Behavioral Health

What Is Depression?

Depression is a common and complex illness that affects all types of people. It is not a mood, sign of personal weakness, or a condition to be ashamed of. Depression causes changes in your normal brain chemistry, your feelings, and behavior. It is a medical condition that should be treated. It is natural for everyone, men and women, to feel sad once in a while. But if symptoms persist for more than 2 weeks and affect your ability to enjoy life and function normally, it is usually considered to be depression.

What causes depression?

There is no single cause for depression. It can develop slowly over time for no known reason, be a symptom of another health issue, or a specific event can trigger the onset of depression.

Psychological factors

Sometimes, stressful events in your life can trigger depression, such as: the loss of a loved one, physical trauma or abuse, disease or illness, being in a difficult relationship, financial hardships, or experiencing a major life change of some sort.

Biological factors

  • A family history of depression may increase the risk of suffering from it.
  • Certain prescription drugs, alcohol and street drugs are known to cause depression.
  • Thyroid imbalance, anxiety disorders, and substance abuse are other conditions linked with depression.
  • Diets low in omega-3 and other fatty acids, folic acid, and vitamin B-12 appear to be risk factors for development of depression.

What are the symptoms of depression?

It is important for you to contact your health care provider if you have had any of the following symptoms for two weeks or longer:

  • Persistent sad, anxious or "empty"" feelings
  • Tiredness and less energy
  • Loss of interest in activities or hobbies once pleasurable, including having sex
  • Feelings of hopelessness or pessimism
  • Irritability, waking up during the night, or excessive sleeping
  • Thoughts of suicide or suicide attempts
  • Persistent aches and pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems that do not ease with treatment
  • Overeating or loss of appetite
  • Difficulty concentrating, remembering details and making decisions

How is depression treated?

First, make an appointment to talk to your health care provider about your symptoms. Your provider will evaluate your physical state and history and suggest the best treatment options for you. These could include prescribing antidepressant medication or talk therapy or a combination of both.

Antidepressants

Antidepressants work to normalize naturally occurring brain chemicals, called neurotransmitters. A variety of antidepressant medications are available. They usually begin to show full effects after 3 to 4 weeks of regular doses. Antidepressant medication can be taken or short or long periods of time — depending on your reaction to them and your progress.

What if I am in crisis?

Or someone I know is in crisis?
If you are thinking about harming yourself or you know someone who is, tell someone who can help right away:

  • Call 911 or go to a hospital emergency room to get immediate help, or ask a friend or family member to help you do these things.
  • Make sure that you are not alone or the suicidal person is not left alone.
  • Call the toll-free, 24-hour hotline of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline to talk to a trained counselor at: 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255), TTY 1-800-799-4TTY (4889).
  • Call the toll-free, 24-hour Community Health Plan nurse advice line at: 1-866-418-1002 voice or TTY 1-866-418-1006 for hearing or speech impaired.

Mental health resources

  • Your primary care provider
  • Mental health specialists, such as psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and mental health counselors
  • Community mental health centers

Hope, Help & Healing: A guide to helping someone who might have a drug or alcohol problem

The Partnership for a Drug-Free America© & Washington

Are you worried that someone you care about has a drug or alcohol problem? Or do you feel your own use is out of control?

You or your loved one can get better, and there are many ways to get help. This booklet will provide important facts about addiction and ways to get started on a path to recovery.

In this article you'll find information on:

  • Signs to look for
  • Where to start
  • How to intervene
  • Finding hope and help

Act now. First steps are often the most difficult, but when it comes to addiction, you cannot wait. Addiction is a disease — a serious health problem like heart disease, cancer, or diabetes — that can happen to anyone who uses alcohol or other drugs. If left untreated, it can progress and may even be fatal.

Signs to look for

The most obvious sign of addiction is using drugs or alcohol uncontrollably, despite the fact that use is causing problems. Addicted people's behavior can change dramatically, and they can act out of character, which is confusing and upsetting to friends and family members. If you've noticed any of the warning signs (see lists below), investigate as soon as possible.

Physical signs to look for:

  • Bloodshot eyes
  • Slurred or agitated speech
  • Sudden or dramatic weight loss
  • Skin abrasions/bruises
  • Neglected appearance/poor hygiene
  • Frequently sick
  • Accidents or injuries
  • Unusual odors on breath; stains and odors on clothing

Behavior signs to look for:

  • Hyperactivity or unusual aggression
  • Secretive behavior, including lying and locked doors
  • Hidden stashes of alcohol, drugs, or drug paraphernalia
  • Missing alcohol or prescription medicine
  • Not fulfilling responsibilities or missing school or work
  • Avoiding eye contact

Emotional signs to look for:

  • Sudden shifts or changes in mood and personality
  • Emotional instability
  • Depression
  • No interest in previously enjoyed hobbies or activities

Where to start

Learn the facts. Educating yourself about drug or alcohol addiction is the first step. For more information about addiction and types of treatment, visit The Partnership for a Drug-Free America, the Alcohol/Drug Help Line, or call 1-800-562-1240.

Friends and family members can influence and motivate addicted people to get well. However, people sometimes feel powerless to help because they accept "myths" like the ones below.

Myth: "She can stop using drugs if she really wants to."
Reality: A person can control his or her alcohol or drug use at first. But long-term use actually changes some people's brain and body functions so they crave alcohol or the drug, and feel sick without it. They find it difficult to stop on their own using willpower.

Myth: "People don't go for help until they hit 'rock bottom'."
Reality: Your loved one does not have to lose everything before taking the first step. Pressure from family members and employers, health care professionals and clergy can motivate an addicted person to seek treatment earlier. And that may save his or her life.

Myth: "Treatment won't work for him."
Reality: No matter how severe the addiction, treatment can work, especially when the person is committed to working on recovery and has a strong support system. In fact, the success rate for such treatment is similar to other chronic illnesses like diabetes, asthma, and hypertension.

Your drug and alcohol use

If you're concerned about your own drug or alcohol use, you don't have to deal with it alone. Call the 24-Hour Alcohol/Drug Helpline for free, confidential information: 1-800-562-1240. Consider also talking to your doctor, therapist, teacher, or a family member who can lend support. Or attend a meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), Narcotics Anonymous (NA), Smart Recovery, or another anonymous self-help group devoted to helping members recover and lead healthy lives.

Definitions

  • Addiction: uncontrollable, compulsive alcohol or drug use despite the fact that use is causing problems. Can include physical cravings when not using. There can be a genetic predisposition.
  • Intervention: a meeting of family and friends led by a professional demanding that an addicted person get help. Can also be a personal conversation to express concern and urge change.
  • Detox or detoxification: Cleansing the body of alcohol or other drugs under a doctor's care. A first step in the treatment process.
  • Treatment: individual and group counseling for an addicted person and his family to change a pattern of behavior that has led to problems with alcohol and/or other drugs. May also include using medication to relieve physical symptoms and cravings.
  • Recovery: an ongoing process of major life change in which an addicted person stops drinking and using other drugs and works toward restoring a functional life.

How to intervene

Check it out. If you're not sure if someone has a drug or alcohol problem, use our confidential online quizzes to learn whether professional help is needed. Go to www.drugfree.org, click Get Help for Drug Problems, then Is it a Problem?

Before you intervene

Much is now known about how to intervene effectively. The goal of a group intervention is for an addicted person to get a professional evaluation and begin treatment. You may want to consult with a professional interventionist before intervening, because the intervention may be more effective when led by a health professional.

The family's role

To be effective, an intervention needs to include an addicted person's loved ones. Often, they reach "rock bottom" before the person who needs help does, and can team up to push him or her to seek professional help. Family members and friends need to educate themselves about addiction and change their own behavior if their loved one's recovery is to succeed.

Locate resources — near and far

People get well through a variety — and sometimes a combination — of approaches, so it's essential to find out what help is available before you intervene. Call 1-800-562-1240 to identify appropriate alcohol or drug treatment programs.

Treatment has many forms, but effective treatment will address physical, psychological, emotional, and social problems and will involve family members. Make an appointment at a treatment center and attend meetings of local self-help groups to better understand what your loved one is going through. Recovery is much more effective with support from family members and friends.

When you intervene

  • Talk when the person has not been using drugs or alcohol.
  • Stay calm.
  • Express your comments with nonjudgmental caring and concern.
  • Avoid labeling the person an "alcoholic" or "addict."
  • List specific incidents resulting from the person's drug or alcohol problem. (For example, "you were recently arrested for DWI.")
  • Stick to what you know first hand, not hearsay.
  • Talk in "I" statements, explaining how the person's behavior has affected you. ("I felt scared when you came home high last night...")
  • Be prepared for denial, resentment, and rejection.
  • Be supportive and hopeful about change. Recovery is much more effective when family members are involved and have realistic, yet optimistic expectations about the process.

Finding hope & help

People with alcohol and drug problems can get well; they can regain their physical health and well-being and improve their relationships with others. This happens when the person has stopped using drugs or alcohol and is "in recovery."

Recovery is not instantaneous. It's a process that requires work to maintain, but it can lead to a profound life transformation with enormous personal growth. Some people experience it as a spiritual awakening, but recovery is also possible through therapy and nonspiritual self-help groups.

If you are worried that you or someone you care about may have a drug or alcohol problem, it's important to intervene now.

You are not alone

Don't wait until something really bad happens. Get help now.

Addiction can affect anyone. It afflicts 22 million Americans: men and women, teens and adults, poor, middle class, and affluent, in rural towns, suburbs, and cities. In Washington alone, one out of 10 adults needs treatment for an alcohol or drug use disorder. Because it has a strong genetic component, addiction tends to run in families. However, families just like yours have successfully intervened when loved ones are in trouble with drugs or alcohol and helped them get well.

You are not alone. You may feel that no one can help you -- that you and those ou care about have to suffer alone. But there are people who have been there and many resources to help you understand and cope with drug and alcohol addiction.

Families can thrive with hope, help, and healing. Alcohol and other drug addiction can change family relationships in profound ways. You and members of your family may feel guilty, frustrated, confused, angry, or powerless. Attending Al-Anon or Alateen meetings, which provide support to families and friends of people with addictions, may be helpful.

Need help? Get help!
The Partnership for a Drug-Free America and Washington
You can connect and share experiences with people who overcame their own alcohol or drug problems and those who intervened.

  • Learn about addiction, types of treatment, and where to go for help.
  • Take online quizzes to find out if you or someone you know needs professional help.
  • Learn what family members can do to support a loved one's recovery.
  • Get help for your problem and support to stay off drugs and alcohol.
  • Read real people's stories of how they got well.
  • Find links to the best resources on the Web.

State funding for treatment is available now. To find out who qualifies, and to find a treatment agency near you, call 1-800-562-1240.

Treatment works!