Feeling down sometimes is regrettably a typical part of life. However, persistent sadness for two or more weeks isn’t normal. This is what doctors label as depression. Namely, depression is a mental disorder that negatively changes your emotions and thoughts. Many believe that depressed moods cause people to drink or use drugs. But did you know the reverse can be true too? Long-term use of certain substances like alcohol, heroin, and opioids can leave you depressed. In fact, the ADAA reported that 20 percent of addicts also have depression. Let’s look into how you can get depression from abuse and what to do if it happens.
Causes of Depression From Abuse
People often start using drugs to get “high” with euphoric happiness. Nonetheless, things can spiral downward fast as the brain’s chemistry changes. Drugs and alcohol affect how chemicals called neurotransmitters are released to nerve cells. For example, cocaine kills the neurotransmitter dopamine that causes pleasure. Thus, people try larger doses in hopes of bringing back the good feelings. Then, a vicious cycle begins as addicts enter the physical dependence stage and make poor choices.
Spending too much on pills or powder can cause depressing financial problems. Similarly, encountering police leads to legal trouble and dreary jail cells. Drugs or alcohol also strain relationships and make you feel alone. To summarize, there are many physical and life changes that drugs introduce that result in depression from abuse.
Recognizing Signs of Depression
Therefore, it’s vital for alcohol or drug users and their loved ones to observe the symptoms of depression from abuse. First, the most apparent sign is lasting unhappiness. People with depression may mope and cry every day. Further, they’ll lose interest in fun hobbies that used to excite them. Staying in the house and perhaps in bed becomes their preference. That’s both because of their melancholy and their growing fatigue. Surprisingly, depression saps your energy and makes you sleep during the day while giving you insomnia at night. Other signs you might need depression treatment are:
- Lack of self-esteem and pride
- Significant weight loss or gain
- Trouble concentrating and thinking
- Anger, irritability, and violence
- Unexplained muscle aches or pain
- Thoughts of death and suicide
Dual Diagnosis Therapy at Serenity House
Treating your addiction and depression at the same time is vital for long-lasting sobriety. In Florida, Serenity House Detox & Recovery is a leading detox center for people with these co-occurring disorders. Simultaneously, our clinical team will guide you through drug or alcohol withdrawal and address depression symptoms. After all, we’re Joint Commission accredited for holistic detox that prepares you for recovery and better mental health. Our menu of high-quality detox therapies includes:
- Group therapy
- Cognitive behavioral therapy
- Dialectical behavior therapy
- Meditation therapy
- Relapse prevention education
- Family therapy
Don’t keep medicating your feelings of gloom and grief with drugs. Treatment is available at Serenity House Detox & Recovery if you’ve developed depression from abuse. Contact us today at 866-294-5306 for detox services to help you quit and heal your hurts.
