Substance Induced Mood Disorder

Although the main reason that many people abuse drugs is to feel better, they often end up feeling worse in the long run than before they started using. This phenomenon is substance induced mood disorder, and it can be as crushing as any disease related to addiction.

Having a loved one at home who is having a hard time coping with their substance abuse can be difficult for those around them. Substance induced mood disorder is especially common in older patients because the brain may already have been subject to changes by depression or anxiety prior to starting their drug use. It can also happen after a person has taken a drug for some time and begins withdrawing from it, which can directly affect the brain chemistry.

Finding a mood disorders treatment program is important to receive the best help. For more information, call us today at 866.605.0532.

What is Substance Induced Mood Disorder?

Like depression, Substance Induced Mood Disorder is a chronic condition co-occurring with addiction found through dual diagnosis. It isn’t a transient feeling, or even a mood crash experienced when drugs and alcohol wear off. Instead, it’s a feeling of sadness and hopelessness that hits hard and is long-lasting.

In some cases, someone who suffers from this disorder can lose interest and enjoyment in life regardless of whether or not they are under the influence of drugs at the time. This can cause the person to increase their doses or switch to stronger drugs to self-medicate, even though it is the drugs themselves that fuel the negative feelings.

A person who suffers from this disorder will feel the effects that come with depression. However, they may also experience agitation, anxiety, restlessness, and many other negative side effects when sober due to the lack of drugs in their system. In addition, people struggling with addiction paired with this disorder have a hard time staying sober for longer periods of time. This is due to the fact that the negative feelings associated with depression only get worse.

However, it’s not just people who are addicts that suffer from this disorder. People who have an addiction paired with a history of mental illness or depression alone can experience this disorder as well. Although these two conditions often go hand-in-hand, the depression experienced due to substance abuse is especially pronounced.

Causes of Substance Induced Mood Disorder

The balance of chemicals in the brain can be fragile. Also, a substance that causes an imbalance of chemicals such as dopamine and serotonin can wildly impair the stability of a person’s mood. This can also change thoughts, emotional reactions, and a person’s motivations.

Common drugs that cause Substance Induced Mood Disorder include:

• Alcohol
• Cocaine
• LSD- Methamphetamines
• Opioids
• Prescription antidepressants

In addition, some nonprescription medications that are commonly abused, such as antihistamines and cough medicine, can contribute to substance-induced mood changes that can last for weeks after the drug is no longer taking it.

Symptoms of Substance Induced Mood Disorder

A substance-induced mood disorder can resemble bipolar disorder in that it may have both manic and depressive symptoms. Depressive symptoms of this disorder include:

• Chronic exhaustion
• Rapidly fluctuating weight
• Insomnia
• Loss of interest in pleasurable activities
• Trouble Concentrating
• Loss of hope or suicidal ideation

Mania symptoms can cause as much difficulty in life as depressive symptoms. Those suffering from them may be less willing to seek help for them because they often feel empowered by their mania. These symptoms include:

• Unnaturally high estimation of self-worth
• Racing thoughts and talking faster than normal
• Incoherence and difficulty concentrating on tasks
• Restlessness and inability to sleep or feel tired
• Anxiety and irritability with others
• Sprees of reckless behavior, and panic attacks, and social outbursts

Treating Substance Induced Mood Disorder

Treating this disorder in tandem with the addiction the person is suffering from is crucial.

At the same time, the mood disorder is part of a vicious cycle that must receive treatment with intensive individual therapy. This is why Beaches Recovery has integrated our drug rehabilitation program with an effective mood disorders treatment program as well as therapy for other co-occurring conditions.

Do you think you or someone you love is suffering from a mood disorder brought on by alcohol or drug use? Please call Beaches Recovery of Jacksonville at 866.605.0532 to learn more about substance induced mood disorders and take the first step toward a better life.