Drugs and Depression

Are drugs and depression related? This is one of the most common questions asked by sufferers today. If you study depression statistics, you will see that this condition occurs due to various causes that may include drugs. Drug abuse leading to depression is quite common especially in people who use heroin, ecstasy, cannabis and other recreational drugs.

Indications Of Depression In Drug Abusers

Recreational drug users usually display frequent changes in mood. A lack of stress management is also a symptom of common abuser. Severe abuse is definitely a trigger for mental depression. Drug abuse mental effects are quite common in people who already suffer from depression and resort to drugs for comfort.

Types Of Interaction Between Drug Abuse And Depression

There are several forms of interactions between depression and drug abuse. A person already suffering from severe depression may not be able to handle the symptoms and may resort to using drugs as a relief measure. A test for bipolar disorder as well can give some insight into the mental psyche of the person. In some cases, onset of stressful situation may lead to the person becoming a victim of drugs and depression. He or she may reach out for drugs and go into depression as a natural progression.

Taking drugs could sometimes directly lead to depression. When the drug abuser tries to give up drugs, the resultant withdrawal symptoms is a forerunner of drug abuse leading to depression. Financial problems may arise in a person’s life due to heavy drug abuse. Drug abuse mental effects are so severe that the abuser may neglect his career and fall into financial crisis. This in turn may trigger great stress and eventual depression. People suffering from psychiatric disorders such as phobias, anxiety disorders and stress disorder may tend to reach out for drugs to feel calm and nice.

Recreational Drugs And Depression

The way we feel predominantly depends on certain neurotransmitters in our brains. These chemicals basically control the way we feel. In a person suffering from depression, there is an imbalance in these chemicals. The reason why recreational drugs lead to a feeling of high followed by the eventual depressive mood is because they severely affect the level of these chemicals.

Drugs That Affect Neurotransmitters

There is no doubt about drug abuse leading to depression. Going deeper into the subject, it is time to know about the drugs that affect neurotransmitter levels in our brains. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that is severely affected by LSD and ecstasy. Ecstasy, amphetamines and cocaine affect dopamine while morphine, heroin and other opiates and amphetamines affect the neurotransmitter norepinephrine.

Drug abuse mental effects are thus directly caused by norepinephrine, serotonin and dopamine levels in our brain. Those who are suffering from drug abuse and depression must reach out for help immediately. Doctors will use various methods to find out the role of drugs in their depression and administer treatment accordingly.

They may not prescribe antidepressants for patients who are depressed because of withdrawal from a drug. Withdrawal and taking drugs can both lead to depression. In order to judge whether the patient requires antidepressants and other treatments or not, the doctor has to first find out the extent and type of drug abuse or withdrawal symptoms.