The Link Between Alcoholism and Depression

According to WebMD, nearly one third of all people with major depression also suffer from alcoholism. In addition, Depression Guide reports that about 40 percent of all people that drink heavily have at least some symptoms of depression. There is a clear relationship between alcoholism and depression in many people, though not in all people that experience one or the other of these conditions.

Researchers disagree on exactly why there is a link between alcoholism and depression but feel it may be a combination of genetic, physiological and situational factors. Alcoholism has a sedative effect on the brain which may contribute to the development of depression but some researchers also believe that the same genetic factors that put one at increased risk for depression also put one at increased risk for alcoholism. Environmental factors that increase the risk of depression, such as job stress or financial difficulties, may also increase the risk of alcoholism.

Which Comes First?

Remember the age-old question about which came first, the chicken or the egg? We might ask the same thing about alcoholism and depression. Is a person an alcoholic because he suffers from depression, drinking in an attempt to self-medicate and relieve the pain of depression? Or is he depressed because he drinks too much alcohol, which functions as a depressant and also causes his life to become unmanageable?

In most cases, it's hard to say and it probably doesn't really matter anyway. What matters is that a person is suffering from two serious illnesses and if he does not receive treatment for both, he likely will not recover from either one.

Treatment

If a person with severe depression continues to drink, his depression will likely not improve. Excessive alcohol consumption will often lead to depression even in a person that does not suffer from depression before becoming an alcoholic. Alcoholism will likely interfere with a person's ability to do things that might help relieve his depression, like develop a strong and healthful support system, maintain employment in a job he feels good about, engage in regular exercise and comply with recommendations for treatment for depression such as attending regular counseling sessions and taking prescribed antidepressant medication.

On the other hand, if an alcoholic that suffers from severe depression receives treatment for addiction but not treatment for depression, he will like relapse if he stops drinking at all. Depression is a painful illness and if drinking alcohol relieves that pain, even temporarily, and nothing else does, a person will want to drink. Depression also reduces the motivation to do much of anything, including getting sober.

Treatment providers must be aware that a person suffers from both conditions in order to provide safe and appropriate treatment. For instance, some antidepressant drugs are not safe to use with alcohol. Treatment providers should screen depressed patients for alcoholism and they should screen alcoholic patients for signs of depression.

A person that suffers from both alcoholism and depression must receive treatment for both conditions if he hopes to recover. Some treatment programs specialize in treating people with dual diagnoses, meaning people that suffer from both mental illnesses and addictions. Such programs generally offer a wide range of services, including psychotherapy, psycho-educational group sessions, group therapy, self-help groups like Alcoholics Anonymous, family therapy and psychotropic medications when necessary.

Sources:

WebMD. http://www.webmd.com/depression/alcohol-and-depresssion . Alcohol and Depression.

Depression Guide. http://www.depression-guide.com/alcohol-and-depression.htm . Depression and Alcohol Abuse.