Alcohol Consumption and the ADHD Brain.
- Dorian Cunion
- Mar 23
- 7 min read
At the end of a long day, it is common to pour a glass of wine, grab a beer, or mix a cocktail. But what if that drink was contributing to your ADHD symptoms? Would you stop drinking? While one beer at the end of a long day might feel harmless, in reality, it could lead to emotional dysregulation and diminished executive function.
Our culture has normalized alcohol consumption through TV programs, movies, commercials, and rituals such as happy hour, wedding toasts, and birthday shots. Throughout our country's history, people have fought prohibition, led protests, and executed revolts for the right to consume alcohol, but if you have ADHD, how frequently have you paused to consider how consuming alcohol impacts your ADHD brain?
Things to Know about Alcohol Consumption and ADHD
Why do Americans drink so much alcohol?
Growing up, I frequently saw my dad come home from work, grab a beer, and watch the news. It was his after-work routine. On the weekends, my dad would hang out with friends, share a bottle or case of beer, watch sports, play cards, or hang out.
Watching adults drink alcohol was a common place as going to church, watching baseball, or eating apple pie. For me, drinking seemed like a right that you gained as you became an adult. Being an alcoholic was discouraged, but being a person who could hold their liquor was always seen as a point of pride.
I began to drink as a teenager, primarily on the weekends and always out of the sight of my parents. I drank 40oz beers with my friends because we saw it in music videos. We believed that was the way to party and relax on the weekends. As I transitioned into college, my drinking became more frequent.
Socially, it was acceptable to drink multiple days a week, and I saw it as something to do when I was bored, or when I wanted to fit in, or when I was looking to disconnect from the stress of college life.
When I entered the workforce, drinking was further normalized. Co-workers would ask me if I wanted to grab a drink after meetings. We talked about our families, our dreams, our goals, and vented about the problems we saw within our company. As I climbed the corporate ladder, I began attending business dinners where I formed relationships with executive leadership, vendors, and customers. These gatherings were the birthplace of future business decisions and career advancement opportunities for me and those I worked with.
Dr. Oz recently described drinking as a social lubricant. Over the course of my life, I can testify to this being true. I have made new friends, built business connections, and advanced my personal and professional agenda over a drink. Some of my best memories are sharing a bottle with my dad, going to a vineyard with my wife, and bar hopping with my adult children.
Why is drinking a problem for people with ADHD
One of the primary impacts that drinking has on you is that it lowers the activity of your central nervous system. As a depressant, alcohol provides short-term relief from anxiety, can cause euphoria, lower inhibitions, and can lessen the weight of emotions. This is part of the reason alcohol is such a great social lubricant. It can make interacting with others easier by causing you to think and feel less.
Thinking and feeling less can provide temporary relief, but it comes with some significant trade-offs that are especially harmful for people with ADHD. How many times have you said or done something you regret after having one too many drinks? You experience social friction for a reason, and the lubrication that alcohol provides can be a double-edged sword causing you to act in ways that are not consistent with your values, or long-term goals.
2 out of 5 people with ADHD developed drinking disorders. Drinking disorders change the way you think, feel, and behave. Researchers do not yet understand the full impact that alcohol has on the ADHD brain, but what they do know is that drinking negatively impacts executive functioning, which is one of the primary challenges of individuals with ADHD. If you struggle with decision-making, time management, or emotional regulation, drinking alcohol is similar to pouring gasoline on a bonfire.
Overindulging in alcohol has been known to cause strained relationships, health issues, and decreased financial security. All of which are consequences that can contribute to greater stress and anxiety. You do not have to be an alcoholic to experience the negative consequences of alcohol consumption. Many negative consequences can come from a single night out drinking. Those consequences can create additional stress and anxiety, which can frequently lead to a cycle of alcohol abuse, especially for individuals with ADHD.
Intentional Consumption
As a lover of beer, wine, and bourbon, I am not an advocate of prohibition. I am a believer that alcohol, when consumed in moderation, can make life more enjoyable. Alcohol, like most things in your life, should be approached with mindfulness. Just as you should be mindful of how much candy you consume and the impact that it has on your health, you should pay attention to the impact that drinking alcohol has on you and use wisdom to guide your drinking habits.
I own an Oura ring, and it has helped me to realize that drinking alcohol impacts my sleep. Especially when I drink late at night. The impact is greater when I have also consumed a large meal. I have noticed that I do not experience as much deep sleep, I am more restless, and wake up feeling less rested.
On a Friday night, when I do not have a lot of high-stakes tasks on Saturday, the negative impacts of late-night eating and drinking are acceptable to me.
I understand that I might not be at my best on Saturday morning, but the benefits of enjoying a bottle of wine with my wife or a beer with my son are worth the energy tax I will pay the next day.
In contrast, if I have a speaking engagement that I know will be both physically and mentally taxing, I know that getting a good night's sleep will help me to show up at my best. With this awareness, I avoid consuming alcohol or at least ensure that I do not have more than two drinks.
My goal is not to be a monk that denies myself the joys of life, but an intentional person who understands the physiological impacts of consuming alcohol and uses that knowledge to guide my decisions. Alcohol is a drug. Your body has to work hard to process it. Consuming alcohol creates a stain on your body that impacts the functions of your organs. This is something not widely talked about or understood, but it is a reality linked to alcohol consumption.
Reducing Alcohol Consumption
One of the more famous quotes about ADHD come from Dr. Russel Barkley is that ADHD is not about knowing what to do, but about doing what one knows. It is easy to say, drink less, and you will be a better version of yourself. The harder task is to break the cycles of habits that cause you to drink. If you are looking to reduce your alcohol consumption, I recommend two actions
1) Avoidance
When it comes to avoidance, consider the following
Don’t keep it in the house
Go to restaurants that do not serve alcohol
Pursue relationships with people who do not drink
2) Redirection
When it comes to redirection, consider the problem alcohol solves for you, and seek alternatives
Feeling stressed: try yoga, sound baths, listening to music, spending time in nature, or aromatherapy. Grounding yourself in your body is one of the best ways to reduce stress
Feeling social anxiety: find people you like and trust to go to events with you. Redefine what success looks like. Practice socializing without alcohol to build your tolerance of engaging with people in public.
Dealing with difficult emotions: try journaling, talking with a friend, working with a mental health therapist, talking with a trusted religious leader
Finding Your Path to Intentionality
Navigating the world with ADHD means constantly looking for ways to improve emotional regulation and executive functioning. While alcohol has deep-seated roots in our social norms and familial traditions, its comes with a physiological tax that those with ADHD often pay at a higher rate.
Choosing to be intentional about alcohol isn't about never having a drink (unless you have know that is what is best for you); it’s about making decisions based on how you need to show up for yourself and the people you care about. By shifting from unthinking drinking to intentional consumption, you position yourself to be at your best when you need to be great.
Key Takeaways for Mindful Living
Awareness: Understand that alcohol is a depressant that can amplify ADHD challenges like emotional dysregulation and poor decision-making.
Context Matters: Assess your schedule. If tomorrow calls for peak performance, today might call for a mocktail instead of bourbon.
Strategic Habits: Use avoidance and redirection to break the "autopilot" of drinking. Replace the post-work beer with a sensory activity that actually grounds your nervous system.
At Your Path Coaching and Consulting, we believe that true empowerment comes from this level of self-awareness. By understanding the "why" behind your habits, you can create a lifestyle that supports your ambitions rather than one that drains your battery.
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