Addiction and Depression Q and A
Depression and drug addiction are both complicated issues. The complexity goes up dramatically when both occur at the same time. Naturally, people have lots of questions when they find out they or someone they care about has these diagnosed together. The following is a list of a few questions you may or may not have thought about when considering drug addiction and depression.
Psychotropic Medication and Drug Addiction
If I have a drug addiction, aren’t I supposed to be completely drug free all the time? Won’t medication for depression be against that recommendation? Medications for depression are usually non-addictive. As you do with anything, be sure you check with your doctor to be sure they know you also have a drug or alcohol addiction. There are many choices for depression medication, so as long as you doctor is aware of the whole situation, you should have very few problems with this form of treatment.
Depression and Addiction Together
When you are treating depression and addiction, does it matter which came first? No, it doesn’t matter which came first. Up through the 1990′s, a person with both disorders were usually made sober for a while before their depression (or other mental illness) was ever addressed. The theory was that a person needed to be sober before they worked on their mental illness. Now, research supports better results when these two problems are treated at the same time, no matter what order they occur in.
Depression and Together Throughout Life
If I get through this depression and addiction now, could I have these problems again in the future? Yes, once you have been through an episode of depression, you are generally more vulnerable to it in your lifetime. Maybe not for a few years, ten years, twenty years, or ever. But so many changes can occur over a person’s lifetime, so it’s best if they are aware of this risk. They can develop good self-care habits and awareness of any symptoms coming on.
Likewise, once someone has become addicted to a substance, they must make lifestyle changes for their entire life. They are at risk for relapse unless they stay on top of it. Depression is very treatable, so the outlook for someone who’s had depression once is still good. Also, drug treatment centers and support groups are in practically every community around the world. Having depression and an addiction may seem like a dismal lifetime risk. But with proper drug treatment and support, a person’s outlook can still be very good.
More Questions About Drug Addiction and Depression
What are your questions about drug addiction and depression? Did this list have one or two that were new to you, or did you think of a couple of questions that still need answers? Put your questions here at the end of this post, or call your local drug rehab center for more personalized answers.
Tags: Addiction and Depression Q and A, drug treatment, drug-rehab
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