Why do we get “alcohol blues”?

After a night of too much drinking, it’s best to anticipate your physical and mental performance the next day as impaired. Whether we use alcohol to celebrate moments of cherished joy, or as a way to cope through dark times, drinking too much hurts us physically and mentally. Suffering from a hangover is an inescapable consequence of drinking too much, serving as a warning sign of alcohol abuse’s dire consequences.

We’re looking at what causes the sense of unhappiness and discomfort that is sadly bundled together with the hangover that follows a session of heavy drinking.

How do we define alcohol blues?

Alcohol blues is a colloquial and modern phrase used to describe the pervasive sense of sadness in a hangover. A hangover is defined as the after-effects that follow a session of too much alcohol. Hangovers force the body into a host of negative physical symptoms while it cleanses itself of alcohol.

There’s an interesting bit of history in the phrase “the blues,” itself. The etymological root of the blues is a 19th-century English reference to blue devils, a name for the hallucinations people at the time experienced while going through severe alcohol withdrawal.

What people felt from experiencing blue devils was later shortened to just “the blues,” which describes a general air of depression and sadness. The blues was then used as a moniker for the genre of melancholic music we all know today from early 20th century America.

Having “the blues” is now synonymous with any person going through a period of sadness or depression.

We’re getting into what causes hangovers and the sense of deep blue-ness that excessive drinking causes.

What are the symptoms of alcohol blues?

The intensity of alcohol blues is relative to the amount of alcohol a person drinks the night before (or longer). In general, drinking more leads to stronger symptoms the following day. The effects are similar to the symptoms of alcohol abuse. The list isn’t short; with one study even classifying up to 47 symptoms in one instance of a hangover. Some of the most common hangover symptoms include:

• Dehydration (resulting in sharp headaches)
• Upset stomach and inflammation
• Nausea and sickness
• Disrupted sleep and fatigue
• Mini-withdrawal
• Photosensitivity
• Muscle pain

What are the leading causes of alcohol blues?

To identify what leads a person to experience alcohol blues, it helps to separate the symptoms into two general categories, which are physical and mental.

Dehydration is one of the forefront physical symptoms as you wake up hungover. This is because alcohol is a diuretic, meaning it causes the body to remove fluids from the blood through the renal system. Other physical symptoms like stomach upsets are caused by alcohol directly irritating the lining of the stomach and forcing it to release acid.

When contemplating the mental or psychological causes of alcohol blues, things get more complicated. Alcohol is classed as a depressant; the more you drink it, the more it slows the transmission of brain signals to the body. Alcohol is known to increase dopamine and serotonin in the body, resulting in fleeting “happiness” while drunk. Regular drinking means irregular shifts in the body’s natural ability to regulate what makes us happy.

In the past, “the blues” was an expression for meeting metaphorical blue devils. The psychological depth of the expression may be as deep and mystifying as our relationship with alcohol itself.

Is there a way to manage hangover blues?

After a night of heavy drinking, most people wake up in a state of unpleasant disorientation. Their thoughts race quickly to register the pain in their head, and they scramble to figure out where the nearest source of water is to chase down paracetamol. They might then ask themselves, “How do I manage this?”

Alcohol suppresses the release of a hormone called vasopressin, which the brain uses to tell the kidneys to retain water, both as you drink and afterwards. Immediate hydration quenches severe thirst felt while hungover.

For a person experiencing alcohol blues, there are often unpleasant feelings in the mind, as well as in the body. Most people feel depressed and anxious in the first few hours after waking up. There are small, mindful actions you can take that may help reduce your stress, like taking a shower and creating a to-do list for the day. Mindful actions often lead to thoughtful results.

The truth is that the only surefire way to avoid a hangover and alcohol effects (including alcohol blues) is not to drink at all.

How long does the feeling of alcohol blues last?

A hangover’s length and severity are related to the amount of alcohol in your bloodstream when you have your last drink. The physical symptoms of alcohol blues can last up to 24 hours, sometimes beyond.

On average, an adult’s liver processes one unit of alcohol in one hour, so if you drank an excessive amount, let’s say 20 units, it would take approximately 20 hours after finishing drinking for the liver to clear it out. This general timeframe is only related to one side of alcohol blues; the physical side.

The duration of the mental aspects of alcohol blues is multifaceted and can be dependent on your day-to-day life, your mood and your current state of mind.

Alcohol blues’ impact on mental health

Psychologically, there is no quantifiable method to measure the duration of alcohol blues.

One point to consider is that during a hangover, your attention span, decision-making and muscle coordination abilities can all be impaired, often all at once. This means your productivity in whatever you do during the next day suffers.

A feeling of inadequacy and resignation can form during alcohol blues, resulting in giving up on the day’s tasks. The physical impairments of alcohol blues often amplify the negative feelings running through the mind. Following the trail of this physical vs mental battle, this also means a person’s performance at work suffers while hungover.

While suffering, many people call in sick at work, or if they do go in, the company is affected by their “presenteeism”. In fact, an IAS 2019 study estimated an annual cost of around £1.3billion from lost workplace productivity and presenteeism.

These impairments can lead a person to underperform and potentially be laid off from work if the problem persists. This could tear through your confidence and self-assuredness, serving to amplify the permeating sadness felt in the shroud of alcohol blues.

While drinking on a night out, sometimes people feel a pleasant shift in emotions and a loss of impulse control through lowered inhibitions. Alcohol may indeed help you reveal some of your inner, shielded thoughts and emotions, but it’s important to remember that as you drink, the person you become is not necessarily the “real you,” even if you’re convinced it is.

I want “alcohol blues” out of my life

Experiencing alcohol blues can last a day for some people. For those caught in the clutches of alcohol addiction, frequent returns to alcohol abuse place a blue-tint over too many days. If you or someone you know is experiencing alcohol blues too frequently, we’re here to help.

Here at UKAT, we’re renowned for our exceptional treatment centers, covering alcohol abuse and depression. Our staff are trained to help people through detox and rehab, as well as provide support and guidance for your loved ones.

No one needs to suffer alone through alcohol addiction. We’re just one decision away, please contact us to help you return to a happier, alcohol-free life.