Conditions like bipolar often run parallel to other health problems, leading Lancaster’s experts to explore links to areas including poor mental health and alcohol problems

2020 saw the most significant increase in alcohol-related deaths since records began. Senior Lecturer in Mental Health, Dr Laura Goodwin, is currently investigating alcohol use in people with mental health conditions.

Dr Goodwin, whose previous research proved a link between conditions like depression, anxiety and PTSD with heavy drinking in military veterans, said: “We know that people use alcohol to help cope with mental health problems and that drinking too much can make your mental health worse, but we know less about the future health of people who have both these problems, estimated to be around 1m people in England, who might not be able to access the support and treatments they need.”

Her latest research explores the links between alcohol use, mental health, and ethnicity. By looking at specific ethnic categorisations, including Pakistani, Indian, Black Caribbean, and Black African groups, Dr Goodwin and her team have identified which groups are more likely to drink at harmful levels when experiencing psychological distress.

Dr Goodwin said:

“I’m particularly interested in the lived experience of people with mental health problems who drink heavily and how having both conditions can affect their pathway through support services and recovery.

“Typically, mental health support is a separate service to drug and alcohol units, so people are passed between services with either their mental health or their drinking having a huge impact on the other which isn’t always recognised through this system.”

The team identified ways of improving that first contact between service users and clinicians, recognising the importance of family members and carers who might be in attendance.

Facts & Figures

• A recent clinical trial involving 800 relatives of people with psychosis or bipolar found that using Lancaster University’s REACT toolkit reduced levels of distress and increased levels of well-being over time.

• Lancaster researchers have created recovery-focused therapy to support improved recovery outcomes for people with bipolar. They found that recovery-focused therapy together with usual treatment enhanced personal recovery by over 80%.

• Mental health experts have identified ways of improving first contact between service users with mental health issues and alcoholism, and clinicians, recognising the importance of family members and carers who might be in attendance.

Links

• “It saved my life.”