beauty

Why alcohol is not the answer if you reach breaking point in your life.

Image via Getty.

It’s no secret that Delta Goodrem has had her fair share of online haters in recent years. Speaking with Sunday Style recently, the singer revealed that it used to take a big toll on her.

“You have to break — you have to drink too much and sit there and go, ‘What’s wrong with me?’ I had to reassess everything [and ask], ‘What do I need to do within myself to change everything?'” she told Sunday Style magazine.

“The suppressed sides of people come out when they drink, right? I’m a little lover; kissing everyone, snuggling everyone. My space invader and one-with-nature comes out. My friends know the drill: time to get her out.” (Post continues after gallery.)

Delta on Instagram.

Via @DeltaGoodrem
Via @DeltaGoodrem
Via @DeltaGoodrem
Via @DeltaGoodrem
Via @DeltaGoodrem
Via @DeltaGoodrem
Via @DeltaGoodrem
Via @DeltaGoodrem
Via @DeltaGoodrem
Via @DeltaGoodrem
Via @DeltaGoodrem
Via @DeltaGoodrem
Via @DeltaGoodrem

Michael Baigent is a psychiatrist and addiction medicine specialist, and a board director at Beyond Blue, and he believes that using alcohol to deal with an issue is never the best approach.

“The difficulty is that alcohol has a rewarding effect, it makes you feel good and takes your mind off things and briefly improves your mood,” he explains.

“But the other side effect is that, on balance, over time, it will cause your mood to deteriorate and it can actually result in heightened anxiety and depression.”

"You have to break — you have to drink too much and sit there and go, ‘What’s wrong with me?’" (Image via Instagram/@deltagoodrem.)

 

We're certain that Delta didn't intend for her comments to be interpreted as "alcohol is the answer to your problems", or that her method could work for anyone else but her, but they could be misinterpreted in that way.

According to Baigent, those who have reached "breaking point" will find that alcohol only makes matters worse.

“Alcohol can make other treatments less effective. If you have extreme symptoms, medication can be less effective and anxiety can become much worse. If you’e drinking alcohol regularly, it can become rewarding and then can become habitual, making anxiety that much worse," Baigent explains.

We're pretty sure Delta didn't intend for her comments to be interpreted as alcohol is the answer to your problems when you hit rock bottom, but they can be easily misinterpreted. (Image via Instagram/@deltagoodrem.)

 

If you're facing a hard situation and aren't sure how to tackle it, know that self-medicating is not the answer.

"There are solutions and ways to manage anxiety and depression and alcohol is not one of them. It's a common thing and there's nothing wrong with drinking a small amount for pleasure, however when you are drinking it as a way to treat your feelings, you’re putting yourself at risk,” Baigent says.

You can visit the BeyondBlue website for helpful ways to treat anxiety and depression, and visit your GP to see what kind of treatment will be most helpful for you.

Mental Health Services

Beyond BlueServices: Beyond Blue offers immediate support services through a help line, online web chats and email. They also offer information on mental health conditions for both people who are affected by them, as well as their families and friends. Help line: 1300 22 4636 Website: www.beyondblue.org.au
HeadspaceServices: Headspace is the National Youth Mental Health Foundation. If you're 12-25, you can get health advice, support and information from headspace. Headspace has more than 70 centres across Australia. Website: www.headspace.org.au
Better Health Channel
Black Dog InstituteServices: The Black Dog Institute is dedicated to improving the lives of people affected by mood disorders through their high quality translational research, clinical expertise and national education programs. Phone: (02) 9382 2991 Website: www.blackdoginstitute.org.au
LifelineServices: Lifeline offers 24/7 crisis support and suicide prevention services. You can contact Lifeline through their help line and through an online chat service. Help line: 13 11 14 Website: www.lifeline.org.au
Sane AustraliaServices: Sane offers people affected by mental illness with support training and education. Their award-winning educational resources include guidebooks and ebooks, fact sheets, podcasts, videos, guidelines for health professionals, and magazine 'SANE News'. Help line: 1800 18 7263 Website: www.sane.org
The Butterfly Foundation

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