Sometimes, clinical depression and substance abuse go hand in hand. When you decide to get help for the addiction, you also need to address the mental health issue. At Beaches Recovery, we have created a dual diagnosis program to meet your needs. It emphasizes medical and clinical care alongside an addiction and depression treatment program.

What’s the Difference between Depression and Feeling Sad?

There are plenty of misconceptions about depression. Some people believe that if you decided to be happy, all would be well. Others figure that one-time psychotherapy takes care of the issue. Of course, anyone in a depression treatment program will be quick to tell you that this isn’t the case.

Depression is a daily occurrence. It’s ongoing, and you’ve probably been dealing with it for a while. There are the unhappiness and the hopelessness that go with it. However, there are also changes in appetite, a lack of energy, irritability, and sleeping problems.

Sadness typically has a cause. After a while, it dulls. Depression doesn’t need a reason and won’t dull over time. It’s a condition that affects the whole person.

How Depression Connects with Addiction

The daily grind of despair, melancholy, and lethargy is wearing you down. Specialists in addiction and depression treatment recognize that substance abuse is frequently a way of self-medicating. You’re desperate to escape the sadness for a while. Alcohol seems like the ideal substance.

A couple of drinks cheer you up. A few more will numb you. You keep intrusive thoughts and emotions away for a while. But the alcohol is a depressant that makes things worse.

As a result, you might be looking for a stimulant to pick up your mood. It also combats the lethargy you’ve been feeling. However, it causes your mind to go a mile a minute. Therefore, you drink more alcohol.

A Concurrent Substance Abuse and Depression Treatment Program is the Solution

Combining addiction and depression treatment is a necessity for people in your position. At Beaches Recovery, we refer to this setup as a dual diagnosis. It’s not always possible to pinpoint which condition came first. That said, undergoing the combination treatment ensures that you receive the care you need for both.

We start with detoxification. It’s vital to help you ease off the drugs or alcohol. Using pharmacological support makes sense when it keeps you physiologically safe and pain-free. You can typically overcome a physical addiction in a short five to ten days.

From there, we undertake a full assessment of your psychiatric condition. Some program participants are surprised to learn that they may have bipolar disorder, clinical depression, or major depression. Others present with depression and anxiety disorders concurrently. Medication therapy is a vital aspect of a depression treatment program.

At the same time, therapists work with you on ending your psychological addiction. Possible modalities include:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy that lets you tackle dysfunctional patterns and replace them with healthy ones
• Dialectical behavior therapy, which enables you to control strong emotions even in stressful situations
• Trauma treatment as a means for dealing with unresolved events from the past
• Family therapy that brings in loved ones and assists with communal healing, communication, and role divisions
• Group and individual talk therapy sessions that support addiction and depression treatment

Is It Better to Live at the Facility or Stay at Home?

Most times, it makes sense to combine your substance abuse and concurrent depression treatment program with a residential stay. Because medical care involves finding the right dose for your needs, it’s best that you have around-the-clock support. Moreover, you’ll be more susceptible to cravings and trigger responses. Healing at the facility protects you from an early relapse.

That said, there are an addiction and depression treatment participants who’ll do well with a more relaxed setup. A partial hospitalization program enables you to go home at night after spending the day at the center. However, the opposite is also true. If you find that you need additional residential care after your first stay, there’s an extended care program.

Entering an addiction and depression treatment program starts with you reaching out. The caring therapists at Beaches Recovery are just a phone call away. You can get out from under an addiction as well as depression. Dial 866.605.0532 right now for immediate assistance.