Depression And Addiction Facts and Figures
Sometimes it helps to understand something when you know a few facts and figures about it. When a mental illness and addiction happen together, they are called a dual diagnosis. You need to know the following important information about depression and addiction.
Depression Commonly Linked With Addiction
About 10% of the population in the United States is affected by some form of depression each year. Between 30-40% of people with drug and alcohol problems also have depression, making it the most common mental illness associated with a dual diagnosis. Untreated depression can put a recovering alcoholic or drug addict at risk for relapse.
Depression and alcohol or drug addiction are strong factors that can put a teenager at high risk for suicide. Young people with depression between the ages of twelve and seventeen have twice the likelihood of drinking alcohol or using drugs than young people of the same age with no depression symptoms.
Get Properly Diagnosis For Depression and Addiction
Diagnosis can be challenging when it comes to depression and drug addiction because many symptoms overlap. These can include fatigue, sleep problems (too much or too little), a sense of sadness or emptiness, irritability or restlessness, suicidal feelings and thoughts, loss of enjoyment and interest with activities that have been previously enjoyed, problems with anger and changes in eating habits.
Alcohol has a depressant effect on the body, meaning that it slows down the central nervous system in various bodily functions. A person may feel groggy, have blurred vision, and slowed reaction time. With prolonged heavy alcohol use, a person may develop a separate diagnosis of clinical depression. That would mean he or she would have a dual diagnosis.
A person with depression and an alcohol or drug addiction needs specialized drug treatment. Both the depression and the addiction need to be treated simultaneously. It used to be common practice to treat the addiction for several weeks before addressing the depression. Now, research supports much better outcomes when the depression is treated right away. When a person becomes sober with depression treatment, they have a lower chance of relapsing because of depression symptoms.
Dual Diagnosis Drug Rehab Important Choice
It’s important to know if you or a loved one truly has a dual diagnosis. Not all drug rehab centers are equipped to deal with mental illness. Before starting a drug treatment, be sure you know that the program of your choice specifically treats dual diagnosis disorders. Contact them or check out their website to find out for sure. Getting the right drug rehab can make all the difference for building a sober life.
Tags: Depression And Addiction Facts and Figures, drug treatment, drug-rehab
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