Anti-depressants in the treatment of addiction

[britjojo]

Anti-depressants seem to be a frequent tool in the treatment of addiction and many other behaviour related problems. I was wondering why this is since addiction in and of itself is not related to depression. I realise that some drugs are used for multiple uses, such as Reglan (which is for acid reflux but also for increasing lactation in mothers).

So is that the case with anti-depressants, or is there another reason behind it?

[chloe88]

Addiction of any kind does and will create depression. That's a known fact. Originally, antidepressants were prescribed to those who were addicted only for a short period of time, thirty to sixty days at most, then the tapering off the drug began. In recent years, psychiatrists have prescribed antidepressants for life, thereby blocking, due to antidepressant use, the emotional pain of the addicted. It has been my experience that one must work through the emotional pain in order to reap any benefits that sobriety has to offer.

[VegasClinicWorker]

It is not uncommon for addiction to be the result of "self medication" for emotional problems. In the course of detoxing from drug addiction, the original mental problems often resurface. In that case, it is necessary to address the original problem to keep the person from relapsing.

Also, people undergoing detox often feel depressed, anxious or even panicky. The additional treatment of those issues can make the withdrawal process easier emotionally and make a successful detox more likely.

[mtajim]

I have found that every addict falls to problem of deppresion, thats why anti depression helps them to come out of addiction

[mtajim]

No , both can be treated at the same time . If you keep using drugs then any medicine wont help you . You have to leave abusing drugs then only you can get rid of any problem

[bra]

Anyone ? rehabilitation is a slow process that sometimes doesn't have the desired effect so what can we do to bring people back on their feet ?


Hey, the other day, a professional counselor told me the person has to make up their mind and recognize that they need help with their addiction. They have to be at the right level/stage in the situation, for instance, today maybe they will not follow through with the treatment, but in six months, maybe the treatment may be 100 percent successful. It depends on where the addicted person is in their WANT stage.

Also, I would recommend trying to help the person in a roundabout way. Maybe you can get together with them and do interesting activities to preoccupy them from their drugs/alcohol. I am trying to do this with somebody at the moment, as finances permit.. :/

[smokinjoe]

I can tell you for sure. First of all, I've spoken with several families who have delayed a pro-active approach to helping their loved ones due to the advice of a "pro counselor". Here's the problem: Now their loved ones are dead. If you know of a family member who is addicted, unless someone steps in and does whatever it takes to get between the addict and the drugs, you run a BIG risk of not having the chance to help in the future. I've never met a counselor who was willing to pick up the phone after they've advised a family to wait and their loved one has died. As for the anti-depressants, I am a former addict. Depression was the best excuse I ever told. "I'm not an addict, i'm depressed." Anyone in their right mind will know that if you're a drug addict, you are going to be depressed! DUH! Unfortunately, very few treatment centers are willing to give up this trend because it means that they would actually have to stop using pills as a band-aid and really deal with the underlying issues of addiction.

[bra]

I'm basically speaking from my experiences in my failure to help a certain someone get addiction treatment. I mulled this over with a professional and that is the remark he made to me. I found his words to be very helpful in assisting me to feel less guilty and less of a failure. I was/am fighting a difficult battle. At times even impossible.

I think my certain someone is at the accept help stage. (almost....)

[websurfpro]

Of course depression is related to addiction, I have gambled all my childhood , not very big amounts of money but enough to make me cry sometimes when i got home. After a few years this addction just got me a moderate depression, this happened after I quit gambling totally, now I do it just for fun , but sure one big cause of my depression is the old gambling addiction, I am curently on antidepresants witch help me control myself, I can go to a casino with lots of money but I will only spend a little amount, some time ago I would just go out of the casino without any money, I didn`t even keep some for a taxi fare, so they actually do help. Antidepressants help in any kind of addction

[jr_sci]

The term looks confusing, 'does addiction gives rise to depression or depression gives rise to addiction'? Can anyone clear it?

[Ronaldo]

Let us be more rational. Lets have some relaxation techniques and meditation in our life. All these problems would be solved.

[sanjayseo]

The Myth; Alcoholism as a Disease (http://www.thesoberchoice.com/drug_rehab.html)

The "recovery" community's adoption of the disease concept began with an early AA member named Marty Mann. Her efforts, combined with a scientist named E.M. Jellinek, began national acceptance of the disease concept. It was Jellinek's "scientific" study that opened the door for the medical communities' support. E.M. Jellinek's study was funded by the efforts of Marty Mann. The surveys he based his conclusions on were from a hand picked group of alcoholics. There were 158 questionnaires handed out and 60 of them were suspiciously not included. His conclusion was based on less than 100 hand picked alcoholics chosen by Marty Mann.

More Info: http://www.thesoberchoice.com/drug_rehab.html

[bra]

hi,
I'm trying to convince a person that is very dear to me that she needs to get on anti depressents, she won't listen. She takes too many pain relievers :( to get rid of her anxiety and some pain.