Adolescents who show signs of alcohol dependence are more likely to develop depression by their mid-20s, according to a new study by University College London and the University of Bristol.
The research found that drinking large amounts of alcohol regularly, but with no signs of dependency, did not predict the risk of depression.
The study, published in The Lancet Psychiatry, looked at the association between alcohol consumption and signs of problematic drinking, or dependence, at the age of 18, and depression six years later at the age of 24.
The study involved 3902 participants of the Children of the 90’s birth cohort study (Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children – ALSPAC), a longitudinal cohort of parents and their children born in South West England in 1991 and 1992, who have been surveyed at regular intervals.
Signs of alcohol dependence include an inability to stop drinking, failure to meet normal expectations due to drinking, and feeling a need to drink after a heavy session, as well as harmful effects like memory loss related to drinking.