Dutch courage is a myth: Alcohol linked to anxiety

Source: the drinks business

by Steven Green

4th July, 2016

The old adage of taking a swig of Dutch courage has turned out to be a fallacy as research shows that alcohol is linked to anxiety.

Self-medicating with alcohol is both frequent and encouraged in a number of social situations, but according to a report in the New York Daily News it could be doing you more harm than good.

A study led by the University of North Carolina School of Medicine says that though alcohol will give off a relaxing effect at first due to its sedative-like qualities, it can change the serotonin levels in the human brain, thus leaving you worse off in the long run.

A resulting hangover from over indulgence can also make the anxiety linger as blood sugar levels drop.

The long-term effect could cause drinkers to fall into a deeper pit of despair as some may continue to drink to deal with their anxieties when in fact it is only serving to make it worse.