Beer lingering affects on mental health

I have begun to notice that alcohol, beer for me, makes me more susceptible to anxiety and depression for many days following consumption. I kinda knew it affected me the following 24 hours but now I believe it could make me susceptible to a down moment days later. After not drinking in January I noticed no significant down moments while dealing with some upsetting things. However, 36oz of beer one Saturday in February 7 days ago I think is allowing some anxiety to surface that I usually work past.

therefore, I have to consider the full effects of a beer and if it’s worth it. I’m better off eating two desserts than enjoying a beer.

I've heard that there's research that backs up what you're saying. I'm glad you didn't drink in January.

There may be some other things that would help with anxiety. I could say more about that if you'd like.

I think it's good that you're aware of what triggers anxiety for you, and that you've been able to make some changes.

I can't drink beer at all. For whatever reason, I experience flu-like symptoms and mood swings for 2 days, even after 1 8 oz glass.
As for eating 2 desserts, (perhaps you were saying that humourously?) - that'd be liable to prevent me from sleeping.
As an aside, I've solved most of my sleeping issues by cutting out or drastically reducing alcoholic beverages and sweets.

@may71 if you have a link to that research I'd like to read about it. If not no worries.

It sounds like trying out a dry January allowed you to compare your mental state when you're abstaining versus when you're drinking. If you're drinking to get drunk, you may just have to consider giving it up, but if you just enjoy the taste/experience/social aspects of beer, it might be worth trying out some non-alcoholic options. The non-alcoholic brewery scene has really been expanding a lot lately and there are actually some excellent brews out there now.

I think it was something presented in a youtube "short", that's all that I can remember. So it made reference to research, but I don't know if it actually named the study.

Many beers that are sold as alchohol-free or non-alcoholic actually contain some alcohol, so they might not be a good option in cases where someone wants to be 100% alcohol free. I think there are some 100% alcohol free beers though.

In the U.S., anything at < 0.5% ABV is classified as non-alcoholic. There are many true 0.0% options, but even if you chugged a six pack of stuff hitting the 0.5% ceiling, that's less alcohol than in a single light beer. Getting even a mild buzz on NA beer isn't a realistic possibility. (Plus, practically speaking, the beauty of NA beer is that, since you aren't drinking to get drunk, you are no longer going for volume anyway and you can just nurse a drink or two and savor it.)

Similarly with poppy seed buns, technically they contain morphine (you can test positive on a drug test, there are documented cases) but the amount is so small you'd have to eat your own weight in buns to feel anything and would probably feel more from the gluten.

I used to drink a LOT. In my 20s I would drink 18 pints on New Year's eve, and regularly polish off 5 cans of Special Brew or the best part of a bottle of jack at least 2 nights a week.

Unfortunately this is good for neither the brain nor the body. Alcohol is basically a poison with a desireable side effect (though personally I hate the feeling of alcohol in my system these days). Your body rebels against it, stops digesting, healing and other things and diverts all available resources to getting the poison flushed out of your system.

Alcohol also increases the effects of GABA and suppresses glutamate. When the alcohol wears off the glutamate rebounds and the GABA receptors suddenly don't know what to do. This is normally why we get hangovers but I believe the effect can last longer. Alcohol is a depressant and really messes up your body's chemistry so it's no wonder this would have effects on brain and mood even days later.

Beer actually makes my nose clam up and I start sneezing, although I'm not allergic to yeast - I think at some point I became allergic to alcohol. Strange how you can go from being a big drinker to really not liking the stuff at all! I drank a bottle of wine and some whisky at Christmas, I still shudder at the memory, haven't touched anything since. I have no idea how people go out and enjoy alcohol now, even though I used to do it myself to excess