Are Substance Abuse and Depression Linked?

Mood disorders and substance abuse have a term when they are combined as coexisting, and it's called dual diagnosis. Is there a link between using substances and depression?

It's true that one issue can often make another worse. It's estimated that currently twenty percent of Americans that have an anxiety/mood disorder also have a problem with substances and vice versa. Those on drugs are twice as likely as the average person to have disorders of mood and anxiety, and the reverse is true, according to NIDA.


Shared Triggers of Using Substances and Depression

Which comes first, depression or abusing substances? Depression may be a predictor of dependence on alcohol for the first time. They both share triggers as well. Connections between the two may include the following.


The brain.


Parts of a brain can be affected by depression or by substances. Abusing substances has an effect on the areas of the brain that respond to stress and those areas can also be affected by mental disorders.


Genetics.


It turns out that DNA could increase your likelihood of having an addiction or mental disorder. Disease Markers published research in 2012 that indicated this fact. NIDA also reports that genetic factors may increase the odds that one of the conditions will show up once another has appeared.


Developmental problems. 


Drug use early in life can alter brain development, making later mental illness all the more likely to
occur. The opposite is also true, that early mental health issues could up the chances of abusing drugs or alcohol.


Environmental Factors

Trauma, stress, or an unhealthy household early in life can cause depression as well as turning to substances. Dual diagnoses can go back to early life experiences. Children are always in a state of discovery and gratification. An interruption of this process can manifest in a clinical way. Denial or interruption can influence individuals, letting them believe that what they think or feel is wrong generally across the board.


Those who have a dual diagnosis may not be trying to medicate themselves or their depression and may be doing the opposite, according to Dr. MacIsaac. Those who are depressed may choose to drink in order to feed into the negativity. It can be soothing at first, but then make the individuals feel worse than before.

These types of people get a form of oxygen through this negativity. Even signs that treatment may be working may end up triggering a drive or need to return to negative discovery through substances like alcohol. According to Dr. MacIsaac, substances such as alcohol may only make their depression worse.


The Importance of Simultaneous Treatment

In order to recover, individuals dealing with abusing substances and going through depression may need to be treated for both of these conditions. They may not want to accept treatment, clinging to the way that they feed the negativity.

Those that have a dual diagnosis must ultimately see the root of all of their issues and understand them. Then they have the chance to change. It may involve therapy, rehab, antidepressants, meetings, a support group, and more.

The APA recommends that people ask for a referral from their primary care provider, discover whether the psychological association in your state has a service when it comes to referring people to licensed professionals of mental health, or ask relatives/close friends if they have psychologist, psychiatrist, or mental health counselor recommendations.