Current Article

The Dual Diagnosis: Depression and Alcoholism

By Leads on Jan 13, 2008 in Health

The term dual diagnosis is a loose term that covers anyone who is battling both mental illness and addiction. The two most commonly linked are depression and alcoholism. One of the underlying reasons for this is that people who suffer from the horrible reality of depression often try to self-medicate by drinking. Alcohol is the most readily available of all addictive substances which another reason for its prevalence. Once the depressed person starts self-medicating through alcohol, they will typically become more depressed, since alcohol is a depressant. This is a vicious cycle that needs to be halted immediately. The ultimate tragedy in many cases of dual diagnosis is suicide if the sufferer is not given any help.

A lot of the drug rehab centers pay special attention to dual-diagnosis cases. Instead of battling just one problem like the addiction, both need to be addressed. If the person’s drinking cannot be stopped, their depression likely won’t. And if they don’t see an end to their depression, then there is no motivation to stop drinking. The hope lies in helping the person realize that by tackling both of these issues there is certainly hope for a bright future. Many people who have suffered from years of depression and alcoholism now lead productive lives. Cocaine addiction is also prevalent in cases of depression but it tends to be more associated with hyperactive disorders, such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

Technorati Tags: dual diagnosis, drug rehab, cocaine addiction