‘Alcohol has no place in healing of depression — it can’t make you happy’

Deji Osasiene, popular motivational speaker and medical doctor, says engaging in alcohol drinking would only worsen depression contrary to the thinking that it could help to suppress it.

Osasiene, popularly known as ‘Dr Osas’, made the assertion in an interview with NAN on the sidelines of the International Drink Festival in Lagos.

He was one of the lead speakers and discussants at the festival which ended on Sunday.

Osas told NAN that it was an abuse for anyone to think that indulging in alcohol could be an escape route to depression.

“It is such an erroneous belief when people think that drinking can solve depression. Medically, it is wrong because alcohol has no place in the healing of depression,” he said

“On the social aspect of it, alcohol cannot make anybody happy. The essence of drinking should be based on when someone is happy and not when he is sad.

“It has been medically proven that those that indulge in alcohol during depression sends unwanted signals to the brain thereby their brain may be configured and make them addicts.

“The research is not on the basis of religion, but a fact medically proven. This is because our body needs certain level of alcohol, but it should be taken moderately.”

Osas said drinks could only compliment happiness and not fight depression or psychological breakdown.

“Drinks should be enjoyed when one is happy and could only be expressed in happiness and not while someone is depressed.

“When someone indulges in alcohol when depressed, the person would have sent signals to the brain of what he wants the alcohol to do in his body, there and then he looks sober.

“However, the soberness does not translate to the person getting out of depression, instead, the brain gets addicted and could lead to suicide which has been the case most times.”