for alcoholic drinks. It changes with every person.

Red Alert

I'm usually like a bag of cats the next day especially if i went drinking midweek. usually turning the heating up, the volume down, the telly on and a big domino's pizza does the trick.

he could just have bad hangovers or he could think people were laughing at him, just two possibilities.

Victor

Alcohol is a depressant. It can also radically affect other drugs - supressing or exaggerating them.

Irish-style binge drinking is the behavior of an alcoholic, people just don't recognise it because we are so used to it.

Also going from the high of a night out to the after-effects of hang-over, aloneness, anti-climax - certain to contribute to a feeling of "down".

Given that it has gone on this long, maybe its something he should raise with his GP. I'm not saying he is depressed or is an alcoholic, but the symptoms are enough to have a professional chat about it.

---

Keep in contact with your friend and let him know that you are there to talk to. No need to be touchy-feely, but letting him know that you (not wishing to make this about you) aren't invincible either might make it a lot easier for him to open up.

Blub2k4

Alcohol is a depressant as already said, if someone is regularly suffering from this after drinking they shoud give up.

Maybe he got caught out in RIO when drunk by a chick with a dick, very common there and maybe why he wont talk about it, a bit of a Begby moment possibly.

Zulu

Yup, depression and the heebie-geebies, par for the course on a Sunday.

eirebhoy

I get depressed after several days/nights on the drink. I was out Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday night and am only really getting back to normal now. It was mainly because of a few events over the weekend including the all important Ireland match but it'll be the last time I do that for a good while (hopefully forever but can't promise that).

WhiteWashMan

drink more water during the day, and especially when you get home after session.

Zulu

WhiteWashMan wrote:

...and especially when you get home after session.

Ahh that old gem. The problem the WWM is that, the nights I really need water before I go to bed, are the same nights I can just about find my bed, nevermind remember to drink water.

LegacyUser

Draupnir wrote:

I get that type of depression myself a lot and I think its for the following reason:

A few times in the past, maybe about 5, I have been so hammered that I have lost the plot with my mates over stupid little things and ended up in arguments and sometimes scraps with them. Purely because I was drunk and being a dick.

Now I find, that whenever I wake up the day after being drunk, I have this terrible fear that I have done something stupid and that people are pissed off at me. It puts me into a really depressed state and worries me like hell until I can clear everything up.

Since this started happening, I have cut back considerably on the old binge drinking, it just doesnt do you any favours.

Maybe he has the same problem, maybe he doesnt remember what went on and is worried he did something stupid.

The other side of the coin, is just that alcohol can be a depressant and some people just arent supposed to consume huge amounts.

Happened to me a few times also. Its not the amount of drink either. One time in particular I was having a great time and on the way home it just hit me! I had only had about 4 pints on shandy, split up over the night!! Started to feel the effects of it, not drunk by any means, but my mood changed with the click of fingers. Ended up having a REALLY stupid arguement with someone and storming off!! Not rational at all.

WhiteWashMan

Zulu wrote:

Ahh that old gem. The problem the WWM is that, the nights I really need water before I go to bed, are the same nights I can just about find my bed, nevermind remember to drink water.

well there is that, but it will save you a world of pain and a terrible depression.
but even just keeping hydrated during the day can make a huge difference in your life, with regards tiredness etc.

ando

Victor wrote:

Alcohol is a depressant. It can also radically affect other drugs - supressing or exaggerating them.

Irish-style binge drinking is the behavior of an alcoholic, people just don't recognise it because we are so used to it.

Also going from the high of a night out to the after-effects of hang-over, aloneness, anti-climax - certain to contribute to a feeling of "down"

good post victor. I agree with you on the Irish just think its normal to binge drink. I was out a few nights ago and decided to go easy (IE, less than 4 pints) but got looked at like there was something wrong with me

I also get that depressing feeling after a night out, but isn't that just part and parcel of experiencing the hangover?? maybe your friend should just take it easy on the drink and do not feel like he has to drink loads

Sifo

OP

I usually feel the same after a heavy night of drinking, and ive come to the conclusion that you gotta take the good with the bad... i usually promise myself that i wont contemplate my life before 12 noon on a Monday!! silly but it works for me...

Rotide

As has been said already, Alcohol is a depressant. If your prone to depression, you ARE going to feel down for a period of time after 'abusing' alcohol, Usually a day or two. but it varies from person to person

Zillah

Hmm,

A lot of people don't like nightclubs or any of that loud buzzing town atmosphere. Personally sometimes the idea of going into a nightclub makes me feel sick. Other times I really like it. Maybe your mate is the kind that will just go along with his mates are doing and maybe doesn't even realise he's not really enjoying himself. After a whole night of that he might feel like crap.

Its happened me a few times that if I force myself to go out for a friends birthday or going away party or whatever I end up feeling like crap, like I almost feel like im faking or something. So yeah, enough about me, maybe he's similar but doesn't realise it.

LegacyUser

OP.... Are you sure its just alcohol thats bothering him.. I know people who take drugs (particularly E) at the weekend and usually end up feeling depressed for days and weeks afterwards from a temporary decrease of seratonin (think iv spelled it right) being produced in the brain, Iv personally never heard of anybody being depressed for more than a day from alcohol after the initial headache and upset stomach and thats usually nothing the old plop plop fizzzzzzzzz can't sort out.. unless they've made and arse of themselves but according to yourself he doesnt seem to do this... Just a thought....

White Rabbit

Alcohol is a depressant as viewed physiologically.
Depressant means that it closes receptors in the brain, what you would commonly know as "anti-depressants" do the the same thing.

Now that that's cleared up I can say that sometimes, after a rake of beers the night before I can get "the fear". Basically worried that I did something stupid, this continues until I have a good hard think for an hour or so. Cutting down then amount I drank stopped this and had a positive affect on scoring ratio's.