The Independent Voice of Southern Methodist University Since 1915

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The Daily Campus

The Independent Voice of Southern Methodist University Since 1915

The Daily Campus

The Independent Voice of Southern Methodist University Since 1915

The Daily Campus

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Your Guide to the Connection Between Depression and Alcohol

Your+Guide+to+the+Connection+Between+Depression+and+Alcohol

More than 300 million people suffer from depression. And people who have depression are more likely to use alcohol.

Is there a link between depression and alcohol? If so, what is it and why is it important we know it?

Keep reading to learn more about how alcohol and depression are connected.

What is Depression?

Depression is classified as a period of intense sadness, hopelessness, worry, loneliness, and loss of energy. People with depression have trouble eating, sleeping, and even working or maintaining their personal relationships.

There are several different types of depression. it can be seasonal, persistent, or major, which is the most serious type of depression. Though most everyone goes through periods of sadness, there are symptoms which, if they persist, indicate that depression might be a factor:

  • Feelings of intense sadness
  • Thoughts of suicide
  • Crying
  • No longer interested in hobbies, activities, or your job
  • Anger
  • Weight gain or weight loss
  • Insomnia or sleeping too much

While depression is a very serious mental illness, there is hope for those who suffer. Depression symptoms are manageable with antidepressants, cognitive behavioral therapy, group therapy, and other natural remedies. Usually, a combination of these therapies works best.

Why Would Depression Lead to Alcoholism?

There are two schools of thought on the part alcohol plays in depression.

The first is that people with depression are more likely to turn to alcohol. Alcohol is a type of antidepressant, meaning it can suppress the feelings of sadness depression brings. When you drink alcohol, you often forget your worries, and soon drinking alcohol becomes an addictive behavior because it’s an escape tactic.

Instead of engaging in healthy methods to combat depression symptoms, turning to alcohol can worsen depression. It could lead to a path of alcoholism

The second way alcohol is related to depression is that people become depressed the more alcohol they drink. Drinking too much alcohol causes harmful changes in the body and on the brain itself, especially on the chemicals dopamine and serotonin. These chemicals are responsible for the feelings of well-being and happiness.

Depression is the result of the brain not producing enough of these feel-good chemicals, and alcohol negatively impacts the way the chemical work.

In short, drinking alcohol when your depressed can make depression worse, and excess amounts of drinking can lead to depression.

What Is The Treatment?

Depression and alcoholism are both very serious diseases that get better with time and treatment, especially with early intervention.

As mentioned before, there are a variety of treatment plans for those with depression. For alcoholism, there are group therapies and alcohol treatment centers, and for those that suffer from both alcohol abuse and depression, they can seek refuge at dual diagnosis treatment centers.

Dual diagnosis centers acknowledge the correlation between depression and alcohol and work to remedy these and treat the patient accordingly.

Depression And Alcohol: There is Hope

There is no doubt that depression and alcohol have a relationship. Through proper diagnosis and treatment, and willingness of the patient, there is a great possibility for recovery.

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