Alcohol & Depression 

Individuals that struggle with depression are much more likely to be dependent upon alcohol. Depressive disorders are mental health conditions that involve consistently feeling hopeless or sad. In time, those emotions affect a person’s behaviors, too. It can affect their personal and professional responsibilities, relationships and goals in life. 

For many who are dealing with a depressive disorder, alcohol is often a means to suppressing mental health symptoms. Some of the symptoms that people may be trying to get rid of are restlessness, anxiety, insomnia and irritability. Consuming alcohol can also be a way for someone to escape from their life for a bit. The problem is that things just get worse when ignored.

If you or someone you know is struggling with alcohol & depression, don’t hesitate to contact our Harmony Recovery Center today. We will be happy to help you treat these issues, so you can get your life back. 

Depression Types You Need to Know About

There are many types of depressive disorders that you may need or want to know about. It is also vital to know that many people who struggle with alcoholism are also diagnosed with these disorders. Some of the depression types that you may want to know about include:

• Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD – generally start with a season shift, usually worsening during the winter 
• Psychotic Depression – more severe type of depression which usually includes delusions, paranoia, and hallucinations
• Persistent Depressive Disorder – symptoms generally go on for a minimum of 2 years and those symptoms aren’t usually uniform (may have symptoms that are minor for months, then they may hit more severely and vice versa)
• Major Depressive Disorder – happens when someone experiences depressive symptoms that interfere with their daily life (around 20 to 25% of United States adults will have at least 1 major depressive disorder episode some time throughout their life)

No matter what type of depression you struggle with, even if it is more than one type, our Harmony Recovery Center is here to help you get the treatment that is needed. 

Information About Diagnosing Depression 

There are different ways that depression can be diagnosed. There are psychological evaluations, physical exams, questionnaires and other tests that can help to diagnose this mental health condition. It is also important that other health conditions that may have similar symptoms are ruled out.

If you believe that you are struggling with depression, but you want to know more about the evaluation process before going any further with treatment, it may help to know some questions that may be asked of you. Some of these questions might include:

• In these past weeks, how much have you felt sad, depressed, or hopeless?
• Have you thought about harming yourself or someone else?
• How much does depression affect your sleep every night?
• Are you using drugs or drinking alcohol to cope with depressive symptoms?
• How are your symptoms interfering with your professional and personal responsibilities?
• Is your mood fluctuating quite a bit? If so, how much or when does it do this?

After a professional evaluates your condition, they can make a diagnosis if there is one. If the diagnosis does happen, it can put you in a better position to get mental health treatment. If you struggle with alcohol abuse along with depressive issues, there are co-occurring disorder treatment programs available here at Harmony Recovery Center, too. 

Depression and Alcohol Addiction Treatment

Even the more severe cases of depressive disorders and alcoholism can be treated. However, it is important to note that the sooner someone gets treatment, the better their chances of recovering will be. 

Due to how co-occurring conditions occur, we highly recommend that everyone receive professional treatment for depressive disorders and alcohol addictions. Here in our treatment center, we have professionals who know the symptoms of these disorders, how to treat them and what to do to best support you during this process. If you try going at recovery by yourself, there is a much higher chance of relapsing back into a depressive episode and into abusing alcohol again, too. 

Most Commonly Used Therapies in Treating Depression and Alcohol Use Disorders

As noted above, there are different treatments that can be used to treat depressive disorders and alcoholism. Some of the best options that may benefit you the most include:

• Medication-assisted therapy (using prescription medications to reduce cravings and ease withdrawal symptoms)
• Cognitive behavioral therapy or CBT – a type of therapy that teaches people to replace their negative thoughts with uplifting, happy thoughts (very essential to identifying triggers, coping with them better and setting more realistic goals)
• Group therapy (offers a way to meet and work on discussions with peers to overcome co-occurring disorders, addiction, or a mental health disorder)
• Individual therapy (offers a way to meet one-on-one with a therapist to work through underlying issues regarding your addiction, celebrate successes, and create the best recovering lifestyle you can)
• Nutritional therapy (helps you learn about which vitamins, minerals, or nutrients will best help reduce your cravings and improve your health in recovery)
• Fitness therapy (allows you to have a physical way to relieve your cravings and work through your feelings)

If you or someone you know is struggling with depressive disorder symptoms or alcoholism, our Harmony Recovery Center is able to help you through it. We have many different therapy options that can help you to start or continue your recovery. If you want to know more about each one of these therapies, don’t hesitate to reach out to our treatment team today. Anyone from our team would be happy to help you find the therapies that are going to best help you overcome addiction or a mental health disorder. 

Get Alcohol & Depression Treatment Today

Are you struggling with depressive symptoms? Maybe, you have no energy, are feeling blue or just can’t find a way to break free from your depression. Are you self-medicating with alcohol to treat your depressive symptoms? Maybe, your addiction to alcohol has caused your depressive disorder. No matter what the case may be, our Harmony Recovery Center team is ready to help you.

Contact us today to get the alcohol & depression treatment you need right away.