Depression and Addiction

Causes, Symptoms, and Best Treatment Options

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Clinical depression is a serious mental illness affecting 350 million people worldwide. Within the US, experts estimate that 8% or over 21 million Americans aged 12 and above suffer from several major depressive disorders.

Depression alone is responsible for over 850,000 deaths every year. Paired with substance use disorder (SUD), another major mental health disorder causing hundreds of thousands of deaths annually, you get a deadly combination that requires immediate medical attention.

If you or any of your loved ones suffer from these co-occurring disorders, seeking professional help is the best decision you can make. With expert healthcare providers, evidence-based treatment programs, and holistic social support, you can overcome these illnesses and recover the life you deserve.

That said, understanding your situation is the first step to healing. This post will walk you through everything you must know about depression, its causes, symptoms, how it relates to drug abuse, and the best depression and addiction treatments available.

What Is Depression?

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, depression is a common but serious mood disorder characterized by a persistent feeling of sadness. People with clinical depression often also lose pleasure or interest in activities they typically enjoy for a long time.

Depression

As an illness that primarily affects the brain, depression changes how the individual thinks, feels, and acts. These changes typically lead to physical or psychological issues that can make participating in day-to-day activities difficult.

We all feel sad when we experience stress and hardships, which may make us feel down for a few days. However, depression is different in that it negatively impacts all aspects of life, from a person’s career, family relationships, and community.

You can’t “snap out” of depression like your everyday mood shifts. Depending on its severity, your lifestyle, and whether you receive prompt treatment, depression can last between a few weeks to several years.

Depression can happen to virtually anyone, regardless of race, age, or gender. According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 5% of the world’s “adults” suffer or will suffer from depressive episodes, with women more highly susceptible than men.

Causes of Depression

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) of the American Psychiatric Association identifies eight types of depression, including major depression, dysthymia, seasonal affective disorder (SAD), and atypical depression. 

While their exact causes remain elusive, experts recognize several primary contributors to their development.

  • Brain chemistry: Imbalances in your brain’s neurotransmitters, particularly dopamine and serotonin, could trigger depression. Dopamine is a hormone that affects your emotions and behaviors, particularly feelings of pleasure, motivation, and satisfaction. Serotonin, on the other hand, controls your mood, sleep schedule, pain management, and sexual desire. A lack or an imbalance in these crucial hormones is thought to contribute to depression.
  • Family history: Your family history is another factor many mental health professionals associate with depression. If someone in your family, especially your parents or siblings, has had depressive episodes, you’re more likely to develop the same mental condition. Some experts attribute these instances to having the same genetic makeup. That said, you can still contract depression without a family history of it.
  • Unresolved trauma: Past traumatic experiences are often the origin of many mental health conditions, such as depression. Life-threatening events, the death of a loved one, losing a job, falling out of relationships, and other difficult and stressful scenarios can trigger this mental illness. It’s even more likely to occur if someone attempts to deal with the problems without friends or family members to support them.
  • Medical conditions: People suffering from chronic medical conditions are more likely to develop depression and other serious mental disorders. Examples of these chronic illnesses include cancer, diabetes, epilepsy, heart disease, autoimmune conditions, HIV/AIDS, hyperthyroidism, and bipolar disorder. A severe head injury is also likely to cause mood swings and emotional symptoms akin to depression.
  • Prescription medications: Besides illness or trauma, depression may also be a side effect of prescription drug use. In fact, in a 2018 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, they found that over a third of America’s adult population regularly takes prescription medication that could induce depression or suicidal ideation. These medications include beta-blockers, corticosteroids, and benzodiazepines.
  • Pregnancy or giving birth: Bringing forth a child is a sensitive event in a woman’s life that causes dramatic changes in their hormones. A drop in estrogen and progesterone may become a risk factor for postpartum depression. Other hormonal shifts could also induce depressive symptoms, such as feeling tired, sluggish, and sad.

Symptoms of Depression

Depression symptoms may vary for everyone. However, if you fear that you or anyone close to you could be suffering from depression, here are some common signs you should watch out for:

  • Feeling lonely, sad, or hopeless
  • Noticeable changes in eating habits
  • Loss of interest in activities or hobbies they used to love
  • Intense mood swings
  • Irritability and frustration over seemingly small affairs
  • Low self-worth and feelings of excessive guilt
  • Having low energy and feeling tired for extended periods
  • Difficulty sleeping or sleeping too much
  • Stomachache, headache, and lowered sex drive
  • Ideas of self-harm and suicide

The Link Between Depression and Substance Abuse

Research demonstrates a clear connection between drug use and mood disorders like depression. They affect each other in complicated ways that exacerbate the symptoms of both conditions, doubling the health risks they pose.

People with depression have an increased risk of a dual diagnosis, particularly with substance use disorders, as per the American Addiction Centers. Their data indicates that more than a third of clinically depressed individuals engage in illicit drug use.

Clinicians found a strong correlation between alcohol dependence and depressive disorders as well. In a study about alcohol use disorder (AUD), the researchers discovered that over 20% of the 43,093 adult respondents suffer from a comorbid major depressive disorder.

But why is that the case?

Well, depression can drive people with depression to substance use to cope with their symptoms. They do it as a way to self-medicate, soothing the intense feelings of loneliness, hopelessness, and despair through opioid intoxication.

Other studies have also shown a great deal of connection between the brain areas where addiction and depression interact. Both conditions seem to stem from issues that involve similar brain pathways and chemicals, and they both relate to family history and traumatic experiences.

Treatment For Co-occurring Depression and Substance Abuse

Fortunately, depression and addiction are treatable conditions. Modern centers provide an array of evidence-based treatment approaches to help address their co-occurring symptoms.

Psychotherapy

Talk therapy is a powerful and effective approach to managing depression. Depending on your treatment provider, you may receive the following psychotherapeutic interventions:

  • Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): CBT is one of the most widely used psychotherapies for treating a wide array of mental health conditions. It focuses on addressing dysfunctional thoughts and behaviors that trigger the person’s depressive episodes. Most importantly, CBT teaches practical and life-long coping skills for both depression and substance abuse.
  • Interpersonal therapy (IPT): IPT is a short-term yet effective treatment for depression in children and adolescents. Unlike CBT, IPT focuses on the patient’s interpersonal relationships and how they contribute to the development and healing of depression. It aims to reduce depressive symptoms and teach social adjustment skills to the patient.
  • Mindfulness-based cognitive-behavioral therapy (MBCBT): MBCBT is designed to prevent and eliminate recurrent depressive episodes. It’s based on traditional forms of CBT but incorporates meditation and mindfulness. MBCBT helps the SUD patient break free from destructive thinking patterns causing depressive symptoms to emerge.

Supervised Medication

Besides talk therapy, your treatment provider may prescribe antidepressants for symptom management. Some of these medications can include:

  • Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs): These are drugs that alleviate depression symptoms. They increase your brain’s serotonin levels which help you feel more focused, calmer, and emotionally stable. Some examples of SSRI medications are Sertraline (Zoloft), Fluoxetine (Prozac), and Citalopram (Celexa).
  • Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs): MAOIs are a potent class of antidepressants targeting your brain’s neurotransmitters. These drugs keep you emotionally stable by increasing your body’s mood stabilizers, specifically dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine. However, they aren’t used often due to their potency and side effects.
  • Opioid substitution therapy: Clinicians may utilize substitution therapy to deal with a patient’s withdrawal symptoms while healing. This approach uses milder versions of the substance to block their usual effect on the brain. By alleviating withdrawal symptoms, the therapy reduces relapse and increases the chances of a successful recovery.

Final Thoughts: Getting Help

Co-occurring depression and addiction is a serious condition that puts your life at risk. They’re not the kind of diseases you can get rid of alone and without professional help.

If you or someone you know suffers from comorbid depression and substance use disorders, don’t hesitate to contact Live Free Recovery Services. Offering the best inpatient/outpatient treatment programs and facilities for co-occurring conditions, we can help you get back on track.

Start your healing journey today!

References

Published on: 2024-09-09
Updated on: 2024-12-10


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