People drink alcohol for many different reasons. Many people who become dependent on alcohol use it as a way of dealing with anxiety and depression. Although it may help you dismiss your problems in the short term, alcohol actually makes anxiety and depression worse. It does this by interacting with chemicals called neurotransmitters in your brain which naturally help you fight depression and anxiety. Social factors, eg the affordability and availability of alcohol, peer pressure and the buying of rounds in groups are also thought to have a role in causing alcohol dependency.
Attribution: BUPA