How Are Addiction and Depression Connected?
Addiction, or substance use disorders, are frequently linked with depression in several ways. People with clinical depression often seek relief from their symptoms in alcohol or drugs. This is especially true for people who have not been diagnosed or treated for depression and among people who grew up in families where alcohol or drugs were used as a coping mechanism.
Another major way that addiction and depression are tied is found when a person who is not clinically depressed develops a substance use disorder. Drinking alcohol or using opioids, cocaine, or amphetamines to excess lowers the levels of key neurotransmitters in the brain that help regulate our moods. Using and drinking can help make you depressed.
Finally, there are the consequences and lifestyle changes that come along with drug and alcohol abuse. Whether the changes are intentional or not, the consequences always come sooner or later. People who drink or drug to excess are more likely to expose themselves to violence, sexual assault, or other criminal activity and harm. Even if you aren’t engaged or involved in any of these things directly—you’re more likely to be in proximity to them, which means you may get hit by the blowback anyway.
Addiction and depression are connected in many ways, including:
- People with depression often attempt to self-medicate with alcohol or drugs, inadvertently making their depression worse and adding another challenge to their lives.
- People who may not have depression to begin with may develop it, in part due to changes in brain chemistry over time as neurotransmitters are affected by addiction.
- Lifestyle consequences due to addiction and alcoholism can contribute to situational depression. For example, sexual assault, financial problems, losing custody of children, or failed relationships.
- When a person is diagnosed with both addiction and depression, the secondary condition is said to be a co-occurring disorder. Dual-diagnosis treatment, like the addiction care offered at Redemption Recovery, is designed specifically to treat people with co-occurring disorders.
Why Am I Depressed?
This is a big question, and the answers often differ from person to person. Often, the causes of depression can be complex and multi-layered. For example, a person may have a family history of depression, which gives them a genetic vulnerability. If they then experience the loss of a loved one and begin abusing alcohol to cope, we have three possible contributing causes for depression.
Clinical depression is more than simply being moody or “going through a phase.” Depression becomes a disorder when it persists for more than a couple of weeks, and the symptoms begin interfering with everyday life. Someone who is depressed may lose interest in things they used to enjoy or become withdrawn and isolated. They might struggle to laugh or smile and even avoid physical contact.
The 4 Main Causes of Depression
- Genetics: A family history of depression can increase the likelihood of developing the condition, suggesting a genetic component to the risk.
- Biology: Changes in brain chemistry or structure, hormonal imbalances, and underlying medical conditions can contribute to depression. Drug and alcohol abuse itself can contribute to these changes.
- Experiences: Life events such as trauma, loss, significant stress, and challenging life circumstances are known to trigger depression. Situations and trauma that coincide with addiction can often contribute to the load.
- Psychological Factors: Personality traits, coping mechanisms, and psychological disorders can influence the development and progression of depression.
Depression Co-Occurring with a Substance Use Disorder
When depression and addiction co-occur, it is very important that both conditions receive a careful diagnosis and appropriate treatment. Dual-diagnosis substance use disorder treatment programs, like the renowned Partial Hospitalization Program at Redemption Recovery, are often a vital keystone in the foundation of newly forged recovery.
Undiagnosed and untreated mental health disorders like depression are a leading cause of relapse. Early recovery is challenging enough without the need to contend with depression, anxiety, or other untreated mental health conditions.
Depression without Substance Use
If you’re experiencing depression but you aren’t using alcohol or drugs to cope, then that is some good news. You have one less obstacle to overcome. However, depression treatment is still advisable. If you have experienced depression for more than a couple of weeks, that is reason enough to ask for help. Don’t try and wait it out. Help is available.
More often than not, when a person gets help for depression but does not get the addiction
treatment they need, the depression returns, and things get worse.
Why Dual-Diagnosis Treatment is Critical
The comprehensive dual-diagnosis approach we use at Redemption Recovery addresses mental health concerns and alcohol and drug addiction at the same time. This is by far the most effective way to treat depression that co-occurs with addiction. You can get the best depression treatment available—but if you do not treat any addiction at the same time, it may be all for nothing.
The same is true for addiction treatment. You can get good addiction care, but if it fails to recognize and treat an underlying condition like depression, then it is undermining that person’s chances for lasting sobriety. People with depression who get substance abuse treatment that doesn’t offer sufficient (or any) mental health treatment are more likely to relapse within the first year of sobriety.
The final reason dual-diagnosis care is so important is that people are often unaware of their secondary diagnosis. Many of the people we help with addiction here had never been formally diagnosed with depression before. Learning of their diagnosis and getting treatment for addiction and depression at the same time is a game changer.
Dual-diagnosis treatment is often the key to successful recovery because:
- Treating only addiction or depression in isolation is only half a solution, and that’s barely better than no solution at all. Research shows that people who do this often slide back into depression or addiction, if not both.
- People with an addiction are often unaware they have depression or that depression treatment can do a lot to help them stay sober.
- People with depression are frequently unaware or in denial about the fact they are ‘self-medicating’ and using alcohol or drugs to cope with depression symptoms.
How ‘Self-Medicating’ Can Compound Depression with Addiction
People with depression are sometimes unaware or in denial about having developed a substance use disorder when trying to “self-medicate” their symptoms. This is nothing to be ashamed of. It’s natural to seek relief from the symptoms of depression. Forgive yourself—but be honest about it and ask for the help you need and deserve.
Movies, television, and other media bombard us with conflicting messages. We see our favorite characters in shows like Ray Donovan turning to alcohol or drugs to cope with depression. That, combined with an urge to handle things yourself rather than trouble anyone by asking for help, can lead to people turning to drugs or alcohol to cope.
Dual-Diagnosis Treatment in Ohio at Redemption Recovery
The bottom line is this: There’s no easy way to separate depression and addiction. Anyone who is living with both of these challenges will need help for both together if they expect to stay sober.
The reasons why are easy to understand. Drug and alcohol abuse affects brain chemistry in some pretty profound ways. If you’ve got depression and you drink or use drugs, you might find temporary escape or relief—but you’re worsening the biological conditions behind your depression.
We do more than simply treat addiction and depression here. We help people to better understand themselves and their triggers. We help them replace unhealthy coping mechanisms with powerful tools to sustain long-term recovery.
Redemption Recovery stands ready to help you or your loved one turn the page to a new and brighter chapter in their lives. Our compassionate team of addiction and mental health specialists is here to help — but only you can make the first call.
One phone call can change it all.
Let’s make it happen for you or the one you love. (419) 528-8007
Our Resources
CHECK INSURANCE COVERAGE
