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How depression can encourage your addiction

Young lady in depression


Being in the clutches of depression can feel like a futile battle against an invisible enemy. We might try and fight it by creating and diligently following new, healthy habits.

We might also make extra efforts to invite friends over to share a drink that eases our minds. However, we don’t always recognise the inherent dangers of addictions forming while we are depressed.

Understanding depression

Depression is defined as a mood disorder. To each person, depression can appear and feel very different. It is generally understood as a persistent feeling of sadness, as well as a loss of interest in activities.

The factors that contribute to depression are complex and highly variable. On the surface, it can be difficult to recognise that a person is depressed, yet some research estimates as many as 280 million people suffer from depression around the world.

Various levels and classifications within depression and mood disorders affect people in different ways. Expanding research has classified at least five mood disorders, which include:

1. Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)

This is the most common form of depression, charaterised by sadness and a lack of interest in activities you previously enjoyed. It can contain physical symptoms like fatigue and troubled sleep. MDD is often a co-occurring mental health disorder linked with substance abuse.

2. Persistent Depressive Disorder (Dysthymia)

Persistent depressive disorder, or “dysthymia”, is similar to a major depressive disorder, though its symptoms are often less severe and can linger for two years or more. Long-term symptoms often lead a person to seek relief from overwhelming feelings through substance use, increasing the likelihood of addiction.

3. Bipolar Disorder (formerly known as manic depression)

Bipolar disorder appears as wild mood swings, fraught with manic highs and depressive lows. Cambridge University sees Bipolar Disorders as the “elephant in the room,” as being bipolar can make you 5.8 times more likely to develop a substance use disorder.

4. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

First coined in the 80s, seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a newer classification within mood disorders. SAD affects a significant portion of the population, who have feelings of despair and isolation during darker and colder seasons. For many people suffering, less time is spent socialising and doing outdoor activities, choosing instead to stay at home.

5. Depression Linked to Trauma (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder – PTSD)

PTSD stems from a person experiencing a significantly traumatic event. Painful memories and emotional numbness characterise it, and some research states that half of all individuals seeking substance use treatment also meet the criteria for PTSD.

Research is expanding into other classifications of mood disorders. It is not uncommon for symptoms to cross over or for a person to experience more than one mood disorder. All forms of depression make a person more vulnerable to unhealthy coping mechanisms, including substance use.

For many people, depression is laden with long periods of isolation and introspection. Seeing less of friends and loved ones often increases the likelihood of returning to a substance for stress relief.

Man in depression and drinking alcohol

How depression fuels self-medicating and addiction

People living with depression are more likely to develop substance use disorders than people who aren’t depressed. A co-occurring disorder, also known as dual diagnosis, happens when a person battles a substance use disorder and mental health condition simultaneously.

Having a substance or alcohol addiction can interfere with how you function on a day-to-day basis. This may include your work performance, quality of life, financial stability and your overall health.

Living with depression often feels like a daily battle to do the things you normally do. Without seeking professional support, you might convince yourself that substances are what you need to get by. This is called self-medicating, and research suggests that self-medicating is almost twice as likely to happen when a person is depressed.

Some of the reasons that a depressed person might become motivated to self-medicate can include:

  • Soothing and escaping unwanted emotions: Emotions and memories a person feels with PTSD and MDD can become overwhelming. They might feel bombarded with relentless negative feelings and opt out by chasing the effects of alcohol and other substances.
  • Temporarily lifting their mood: After long periods of sustained depression, it can become more difficult to experience joy, even when something good happens to them. A person might, over time, convince themselves that the only time they feel good is when they’re under the influence of drugs.
  • Helping the onset of sleep: Having depression often goes hand in hand with insomnia. Unbalanced and unhealthy sleep patterns can tear the fabric that holds the next day together. Many people dangerously turn to sedatives to knock themselves out before bed.
  • Boosting up your energy levels: Depression saps energy, draining their mental and physical capacities for the day. Partly, this is due to the lack of sleep. A person’s job, livelihood, or other commitments might make demands on them. A person might feel that using a substance gives them the energy they need to meet the mark.

Having an alcohol or drug addiction and a co-occurring mental health condition is extremely dangerous if left unchecked, so use this list in honest reflection for a better understanding of how your depression relates to substance use.

Warning signs to watch for

It is possible that a person can have depression yet maintain a healthy relationship with alcohol or other substances. That being said, substance use disorders and depression can feed into each other, creating a vicious cycle.

There can be a few signs to watch out for that indicate substance use is dangerously fueling depression. These can include:

  • Anticipating the next intoxication: You might spend a substantial amount of time wondering when the next hit, high, or drunken state is arriving. The event at which you take a substance, like a party or night out, becomes less important than the use of the substance itself.
  • Ignoring negative personal impacts: The day after using alcohol or drugs, you’ve experienced massive impairments in your work performance. You may have felt your relationships with loved ones being affected, making you more agitated and snappier towards those you care about.
  • Relying on the substance: You might have convinced yourself that the only way you can get through an event is to take the substance first. You feel as though your mood and energy levels are dependent on the substance.
  • Feelings of shame or guilt: During a hangover or comedown, or even days after, you associate guilt and shame with taking a substance. You want to stop because you hate feelings afterward, but you can’t stop even when you try.
  • Your outlook during a comedown/hangover: Your outlook on life in the periods after using the substance is becoming more and more bitter. Pessimistic thoughts rule your mind; you’re hopeless of any change coming to you, leading to a constant return to tiredness and exhaustion.

The above signs may appear in variations that are personal to you, but if one or more of them resonate with you, seeking help from mental health professionals will provide support. It is critical that these signs of substance abuse are addressed early and the next steps are taken.

I need help with my addiction

The negative feedback loop between addiction and depression is vicious. As both disorders intensify, you might feel trapped in a dizzying spiral that speeds up the closer you get to the centre. Feeling isolated, you might not know where to turn. This is when we want to reach out to you.

Here at UKAT, we specialise in alcohol detox programmes that help you regain control of your life. Our expert staff are trained to deliver medical, psychological and holistic support, addressing the needs of the body and mind on the road to recovery.

We are only one click or phone call away. Don’t suffer in silence. Reach out to us today to remove yourself from addiction’s grip and return to a fulfilling, sober life.

(Click here to see works cited)

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  • Nall, Rachel. “Depression and Fatigue: An Unfortunate Connection.” Healthline, Healthline Media, 29 Mar. 2020, www.healthline.com/health/depression/fatigue.
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