This is an excerpt from my upcoming book, We Get Better: 48 Treatment Options for Chronic Depression.

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Treatment option 14: Overcoming addiction or improving your relationship with substances

As you likely know, frequent substance use is strongly associated with chronic depression. In the short-term, it encourages avoidance of pressing problems and needed tasks. It also represses or delays emotional expression and the grief process. In the long-term, this avoidance and repression leads to slowed emotional growth, since distress tolerance, healthy habits, interpersonal skills and other important life functions are not learned as quickly. Some people also experience acute negative effects from poor decision-making related to substance-related mental and physical impairment.

Feeling feelings is hard, but it’s an important part of maintaining mental stability. When you allow your emotions to pass through you without judgment, fear or shame, they eventually subside. What you are left with is an increased ability to handle difficult moments, an improved perspective on the distressing situation and greater inner peace.

Resources for substance use disorders abound, and I recommend taking advantage of them. Consult a medical or mental health professional. Attend a recovery group. If needed, seek in-patient care. 

If desired, add “overcoming addiction” or “improving my relationship with substances” to your depression treatment plan. Then decide on next steps, such as finding a medication provider, and write them on your short-term and/or long-term to-do list.

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