Addressing Depression and Drinking in Addiction Treatment
For many people, substance abuse isn’t an isolated issue. Substance abuse often entangles itself into other parts of a person’s life, such as their relationships, job, school, et cetera. Clients often have to address underlying issues in order to tackle their addictions. Dual diagnosis serves as a tool to tackle the ways mental illness and substance abuse affect each other, such as with depression and drinking.
Many people associate substance abuse and mental disorders with each other. People often abuse alcohol in order to calm or distract themselves from stress, or young people partake in order to fit in with their peers. Regardless of the reason, addressing depression and drinking alongside one another is key to a sustainable recovery.
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How Does Dual Diagnosis Help?
Dual diagnosis is an important part of the recovery process for many people. In addition to receiving counseling designed to deal with issues of alcohol abuse, additional therapy and treatment are added to address any mental disorders that are influencing the substance use. Mental health treatment could include anything from additional psychotherapy to medication.
But how do we connect mental illness and substance abuse? And why? There are many ways the two intertwine. With alcohol being one of the most common substances in the United States, depression and drinking often go hand-in-hand. A few ways depression and drinking influence one another are:
- Self-medicating with alcohol to cope with work or school stress
- Drinking alcohol in social environments to overcome social anxiety
- Consuming alcohol to combat peer pressure and fit in with others
- Abusing alcohol to distract from uncomfortable emotions or anxiety
While alcohol is usually harmless in moderation, it shouldn’t be the only outlet for managing mental health. Learning sustainable strategies for overcoming low self-esteem and managing stress will be beneficial to long-term endeavors.
Overcoming Depression and Drinking
At Serenity Lodge, we understand the need to address the whole person when undergoing recovery for substance abuse. We know that the issues of substance abuse entangle themselves into other parts of the person’s life and that co-occurring disorders often complicate treatment.
At Serenity Lodge in California, we offer multiple levels of care to fit the needs of all the men that enter our facility. At our center, we offer programs including:
These elements work together to create a comprehensive recovery program that helps men back onto paths of sobriety. In addition to providing extensive care, we want our clients to walk away having enjoyed the experience. When you graduate from the Serenity Lodge program, we hope you’ll leave with skills and memories that you can reflect on for a lifetime.
Let today be the last day substance abuse controls your life or the life of someone you love. Call us at (855) 932-4045 to learn more about Serenity Lodge and our treatment programs.
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