A Dual Diagnosis: The Connection Between Depression and Addiction

Updated on November 2, 2023

For most people, having a bad day is easily remedied by doing something that they love and enjoy doing. These down days come and go with the ebb and flow of life and are easily moved past during the normal course of the running of daily life. 

The reality for those who suffer from depression, however, is something quite different. Those emotional low periods do not pass as easily as they do for others. Clinical depression is a serious mental disability that carries severe consequences for those suffering from it and for their loved ones. 

Crescent Moon Recovery Detox is readily equipped and able to deal with a patient’s psychiatric concerns, as well as their alcohol and drug addiction needs

Depression’s Path to Addiction

More often than not, depression is the gateway to substance abuse. Those who experience what depression has to offer use alcohol and drugs in order to escape their negative emotions and feelings of absolute aloneness. 

If depressed individuals are using drugs or alcohol on a regular basis, the chances are that they are heading down the fast track to full-blown addiction. 

This attempt to self-medicate is a vain attempt to drown those feelings of despair. There are some tell-tail signs of an addiction that can and should be looked out for:

·       Tolerance – the body becomes accustomed to the effects of the substance, and larger amounts are required to achieve the same desired effects.

·       Withdrawal – a reduction in intake of the substance will have physical effects on the user’s body. These include nervousness, tremors, cold sweats, agitation and irritability, and depressed mood.

·       Remorse – a feeling of sadness and guilt may ensue after using the drug, even though it was taken to feel better.

·       Relapse – users are once again abusing their substance of choice due to withdrawal, cravings, destructive habits, stressful situations, or stressful triggers.

When an individual is suffering from both depression and addiction, a dual diagnosis is a necessary treatment path for the affected individual. 

The inherent risk associated with depression (accidental injury, weak immune system, prone to serious ailments, and chronic illness) is increased exponentially when compounded with the continuous use of drugs and alcohol, not to mention the emotional collapse that is imminent. 

It has been noted that in many such cases, people tend to drop out of a conventional rehab program due to not having the right level of therapeutic support for a sober patient, and a dual diagnosis is the integrated treatment you would be looking for.

Dual Diagnosis Treatment

A dual diagnosis is the best remedy for a person suffering from both a depressive disorder and an addiction. The challenge with a dual diagnosis is that it is so hard to treat. Each disorder can intensify the symptoms of the other and can, in fact, make either condition more serious. 

Beating the addiction to the substance is nearly impossible if the root cause of the depression is not struck. The depression is more than likely going to keep them from attaining the proper mindset to overcome their addiction to the substance.

Dual-diagnosis patients are different from regular rehab attendees and require more than a one-dimensional rehab program.

Crescent Moon Recovery Rehab is able to assist with a proper detox, professional counseling, and effective aftercare planning.

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The Editorial Team at Healthcare Business Today is made up of skilled healthcare writers and experts, led by our managing editor, Daniel Casciato, who has over 25 years of experience in healthcare writing. Since 1998, we have produced compelling and informative content for numerous publications, establishing ourselves as a trusted resource for health and wellness information. We offer readers access to fresh health, medicine, science, and technology developments and the latest in patient news, emphasizing how these developments affect our lives.