Depression and Alcoholism: A Horrific Combination

College. Most would describe it as the most fun time in their young adult lives. There's the school work, making new friends, joining Greek life or other university organizations, and, of course, the parties. It's no secret that one of the "essentials" to party throwing and/or party going is the alcohol. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, "60% of college students ages 18-22 drank alcohol in the past month" (Check out this college drinking fact sheet for more).

For some college students, however, the drinking they participate in can make the mental health problems they struggle with a lot worse. According to Healthline, "44% of college students report having symptoms of depression." When someone who suffers from depression adds alcohol to the mix, it will only amplify the symptoms of their illness. 

Recently, I've read The Liar's Club, a memoir by Mary Karr, in my Women in Literature studies. In the tale of her childhood, Mary Karr writes about growing up in east Texas. Karr and her older sister were stubborn and tough kids who weren't afraid to get into a fist fight and really had no filter no matter who they were talking to. Their father was a working man and their mother was an artist. Both of their parents were heavy drinkers and their mother, Charlie struggled with mental health issues. Karr and her sister basically raised themselves, especially when their parents separated for a long while. Karr tells of the good times and the bad, and she tells it with an honesty that is hard not to admire.

Although Mary's mother, Charlie, was not a college student, she turned to alcohol in the midst of her depression and makes it clear to us that depression and alcohol are a horrific combination.

After her own mother died, Charlie turned to alcohol. It seems as if she was always drunk no matter what time of day. In one instance, Charlie took her daughters' clothes and toys and burned them in the back yard. The girls finally went back to their room that had been torn apart and soon saw their mother standing in the doorway with a knife, hallucinating that she had stabbed them to death. I realize that this is a very extreme situation,  but it still sets an example of what mixing depression and alcohol can do to you.

Charlie went on drinking and drinking and drinking some more all throughout the girls' childhoods. The way she drank alcohol like water reminded me of the stories I've heard about my peers day drinking and taking shots before class. In my opinion, these aren't normal things to do.

In The Liar's Club, it shocked me that no one ever tried to stop Charlie's alcohol abuse or even really said anything about it beyond acknowledging it existed. In my opinion, her loved one's lack of intervention just allowed the problem to go on a lot longer than it should have. If you realize someone you know is showing these signs of alcohol abuse, it is important to speak up:

• Alcohol consumption interferes with work, school, or other activities
• Memory loss
• Drinking even when there are conditions (such as mental illness) that will be worsened by alcohol consumption

College is the time and place to have fun and discover who you are. Struggling with a mental illness is not easy and can take the fun out of a lot of things. Alcohol is not a solution, but there are a lot of places where you can get the support you need. For example, at the University of Louisville, Campus Health Services offers confidential psychiatric services at no-charge to any student enrolled (for more information click here).

In The Liar's Club, anyone who had a mental illness was just classified as "nervous". My advice to you? Don't be like the people in that book. Take the time to educate yourself and know the signs and symptoms of depression and alcohol abuse. You could save a life.