The Complex Relationship Between Addiction and Depression

Treatments for Depression and Addiction

Depression and addiction are receptive to similar types of treatment. That means you can heal from both simultaneously. You might even find that focusing on one condition helps you heal from the other. For example, data shows that most depressive symptoms resolve during addiction treatment.⁹ But that’s not true for everyone.

When you enter recovery, you might not know which condition came first. But you can work with your care team to answer that question. If your depressive symptoms fade after detox, you might just focus on healing from addiction. But if you do have clinical depression, there are several ways to approach treatment.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) teaches patients to cope with difficult thoughts. You’ll learn practical skills that help you live with and regulate even the most intense emotions.

CBT treats depression and addiction¹⁰ by helping people build self-confidence. And data shows that it has lasting effects, supporting your long-term recovery.. You can also combine this therapy with other types of treatment, like medication.

Medication for Depression

Depending on your physical health, your care team may recommend prescribed medication. For example, it’s common to treat depression with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs),¹¹ like Prozac or Zoloft. Preliminary data shows that SSRIs may also support addiction recovery. Specifically, they might help people quit smoking or heal from sex addiction.¹²

SSRIs typically take full effect after 6 weeks. And while they’re a common treatment for depression, they aren’t right for everyone. You may need to try a few medications before you find the right fit. Or, if you have treatment-resistant depression, you might need to take a different approach.

Alternative Treatments

If traditional therapy and medication aren’t working for you, there are many other ways to treat depression. Some of these methods are experimental, while others are highly researched but less well known.

• Ketamine therapy can treat depression¹³ and addiction. Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic; some also call it a psychedelic. During treatment, you’ll receive an infusion in a safe, protected environment. Ketamine therapy is available in some rehabs, but it’s not yet standard practice. If you’d like to try it, ask your admissions team whether it’s part of the program.
• Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is an increasingly popular therapy for treatment-resistant depression. Data shows that rTMS can also treat addiction.⁸ In this approach, clinicians use magnetic pulses to change your brain activity. This can reduce both drug cravings and depressive symptoms.
• Naturopathy treats depression¹⁴ and addiction with holistic methods. For example, naturopathic treatment might include homeopathic medicines and massage therapy.

These alternative treatments aren’t replacements for traditional medical care. But you can combine them with other therapies, or even attend a holistic rehab program. There’s no right or wrong way to plan your recovery—just the way that works best for you.

Clearing the Clouds

Depression and addiction have so much in common, it can be hard to tell which one has the greater impact on your life. But there’s a silver lining to their overlapping symptoms. With the right treatment, recovery can be straightforward. In the long term, you can use the same coping skills to manage any ongoing symptoms. But most importantly, healing means learning about the complex relationship between these conditions. And doing that will teach you more and more about yourself.

Browse rehab centers that treat depression to learn about their amenities, photos, and reviews.

Reviewed by Rajnandini Rathod

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