Depression Treatment in Memphis

Substance Abuse & Depression

Many people who suffer from addiction also suffer from a co-occurring mental illness. In fact, it’s very common for people with mental health disorders to turn to substances, such as alcohol or drugs, in an attempt to cope with the symptoms of their mental illness. Unfortunately, this can quickly lead to dependency and, eventually, addiction.

One type of mental health disorder that often co-occurs with substance abuse and addiction is depression. To thoroughly understand the connection between substance abuse and depression, one must first understand the signs, symptoms, and triggers of this co-occurring disorder.

Continue reading to learn more about the relationship between depression and substance abuse. If you or someone you love is struggling, reach out to Grace Land Recovery. At our dual-diagnosis facility located near Memphis, we offer integrated treatments for depression and substance abuse. We believe in addressing the root of addiction to help our clients heal.

Contact us online or by phone at (901) 519-2655 to learn more about our depression treatment in Memphis and the surrounding areas.

We Believe in Treating the Individual, Not Just the Addiction

What Is Depression?

Depression is a mood/mental health disorder that causes individuals to experience extreme feelings of sadness and hopelessness for long periods of time. Individuals that suffer from depression also usually lose interest in activities that were once enjoyable to them. Over time, depression can cause individuals to experience physical symptoms, such as trouble sleeping, heart problems, and diabetes.

To cope with these emotional and physical symptoms of depression, many people choose to use alcohol or drugs. As a result, these people start to develop an addiction to these substances on top of their depression. At this point, these individuals suffer from both substance abuse and depression.

Severe depression that’s left untreated can result in individuals dying by suicide. Because of the severe effects of depression, it’s important that people recognize the signs and symptoms of this disorder so that they can seek help and receive immediate treatment.

Signs & Symptoms of Depression

The signs and symptoms of depression can range from mild to severe. To be diagnosed with depression, individuals must experience several of the following signs and symptoms nearly every day for a period of months to years.

Some of the most common signs and symptoms of depression include:

  • Persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and emptiness
  • Irritability and anger
  • Loss of interest in activities that one once enjoyed
  • Trouble sleeping
  • Excessive sleeping
  • Tiredness or lack of energy
  • Reduced or increased appetite
  • Sudden weight loss or gain
  • Anxiety
  • Slowed speaking, thinking, and moving
  • Fixation on failures and past mistakes
  • Blaming oneself for anything that goes wrong in life
  • Trouble thinking or concentrating
  • Indecisiveness
  • Frequent thoughts of death and suicide
  • Suicide attempts
  • Unexplained physical issues, such as sudden heart disease or diabetes

Prior to experiencing the signs and symptoms of depression, individuals are often triggered to experience depression. This is especially true for individuals who are already genetically inclined to suffer from the disorder.

What Triggers Depression?

There are many different things that may trigger or cause depression. The exact triggers of depression depend on the individual.

Some of the most common triggers of depression include:

  • Negative Life Changes: When people experience sudden changes in life, it can cause them to become overwhelmed and, eventually, depressed. This is especially true if the changes in a person’s life aren’t pleasant ones. For example, a change in finances due to a person in the household losing his or her job can stress individuals out to the point of developing depressive symptoms. Another major life change that can trigger depression in someone is a negative change in a relationship. For example, a breakup with a romantic partner could make someone that’s already susceptible or genetically inclined to developing depression feel worthless. In turn, he or she starts to develop depression symptoms. The loss of a friend or family member due to death or dysfunction is also a negative change in relationship that can trigger depression. Negative life events such as the experience of trauma can also trigger depression in certain individuals.
  • Positive Life Changes: Many people do not realize that positive life changes can trigger depression. This is because people tend to only associate depression with negativity. However, any life change, whether negative or positive, can trigger depression symptoms. This is because the change in and of itself can be stressful and place people out of their comfort zones. For example, some people may experience depression symptoms after moving away from family or friends for school or a new job. Although the reason behind such a move is positive, the change itself, plus the anxiety of having to learn how to function without the comforts of being close to one’s family members and friends, can trigger depression. This is especially true for individuals that are already inclined to suffer from the disorder.
  • Loneliness: Humans, whether introverted or extraverted, are social creatures by nature. Therefore, individuals who feel ostracized from society or alone in life for whatever reason can start to develop depression.
  • Trauma: Trauma can easily trigger depression in someone who experiences it. This is because trauma is the mind and body’s response to intensely stressful and harmful situations. For example, many active soldiers and war veterans experience depression after going through the traumatic experiences of fighting for their lives. Individuals that are physically, mentally, emotionally, and/or sexually abused in some way also often experience depression after their trauma.
  • Other Mental Health Disorders: Often, the symptoms of certain mental health disorders overlap. As a result, experiencing one mental health disorder can lead to the development of another. For example, many people who suffer from anxiety also later suffer from depression, and vice versa. This is because both of these mental health disorders have similar effects.
  • Substance Use: Substance use is a common trigger for depression because it can alter chemicals in the brain that can cause individuals to feel depressed. Individuals with this condition must receive treatment at rehab centers for depression and substance abuse.

What Is Addiction?

Addiction is the inability to stop using substances despite negative consequences in the user’s life. Addiction is also characterized by the willingness to do almost anything to get more of the substance, including hurting oneself and others.

To be considered a drug addict, individuals must also suffer from drug dependency. Drug dependency is characterized by the experience of withdrawal symptoms anytime that someone minimizes or discontinues the use of a substance that he or she has been using.

Signs & Symptoms of Addiction

The signs and symptoms of addiction can be psychological, social, behavioral, or physical. Symptoms of substance addiction also vary depending on the substance that a person is addicted to.

Common signs and symptoms of addiction include:

  • Risky behavior
  • Lack of personal hygiene
  • Lying and stealing
  • Change of social circle
  • Troubles at school or work
  • Troubles sleeping
  • Financial issues
  • Irritability
  • Secretiveness

What Triggers Addiction?

Similar to mental illnesses like depression, many things can trigger addiction.

Some common triggers for addiction include:

  • Celebrations: People often drink and use substances at parties and celebrations. As a result, parties and celebrations can easily become a trigger for addiction. This is especially the case for individuals who feel left out when they aren’t partaking in everything that is going on at a celebration or party.
  • Being Around Other Substance Abusers: Who people choose to surround themselves with often makes a huge impact on their decisions. This is because social environments are huge influences on people. Therefore, if a person always chooses to surround him or herself with people that abuse substances, such an environment will often trigger substance abuse in someone that is already inclined to develop a substance addiction.
  • Stress: Stress is a very common trigger for addiction. This is because people who feel stressed will often turn to substance use to cope. These substances seem to provide relief, but any relief is always temporary.
  • Trauma: Similar to stress, many individuals turn to substance use and abuse to cope with trauma. This is because using substances often helps numb the pain or anxiety that individuals feel due to their past trauma.
  • Mental Illness: Mental illness is a very common trigger for substance abuse. This is because many individuals start using substances to cope with their mental illness. When individuals chronically abuse substances while suffering from a mental illness, it causes them to develop an addiction on top of their already occurring mental health disorder. Thus, such individuals develop co-occurring disorders. One of the most common co-occurring disorders is that of substance abuse and depression.
  • Loneliness: Loneliness is another common trigger for substance abuse. This is because people who often feel lonely may experience a “void” they wish to fill in their lives. Substance use can be social in nature, but even solitary substance use can help ease the feelings of loneliness some people experience.

Substance Abuse & Depression

Substance abuse and depression often co-occur for a number of reasons. First, depression and substance addiction are often triggers for one another. Thus, chronically abusing substances can act as a catalyst for both addiction and depression—and suffering from depression can act as a catalyst for substance abuse and addiction.

Substance abuse is a common catalyst for depression because chronic substance abuse causes chemical changes in the brain that trigger many of depression symptoms. Chemical changes to the brain due to substance use can lead to symptoms that are incredibly similar to depression symptoms, such as irritability, sudden weight loss or weight gain, lack of personal hygiene, anxiety, fatigue, and physical health issues. Substance abusers also often feel depression symptoms when they crash from their substance use.

On the flip side, many people who suffer from depression choose to use substances as a way to cope and mask their depressive symptoms. Unfortunately, chronic substance use often makes these depressive symptoms worse.

Dual-Diagnosis Treatment for Drug Addiction & Depression

Struggling with substance abuse and depression is extremely difficult. Whether you are suffering from co-occurring disorders yourself, or you are wondering how you can help a loved one, know that healing is possible.

At Grace Land Recovery, we offer comprehensive dual-diagnosis treatment for substance abuse and depression in Memphis and the surrounding areas. Dual-diagnosis treatment programs are addiction treatment programs that simultaneously provide treatment for mental illness. It’s important to simultaneously treat a co-occurring mental health disorder and substance use disorder because these two types of disorders often act as triggers for one another. Therefore, if a person tries to treat his or her substance use and mental health disorders individually, the untreated disorder will often quickly trigger the reappearance of the treated disorder while one is between treatment programs.

Grace Land Recovery Is Here for You

Grace Land Recovery is a premium dual-diagnosis treatment center providing individualized dual-diagnosis treatment programs for a variety of substance use disorders and co-occurring mental illnesses. Here, you can receive the high-quality dual-diagnosis treatment you deserve for your depression and substance use disorder. We also offer our patients numerous unique addiction and mental health treatment services, including everything from trauma and anger management therapy to relapse prevention, HIV education, and more.

To learn more about Grace Land Recovery and the addiction treatment programs and services we offer, contact us today! Our phone lines are open 24 hours a day. You can also visit our treatment center for an in-person appointment.

Call (901) 519-2655 or contact us online to learn more.

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Our mission is to help individuals achieve sobriety by getting to the root of their addiction issues. We also aim to treat the minds, bodies, and souls of our patients.

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