Binge Drinking in Retirement Tied to More Depressive Symptoms

FRIDAY, Jan. 17, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Heavy alcohol use is associated with depression among U.S. retirees, according to a study published online Jan. 10 in Aging & Mental Health.

Antonia Diaz-Valdes, Ph.D., M.S.W., from Universidad Mayor Chile in Santiago, and colleagues used data from the Health and Retirement Study (waves 1994 to 2020; 193,642 individuals aged 50 years and older) to examine the mediating role of alcohol use on depression.

The researchers found that retirement was significantly associated with increased depressive symptoms (b = 0.04), while moderate alcohol use was significantly associated with decreased depressive symptoms (b = −0.09). Binge drinking, on the other hand, was significantly associated with increased depressive symptoms (b = 0.06). Alcohol mediated the association between retirement and depressive symptoms, with moderate alcohol use serving as a protective factor.

“Drinking alcohol increases the risk of falls and other injuries and can lead to dependency — and the poor health that typically comes with it,” Diaz-Valdes said in a statement. “It is vital that older adults are screened for depression and that the amount of alcohol they drink is assessed. There is no doubt that adjusting to retirement can be difficult for some, but turning to alcohol is not the answer. We must find — and provide — healthier alternatives.”

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