Siddharth Mallya marks 8 years sober, says OCD drove the change

He also addressed people who told him his journey inspired them, or who said they wished they could quit. “If you want anything bad enough, trust me, you will figure out a way to do it, and you have the strength to make whatever changes you want,” he said. He acknowledged the difficulty, adding that he is “not a superhero.”

Medical research backs the link between alcohol and anxiety. A study published on the National Institutes of Health's PMC platform notes that alcohol can trigger episodes of intense depression or severe anxiety. “Depressed or anxious alcohol-dependent people often believe that they drink to relieve symptoms of sadness or nervousness,” the study states. “Research does not unanimously support the prior existence of severe depressive or anxiety disorders as a usual cause of alcoholism.”

Many people drink for temporary relief from emotional distress. The study explains that while alcohol may create a brief numbing effect, it disrupts the brain's neurotransmitter balance, often worsening underlying mood and anxiety disorders over time. The greater the alcohol intake, the more likely a person will develop temporary anxiety and depressive symptoms, which intensify as consumption increases.

Mallya has used his platform to speak about mental health since quitting alcohol. This week's post was his latest public milestone on that journey.