Addiction Therapy

Depression and Anxiety

Depression is a psychological illness much of the time co-happening with substance use. The connection between the two disorders is bi-directional, implying that individuals who abuse substances will probably experience depression, and the other way around. Individuals who are depressed may drink or abuse drugs to lift their mood or escape from sentiments of blame or gloom.

One of the behaviors found in persons with addiction that is disproportionate to the rest of the population is Anxiety.  Anxiety’s self-treatment with drugs and alcohol gives an individual brief alleviation, but there is long term damage done to the mechanisms that help relieve the symptoms of anxiety. This cycle of self-prescription and bounce back anxiety digs a deeper and deeper hole for the addicted person making treatment and breaking this downward spiral harder and harder as time goes by.