Stop Self Medicating Depression With Alcohol

As a mood disorder, depression causes feelings of sadness, anger, and loss. These symptoms can affect every part of your everyday life, preventing you from spending time with family, performing at work, or simply enjoying hobbies. If you use alcohol to find relief from these symptoms, then you actively self-medicate the problem.

As a result of self-medicating, you may end up with an alcohol use disorder. You will likely need an alcohol rehab program to stop self-medicating depression with alcohol.

Substance Abuse as a Form of Self-Medication

Formally called the “self-medication hypothesis,” researchers introduced the idea that alcohol abuse is a type of self-medication in 1985. Its basis is that people use substances in response to symptoms of mental health disorders. This alcohol abuse usually occurs as a coping mechanism and can have life-threatening consequences.

The problem is that self-medicating a mental illness only makes the condition worse. Studies show that alcohol abuse does little to treat the problem and has other negative effects. For instance, it puts you at risk of developing addiction and other disorders. Some people even develop suicidal thoughts.

When addiction develops, you need the dual diagnosis treatment center in Jacksonville, FL. Such facilities can treat both your depression and addiction at the same time. Treating one condition without the other will lead to a relapse in symptoms and the cycle will continue.

Seeking dual diagnosis treatment for depression and alcohol abuse is also the safest way to overcome your problems. Depending on the severity of alcohol use, an alcohol detox program can safely manage withdrawal symptoms. And close monitoring of symptoms will help if depression worsens during this time.

If you try to manage them without professional help, you run the risk of relapse or worsening symptoms of both conditions.

How Rehab Helps You Stop Self-Medicating Depression with Alcohol

When you self-medicate depression with alcohol, it’s difficult for you to address the real problem. Similarly, it’s almost impossible to quit abusing alcohol if you have an addiction. These disorders feed off of each other, but a rehab program can deal with this complex interaction. However, only dual diagnosis programs that handle addiction and mental health disorders can provide the right level of care.

This integrated treatment consists of education, therapy, relapse prevention, and peer support. With this combination, you learn about the nature of depression and that recovery is possible. Also, your therapists motivate you to make the changes necessary to live a healthy life. In addition, they teach you practical and coping skills that will support your recovery after treatment. Therapy programs commonly used include:

• Cognitive-behavioral therapy
• Dialectical behavior therapy
• Trauma therapy
• Experiential therapy
• Individual and group counseling
• Family therapy

Another core service to help you stop self-medicating depression with alcohol is medication management. When you quit abusing alcohol, you lose your coping mechanism. With proper medications and supervision, though, your symptoms will stay in check. In the meantime, you can focus on addressing the cause of your depression and overcoming both disorders.

Get Treatment for Depression and Addiction

Do you have depression and use alcohol to relieve your symptoms? Dual diagnosis treatment is available at Beaches Recovery. Our Jacksonville, Florida, alcohol rehab center will use many services to create a treatment plan that meets your needs. Some of these include:

• Inpatient alcohol rehab
• Partial hospitalization program (PHP)
• Intensive outpatient program (IOP)
• Outpatient rehab program
• Men’s and women’s alcohol rehab

Don’t let your depression and substance use disorder put your life at risk. Visit a rehab facility that offers integrated alcohol addiction treatment. Learn more about how we can help you stop self-medicating depression with alcohol. Contact Beaches Recovery today at 866.605.0532 to recover from depression and alcohol use disorders.