TREATING DEPRESSION

Depression and Addiction Treatment.

Addiction and depression are often paired together because substances are used to remove or mask feelings of depression, but they can also be the further cause of depression. The combination of depression and substance abuse can be overwhelming and create a sense of hopelessness.

There are many methods for treating depression and the addictions that commonly occur with it. At Project Surrender, we offer a wide variety of dynamic treatments that help to target every aspect of both addiction and depression from the physical to emotional and everything in between. Our mission is to bring a combination of complementing treatments together to help identify emotional blockages and feelings to ease our needs for substance abuse. Depression therapy is not a one-size-fits-all type of treatment, but rather a customized treatment plan that targets the particular needs of the individual and underlying causes of their addictions.

Through a series of studies on alcohol and drug addiction, it is thought that 20% of people with drug and alcohol addiction suffer from depression.

What is depression?

Chronic depression is a mental health issue that completely clouds the mind. Feelings of depression can negatively impact everything in our lives, from our family dynamic, relationships, friendships, and our ability to enjoy the world around us. It isolates us and distorts our perception.

From a clinical standpoint, depression involves a loss of interest in things normally found interesting, and overwhelming feelings of sadness that can affect the emotional and physical well-being of an individual; it can often be the result of a chemical imbalance in the brain. If you have experienced depression, you know it can make life difficult to cope with.

Who is affected by depression?

Depression can affect children as young as age five, but mostly affects people ages 14 and up. As we grow older, life brings different series of obstacles our way.

Some seem to have little difficulty in dealing with and adapting to these new dynamics. Those with depression have difficulty moving through these episodes and can incur physical and mental health issues because of their inability to find healthy alternative ways to cope.

Frequently, depression affects those who have had difficulty with unemployment, family issues at home or relationship troubles, and who were predominantly in minority groups.

Linking Depression and Addiction.

Ultimately many ways exist in how addition and depression coincide. Self-medicating is one way in which people attempt to mitigate symptoms of depression, particularly with alcohol.

Some of the following are underlying causes as to why depression and addiction may occur:

Environmental factors such as where a person lives or the type of people surrounding the individual.
Chemical imbalances in the brain can impact a person’s susceptibility to depression or addiction.
Underlying genetic factors within a family history.

Drug and alcohol use seem to make mental health issues worse over time, rather than better. A person may initially feel better after drinking a few glasses of wine but the initial amount will not be enough over time and can lead to dependence. Many people experience depressive symptoms shortly following drug or alcohol use which builds a routine of substance use to feel better.

Substance abuse can be difficult to understand as it happens for many reasons. Through understanding how drug addiction and depression go hand-in-hand we can learn how to better support loved ones who are struggling.

We begin our dual diagnosis treatment for depression and substance abuse at Project Surrender with individual counseling so that we can gauge the best methods of treatment for the individual and our clinical psychologist can diagnose signs of depression and addiction. Using treatment best practices like Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and other evidence-based psychotherapy, we help patients manage their depression while tackling their addiction challenges.