The Chicken or The Egg: Does Depression Cause Addiction?
October 14, 2022
Informational,Uncategorized
How can depression lead to addiction?
Is addiction caused by depression? This question mimics “which came first: the chicken or the egg?”. While everyone may have a different answer, one thing is certain – depression can lead to addiction. As is human nature, we try to cope with depression in any way we feel comfortable. Unfortunately, some of these ways involve substance abuse.
Depression attacks our sense of self-worth. As a result, we want to regain control of our lives and oftentimes this leads to alcohol abuse and drug addiction. Painkiller addiction also occurs, as depression sometimes takes away our ability to “feel”.
In today’s hectic world, there is a multitude of things that can make anyone feel depressed. Aside from watching the news for any length of time, depression for most people begins on a much more personal level. The loss of a job resulting in financial woes or even the death of a loved one can make people feel isolated and detached from society.
Common signs of depression include:
- Feeling sad, lost, or hopeless
- Sleeping too much or too little
- Energy loss and increased exhaustion
- Lack of interest in activities once enjoyed
- Suicidal thoughts
According to the 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, an estimated 21 million adults suffered from a major depressive episode. Despite the study being a few years old, it stands to reason that the number of adults dealing with depression has risen.
What Is Dual Diagnosis?
Co-morbidity, or simply dual diagnosis, is a condition in which individuals suffer from a mental disorder (in this case depression) and substance abuse. Since dual diagnosis involves two conditions, each condition must be treated in order to complete the recovery process.
Find Out How Vanity Wellness Can Help
Dual diagnosis treatment can be tough to defeat, as one must overcome both the mental illness in conjunction with substance abuse itself. At Vanity Wellness, addiction recovery is our specialty, and we provide numerous solutions to dual diagnosis.
We give a detailed diagnosis where we can treat each patient individually, as we recognize no one patient is the same. Therefore, our psychiatry services are personalized and can get to the underlying cause of both depression and addiction. Specialists and licensed staff lead support groups where we can share our experiences with one another and learn from them.
Behavioral therapies, such as yoga, can help clear the mind of any lingering distractions that could contribute to depression. In fact, a licensed yoga instructor will guide you every step of the way, helping you achieve that inner peace. Depression regularly makes us feel as if we are trapped inside a tiny shell. Vanity’s community services and events will help you break free from that shell.
Relapse is a major roadblock in the path to recovery. Here, we identify the triggers of depression and addiction and provide strong, positive coping skills rather than destructive, negative ones. Vanity Wellness Center will equip you with all the tools needed in order to regain that once-lost feeling of self-worth, so you don’t have to wonder if the chicken or the egg came first.