Sure, we all have our down days—our feeling kind of blue days, but when the days linger into weeks and weeks into months we may have a problem. Without professional help, many seek relief with a temporary fix called alcohol or drugs. Sadly, this not-so-quick fix can lead to dependency, homelessness, and create what is known as Dual Diagnosis—Depression and Addiction.
According to the Addiction Center . . . Depression is common among people battling an addiction to drugs or alcohol. Substance abuse can trigger or intensify the feelings of loneliness, sadness and hopelessness often associated with depression.
AN ESTIMATED ONE-THIRD OF PEOPLE WITH MAJOR DEPRESSION ALSO HAVE AN ALCOHOL PROBLEM. . . https://www.addictioncenter.com/addiction/depression-and-addiction/
Dual Diagnosis.org confirms Substance abuse is common among people who are battling a depressive disorder. Because alcohol is a central nervous system depressant, the use of this drug tends to trigger depression symptoms like lethargy, sadness and hopelessness. However, many depressed individuals reach for drugs or alcohol as a way to lift their spirits or to numb painful thoughts. As a result, depression and substance abuse feed into each other, and one condition will often make the other worse.
When an individual has both depression and an addiction, it is called a Dual Diagnosis. A Dual Diagnosis can be made up of any combination of a mental disorder (anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder) and addiction (drugs, alcohol, sex, gambling). Dual Diagnoses that include depressive disorders are among the most common forms of the problem; in fact, the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry reports that one in three adults who struggle with alcohol or drug abuse also suffers from depression. https://www.dualdiagnosis.org/depression-and-addiction/
God’s Spirit doesn’t make cowards out of us. The Spirit gives us power, love, and self-control (2 Timothy 1:7 CEV).
