[Weekly Diary③] Feeling Bad, So One Drink? ... You Are a Slave to Dopamine

Week 5 of Abstinence
'Pleasure Hormone' Dopamine Temporarily Increases When Drinking Alcohol
The Brain Craves More Alcohol Over Time... Can Lead to Depression
Increase Dopamine with Exercise and Love Instead of Alcohol... Exercise Acts as an Antidepressant

[Asia Economy Reporter Gong Byung-sun] “A drink after work?”

For many office workers, this is an exciting phrase. Because it means they can blow away all the stress of the day with alcohol. When something bad happens at work or personal circumstances make us feel down, we usually turn to alcohol. Drinking makes us feel better and allows us to open up about what’s on our minds more easily.

Looking back at my own drinking days, I think there were many moments when I wasn’t feeling good. I would share my stressful experiences with friends over drinks. Talking about worries while drinking feels more sincere, seems to bring solutions closer, and strengthens the bond with the people you’re drinking with.

Drinking temporarily increases dopamine... but over time, more alcohol is needed

Why do we reach for alcohol when we’re feeling down? The answer lies in the brain. When we drink, dopamine is released in our brain. Dopamine is a type of chemical that transmits excitement between cells. Many people call dopamine the ‘pleasure hormone.’ In other words, drinking temporarily increases dopamine, making us feel good.

However, dopamine only increases temporarily, and humans tend to return to their normal state soon after. That’s why the next day, after sobering up, we regret saying things we didn’t need to say because we were so excited the night before, and feel depressed. The problem is that our body craves stronger stimulation. As dopamine increases, the number of receptors also increases, and we need to provide dopamine to those receptors to feel good. This leads to a situation where more and more alcohol is needed to induce dopamine release.

Thinking about it, I was gradually becoming a slave to dopamine. At first, one 500cc beer was enough to feel good, but at some point, I started mixing soju with the 500cc beer. Sometimes I would drink continuously to feel good. The amount increased over time, and the intervals between drinking got shorter.

It can lead to more severe depression... Let’s exercise and meet people instead of drinking

Image = irastoya.com

This can lead to addiction. Many people in Korea rely on alcohol to the extent that they are receiving treatment for alcohol abuse and dependence. According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s ‘2021 Alcohol Statistics Report,’ in 2019, the medical expenses for mental and behavioral disorders caused by alcohol use in Korea reached approximately 197.9 billion KRW. In 2015, medical expenses were recorded at 224.8 billion KRW, showing that alcohol-related mental illnesses have continuously troubled us.

The problem is that alcohol addiction leads to deeper depression. According to a study titled ‘Factors Affecting Suicidal Ideation in Alcoholics,’ 38.7% of alcoholics have attempted suicide. Drinking also hinders depression treatment. One study found that 51% of depression patients drank excessively enough to interfere with their treatment.

So, what can we do to produce dopamine instead of drinking? The answer is exercise. Various studies have found that exercise increases dopamine. Unlike alcohol, which only temporarily releases dopamine, exercise builds immunity and resilience that help prevent depression and anxiety disorders. That’s why exercise is sometimes compared to an antidepressant. Personally, when I felt like drinking, taking a walk alone for about an hour improved my mood and helped me organize my thoughts.

It might sound cheesy, but love is also an alternative. When we meet someone we love, dopamine flows in our brain. The reason we feel good and focus all our attention on the other person when meeting someone we love is because of our body’s chemicals. It doesn’t have to be a romantic partner; meeting friends and building good relationships also helps alleviate depression, according to research. So, when feeling down, how about exercising and meeting people instead of drinking?