Depression is a common mental health condition. It affects about 280 million people worldwide, and it is a serious mood disorder that can substantially affect a person’s life. However, many people resort to unhealthy coping mechanisms to try to relieve their symptoms.
It’s essential to recognize these behaviors and understand why they aren’t effective to pursue healthier alternatives. It’s also necessary to identify whether you are suffering from depression or another mental disorder. Treatments can differ between disorders based on severity and onslaught, and dual diagnosis treatment for depression is necessary to provide healthy mental health treatment for those also dealing with substance abuse.
What is Depression?
Depression is a serious mood disorder that affects how a person feels, thinks, and acts. Depression can lead to a range of emotional and physical problems and can decrease a person’s ability to function at home and work.
Distinguishing between depression and sadness is important. Sadness is a natural emotion that people have in response to painful or challenging events. Depression is a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest that can disrupt daily functioning.
Although depression may be felt differently among individuals, common symptoms include:
- Persistent feelings of sadness
- Loss of interest in activities once enjoyed
- Changes in appetite
- Weight gain or loss unrelated to dieting
- Difficulty making decisions
- Sleep problems, i.e. trouble sleeping or sleeping too much
- Loss of energy or increased fatigue
- Increase of physical activity without purpose, such as hand-wringing or pacing
- Slowing of physical activity, speech, and thinking
- Increased restlessness, irritability, or agitation
- Problems thinking or concentrating
- Feelings of guilt or worthlessness
- Repeating thoughts of suicide or death, or attempting suicide (this requires emergency treatment)
If you have five or more of these symptoms for at least two weeks, you may have depression.
Types of Depression
There are several types of depression, including:
- Major Depressive Disorder (MDD): Persistent feelings of sadness, loss of interest in activities, and other emotional and physical symptoms.
- Persistent Depressive Disorder (Dysthymia): Chronic depression with symptoms that persist for at least two years.
- Perinatal Depression (previously Postpartum Depression): Depression that occurs after childbirth, that can affect either parent.
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): A seasonal depression that occurs primarily during certain times of the year, usually the winter months but occasionally summer.
- Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD): Severe symptoms of depression, tension, and irritability during the luteal phase of menstruation.
Causes of Depression
Several considerations may contribute to depression, including:
- Brain chemistry, such as imbalances in neurotransmitters
- History of depression within a person’s family
- Certain medications or medical conditions
- Traumatic or stressful events, such as job loss or the loss of a loved one
Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms for Depression
It’s important to recognize that unhealthy coping with depression only offers temporary relief and frequently makes the underlying issues worse. Professional help from a counselor or therapist can be vital for developing healthy and effective methods for managing depression. A mental health professional can help an individual understand the causes of their depression and help them develop coping mechanisms that work.
Substance Abuse
Many people turn to drugs or alcohol to numb emotional pain or escape from difficult feelings. Research shows that there appears to be a relationship between alcohol addiction and depressive disorders. Addiction and depression often exist together, with each disorder increasing the risk for the other disorder and each aggravating symptoms of the other. Using addictive substances provides purely temporary relief and may leave a person with prolonged psychological problems.
Social Isolation
Isolating from family and friends can worsen feelings of loneliness and hopelessness, making depression harder to manage. This can also be a sign of developing substance abuse.
Over-or Undereating
Using food to cope with feelings, either by restricting caloric intake or consuming excessive amounts of food, can cause unhealthy weight fluctuations and add additional stress. Food may provide temporary comfort, but developing an eating disorder can delay overall healing.
Reckless Behavior
Participating in risky activities, such as driving under the influence or excessive shopping, can provide a temporary thrill. But acting without regard for the long-term consequences can cause havoc in a person’s life. It doesn’t provide lasting relief and may encourage escalated reckless behavior.
Insomnia or Excessive Sleeping
Many people practice “revenge bedtime” sleep patterns in times of high stress, to feel a sense of control. But interfering with sleep patterns can remove an essential tool for stress relief, and only serves to avoid facing reality or the issues contributing to depression.
Self-Harm
Some people intentionally cause physical harm to themselves as a way to manage or express emotional pain. But this actually provides no long-term relief for the feelings and can (for some people) encourage unhealthy patterns of coping to continue.
Waiting for it to “Pass”
Depression doesn’t just ease with time. A person may feel temporary relief, but it will still remain untreated without conscious effort.
Healthy Coping Mechanisms for Depression
Depression can drain a person’s hope, drive, and energy, making it difficult to take the steps that will help them feel better. However, just thinking about the things they can do to feel better, like exercise or spending time with family or friends, can seem exhausting or insurmountable.
The actions that most help in healing from depression can feel like the most difficult things for a person to enact. But they are not impossible. What’s most important is to make consistent progress every day.
Reach out and stay connected
Staying connected to other people and engaging in social activities can make a huge difference in mood and energy. Reaching out for connection is not a sign of weakness, and doesn’t make you a burden to others.
Take part in activities that make you feel good
It’s important to do things that relax and reenergize you. Learn to manage stress by setting limits on what you’re able to do and scheduling fun activities into your day. You can break the cycle of negative thoughts by concentrating on something that brings meaning and purpose to your life. Try something new, and make time for spending time outside in nature.
Manage your stress
Stress not only prolongs and worsens depression, but it can also trigger it. Figure out the things in life that stress you out on a regular basis and try to find ways to relieve the pressure.
Prioritize physical exercise
Exercise is an important tool for managing and recovering from depression. Regular exercise can work alongside medication for relieving symptoms of depression, and can help with relieving stress on a regular basis. Depending on the activity, it can also help in connecting with other people with similar interests.
Eat healthy food and stay hydrated
Try to eat a balanced diet and reduce your consumption of food that can negatively affect your mood. This may include caffeine and processed food with high levels of salt and fat. If relevant, talk to your doctor and ask if certain foods are harming your health over time.
Work on the issues at the root of your depression
Needing professional help doesn’t make a person weak. Depression can be treated, and a professional therapist can help discover the underlying cause of your depression. If the depression is an imbalance of hormones or other factors, they can connect you to a medical professional that can help resolve that aspect of depression.
Treatment for Depression
For many people, lifestyle changes are not enough to fully treat the effects of depression. Medical or psychological intervention can often help them achieve a higher quality of life. Common options for depression treatment include:
- Therapy: Counseling or talk therapy with a mental health professional can help people cope with the effects of depression and develop effective coping mechanisms. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a common therapy technique commonly used to treat depression and substance use disorders.
- Medications: Antidepressant medications, such as SSRIs, can help regulate brain chemistry and relieve depression symptoms.
- Support Systems: Building and maintaining a social support network can provide encouragement and a feeling of community. Targeted support groups and 12-step groups are valuable options.
Receive Support for Depression at First Steps Recovery
We at First Steps Recovery work to support our clients so they build a fulfilling life. We offer support for mental illnesses like depression, as well as dual diagnosis treatment for people who require help with both mental illness and substance abuse. Our highly qualified and experienced mental health professionals treat symptoms with holistic treatment plans that help to heal the whole person.
Don’t wait for addiction to go away. You deserve professional, effective help that empowers you to live your life. Contact us today to learn more.
Dr. Curl is the Medical Director and primary on-site provider for First Steps Recovery. He is a Board Certified Internist and Addiction Medicine Specialist having attended the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and completing his residency at Mount Auburn Hospital with Harvard Medical School. Following several years work as an internist and physiatrist (physical medicine and rehabilitation). Dr. Curl completed the Addiction Medicine Fellowship at Howard University in Washington DC and participated as a RAM Scholar (Research in Addiction Medicine). While part of the fellowship, Dr. Curl pursued research investigating the barriers to expanding and improving medication for opioid use disorder. Following his fellowship, Dr. Curl spearheaded the Opiate Use Disorder outpatient clinic and worked in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences within the Howard University Hospital. In 2023, Dr. Curl completed his Board Certification in Addiction Medicine.
