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.

What Do I Do If My Parents Are Addicted to Drugs?

Being the child of a drug and substance addicted parent, it is likely you are dealing with neglect, abuse, and stigma from other children. It is also possible that you are frequently found in harm’s way because alcoholism and general addiction alter your parents’ perception and realities.

If you find yourself in danger of abuse and neglect, it is very important that you know what to do to help your parents and yourself remain safe.

-If you think you are facing the danger of abuse your addicted parent, call emergency services immediately for help. This can be the child helpline or even 911.
-Go to a neighbor, friend or relative for safety.
-Call an ambulance or 911 for medical assistance if your parents are in medical danger as a result of drug abuse.

Needless to say, parents can affect and influence your behaviors. When they are dealing with problems like addiction, what you want to do is try to help them overcome and recover from addiction.

Drug and substance addiction can be very hard to break. It is, however, possible to get rid of it, so there’s hope that your parents will be free from its shackles again with the right efforts and help.
As their child, it is important to understand that their love for you is still there even though (sometimes) their actions may make you believe otherwise.

Alcohol and other drugs are known to alter the behavior of an individual, making them inconsistent and even erratic. Knowing this will help you understand what your parents are going through a difficult “disease” and that they need help to overcome it.

While most children will imagine that there is nothing they can do to fix the problem, the contrary is true. Here’s how you can help resolve the problem.

Show compassion
Stopping and recovering from drug addiction can be a painful process. Most people who start the process end up sliding back to their old habits especially when they face the challenges of life.
Even though your parents are not at their best at the moment, try as much as you can to show them love, compassion and that you believe they will overcome their addiction. This is the kind of support they need right now. Hating and disrespecting them does not help them on the path of recovery.

Talk about it
Depending on the level of addiction, it can be difficult to find calm moments when you can have a good conversation with your parents. However, try to consistently look for those moments and talk to them about the problem. Let them know how it is affecting you, but do it in a calm, loving way.
Remember, if you fight with drug-addicted parents over their problem, you are likely to make them angry and resistant to your views. It also jeopardizes the chance of them listening to you again.

Reach out to people you trust
Sometimes speaking with your mom and dad about addiction is not enough to make them even try to stop. You should also know that this problem is not yours alone to deal with.
Reach out to someone you trust, preferably a close family member to help both you and your parents resolve the problem.

Get professional help
Sometimes your efforts may go in vain and the addiction problem can easily affect your life and development as a child. If all other efforts fail, it is important that you seek professional help.
Speak to a counselor at your school, or community about your parents’ addiction problem. They will get help for both you and your parents.

Remember, when your parents are addicted to drugs, they can become irresponsible in many ways. Your performance in school may drop and you run other risks such as physical and emotional abuse. Know that you can do something about it as a child to fix the problem.

Teens and Drug and Alcohol Use

When it comes to drugs and alcohol, teenagers can be surprisingly susceptible. The temptation to experiment as well as fit in can be all that it takes for a teenager to try drinking or drugs for the first time. All it has to be is around them or they have an avenue to get it and you're already participating in a dangerous game.

Are you a teen or the parent of a teen? Information can be empowering when it comes to these topics, and not in a blind one-approach-to-all way. Here are some reasons why teens may try different substances.

It's around.

Teens see other people their age or older smoking, drinking, or using other substances, and that can be the main catalyst. It's there, people they know are doing it, they may be encouraged to do it, they may see it as normal or a coming of age scenario, or they may even simply have access to it. When substances are present, teens are more likely to do them. It's as simple as that.


A tough home life and wanting to escape.

Some teens have a tough home life and it takes a toll. When your regular life at home is not that good or you're treated poorly, who wouldn't want to escape? Unfortunately, when it comes to abusive or negative home environments, they aren't that easy to get away from. Some teens legally just have to live with their parents and without any other options, they turn to whatever they can to get release.


Self medication.

Medication through drinking or drugs can be common. Teens often don't have positive outlets for what they're going through or what they're feeling. Different substances may medicate them in different ways. Some teens may even use different drugs in different ways to come up, come down, do well on tests, and more.


Not a lot to do.

Teens want to be stimulated and get bored easily. Drugs and drinking give their brains stimulation and a way to socially connect and rebel-- all irresistible to teens.


Gratification.

Substances work and create a real effect, feeding into teen drug use with a vengeance. They also work quickly and deliver on those initial effects in spades. For teens, this can be exciting, especially when they feel bored or in contempt of things like school or what's expected of them. Substances cause certain chemical releases in the brain that can resemble gratification and certainly deliver more than what's around them in terms of a reaction.


A way to process feelings.

Sometimes teens don't have outlets like therapy. Maybe no one is asking them what's going on and is engaged in their lives. Teens often use substances as a way to deal with or even process their feelings. Sometimes feeling all of that while sober can be too much. Find outlets, hobbies, and mentors or even friends that you can talk to if you are feeling alone.

The Effects of Chronic Alcohol Consumption

When it comes to alcohol, it doesn't take that much to go over your daily limit. Alcohol abuse can cause some serious negative effects on the body in the short-term when abused.

However, when abuse is happening on a regular basis for a long time, it can cause serious damage to your body and mind. Today we're talking about the possible devastating physical effects that chronic alcohol consumption can have on you in the long-term.

What is alcohol abuse exactly? It can refer to a night out or it can refer to habitual misuse or over-consumption of alcohol. While you can always recover from a night out, when your body is constantly processing alcohol, it's going to cause damage over time that will be tough to reverse-- if not impossible.

If you're a woman and you're roughly supposed to have a drink an hour to maintain blood alcohol levels, and you have two drinks in an hour for the next three hours, you're going to be drunk and in less control over how you make choices and respond to situations. That could be classified as alcohol abuse because you're using the substance in a manner that results in intoxication.

It can also refer to just a chronic abuse of alcohol. Abuse can be similar in some ways and different in others, happening for different reasons or motivations. Abusing alcohol does not even necessarily mean that there's an alcohol addiction there. However, abusing alcohol does open the door for addiction. Men are supposed to drink 2 drinks a day and 1 a day for women maximum to stay healthy and avoid causing damage to the body. More than that can be problematic.

It just seems like a drink. It may be different colors, it may have bubbles. Alcohol can seem benign because it tastes good, and it can be festive. However, that does not prevent it from causing real damage.

The more alcohol there is present in the blood, the more that there may be serious side effects that happen in the body. That can be things you unintentionally do, like accidents due to lack of coordination, as well as the physical fallout in the body of continually dealing with alcohol, because being drunk can cause damage to major organs in your body.

Alcohol hits the bloodstream from your stomach lining and 33% of what you've imbibed goes straight into the blood. The small intestine slowly absorbs the rest. Consuming too much alcohol means more alcohol in the blood rising quickly and then makings its way to the brain, heart, and more once in the blood.

Too much alcohol in the blood that goes to the brain means that your brain is getting literally flooded with the alcohol. That causes a disruption in the neural pathways that interferes heavily with the neural messaging network. This can cause a number of effects, including mood change, behavior change, difficulty thinking clearly, coordination problems, and more.

Alcohol abuse has an effect on your body. It can damage your heart and cause cardiomyopathy, irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, and stroke. The liver detoxifies your system and views alcohol in your system as a contaminate. So, they release enzymes specially produced in the pancreas and liver so that they can break down the alcohol so that it's not so toxic.

If it's doing this all the time, the liver will become inflamed and result in manifestations such as fatty liver, alcoholic hepatitis, fibrosis, and cirrhosis. The pancreas will also become inflamed and lead to potential development of pancreatitis, which is inflammation. That swelling prevents your body from digesting things properly and can also damage other systems as well. That damage can be irreparable once it gets to a certain point.

On top of this, chronic use can raise your risk of getting cancer in your throat, mouth, and esophagus. This is perhaps because of the constant oral intake where the cells are constantly degenerating due to the abuse. You're also at higher risk for breast and liver cancer too. You're also risking developing a weak immune system that is less adept at fighting off diseases.

Alcohol can really damage your body over time. If you have a problem, consider going to substance abuse rehab and pursuing a different lifestyle. If you can change paths now, you will be healthier in the end and better off for it. Chronic alcohol abuse is guaranteed over time to diminish quality of life or health or both. Change your path now...while you still can.

Know the Warning Signs and More: Tips for Preventing Relapse

Are you in recovery from addiction? Fighting addiction is a battle that lasts a lifetime. Getting sober can be very difficult.

Even if you have been sober for months or have completed treatment or rehab and consider yourself clean at the moment, the journey is not over. Recovery is not a one-time thing.

The best way to practice drug relapse prevention is to know the warning signs and to know more about addiction. Relapses are very frequent for addicts in recovery. How can you prevent it? By knowing the signs.

The temptation of relapse can be stronger at some times than others. That's the danger of being in recovery; there isn't truly one moment where you can say that you're fine and you need to stop fighting.

Only abstinence and consistency as well as a strong commitment to leading a sober and successful life can help you achieve your goals. If you're in recovery, your goal is to be in the percentage of individuals in recovery that avoid relapse and do what they can to stay clean.

Relapses can be brought on by triggers. It could be a break up or any other type of interaction, relationship in your life, or event that puts you into a vulnerable place. Some of the dangers of triggers often include the fact that they can be used to justify using again by an addict.

Triggers can be environmental, emotional, or based on exposure and can also be based off of old routines and memories. Each person is different, but common triggers often include strong negative emotions, being around people or places that remind you of using, having drugs or alcohol present around you, seeing examples of addiction, being in a 'party' mentality, and using substances.

The death of a loved one, financial pressures, health problems, conflict, marital status, and more can also be triggers that lead to an eventual relapse. If you know that you or someone you know is experiencing one or more of these triggers, you can be prepared to look for warning signs with them (or yourself) and offer or encourage them to seek support.

Warning Signs:

• Dishonesty
• Hanging out with people with whom they used to use
• Changes in personality, behavior, routine
• Changes in sleep, health, hygiene, or appetite
• Overconfidence or self-pitying attitude

Ways to Prevent Relapse:

• Avoiding the presence of drugs and alcohol
• Knowing what your triggers are
• Knowing what other people's triggers are
• Having a support system in place
• Avoiding anything that makes you crave a drink or drugs
• Talking to a therapist
• Getting enough rest, exercise, and nutrition
• Stick to your schedule
• Attending AA meetings
• H.A.L.T.: Keep in mind that when you are Hungry Angry Lonely or Tired that you may be especially vulnerable to making poor choices.
• Take a moment to assess or call a sponsor or friend if you're feeling tempted.
• Come up with a plan of action with your sponsor or therapist.

Recovery isn't easy, but it's worth it. Never stop fighting for your sobriety. Use these tips to prevent relapse and always reach out to those that support you in your journey to be a sober as well as happy and healthy individual.

Someone You Love Has a Problem with Substance Abuse: What to Do

Do you have someone close to you or know that someone that you love is struggling with using substances? When it comes to having a problem with drinking or drugs, sometimes the signs can be there long before we realize that there is a problem.

How we find out is often significant of where the process is at. It may be possible that your loved one confided in you about the nature of their issue because they are feeling overwhelmed or they got caught in a scenario where they were visibly intoxicated. Perhaps you heard about it from a relative or put the pieces together when they were fired from their job and were acting strangely when you last saw them.

While it can be a shock and even upsetting to find out that someone you care about deeply is struggling with dependency or reliance or deep-set emotional or even psychological issues, it's also important to start the process of educating yourself about substance abuse in general. Now is not the time to plan a rushed intervention; nor it is a good idea to let someone know how their choices are affecting you as it is likely to get out of hand.

What should you do if you suspect or discover that someone close to you may have a problem with substances?

Having a substance abuse problem can be really tough. For individuals that have this problem, they often have no idea or even a concern that their behavior or lifestyle is affecting those close to them. Many people who are dealing with drinking or drug problems often hide their problem or cover up for the extent of it. This is so that they don't have to deal with that lifestyle changing or anyone possibly interfering with their routine.

Drinking and doing drugs can be a disease. Those close to individuals who have abuse problems don't always know that certain substances may lead to hostility and even unpredictable behavior and violence. Understand that this type of abuse is a disease and the individual may not always be able to stop-- even if part of them wants to.

As it is a disease, family members or friends may unwittingly enable this behavior by covering it up or simply acting as though it does not exist. While it is important to eventually confront the issue and perhaps tell the person how you feel, ideally it might be safer to go to the office of a licensed therapist or counselor that can mediate the discussion. However, it is better to be honest about your feelings. Have a third person there for support and safety.

Coming from a place of concern will ultimately be more effective than ranting about how they have hurt you. Remember that they are still sensitive and while they may seem tough, they are in a fragile place. Expressing concern and hope that they seek treatment or offering to help pay for rehabilitation may be helpful. If they turn you down, then you did what you could.

Those struggling with this type of abuse often need to choose to get help first. If you have been enabling someone close to you, stop and begin focusing on taking care of yourself. Remember that you need to live life for yourself too and that there are endless resources and materials available to you to do so.