Heavy Drinking and Mental Health Problems: Which Comes First?

The comorbidity of heavy alcohol consumption and mental health problems has been theorized to be due to alcohol use, to result from mental illness, or to represent a reciprocal relationship between the two. Investigators examined these interrelationships in 500 untreated heavy drinkers in the U.K. (men, 74%; white, 91%; mean age, 37.6; employed, 57%; mean heavy drinking days, 16/month).

During a 10-year period, participants were interviewed every 2 years about drinking and completed mental health questionnaires; 52% participated in the final assessment. After controlling for multiple confounding variables (demographics, employment, smoking, illicit drug use, and physical health) and considering dynamic changes over time, the researchers foun…