Depression is a serious mental illness that affects a person’s mindset and view on the world. People who suffer from this illness usually perceive things with a pessimistic attitude in comparison to non-depressed people, and are extremely negative in terms of the future. Depression is a very common factor in drug addiction. A substantial percentage of those who are addicted to drugs and alcohol also display symptoms of depression, whether in its mild form or to extreme severity as bipolar disorder or manic depression. The connection between drug addiction and depression is a close one, and at times it can be quite challenging to tell where one stops and where the other begins.
It’s not uncommon, but those who battle chronic depression can often try to combat depressive emotions by turning to drugs or alcohol. In treatment and medical circles, it’s called “self-medicating.” Rather than seeking treatment through anti-depressants or therapy, it’s emotionally and physically easier to reach for the usual blunt or drink. A study published in the American Journal of Public Health, conducted by Eva Y. Deykin, Janice C. Levy and Victoria Wells (1987) supports the correlation between depression and illegal drug use. This study investigated the relationship between the prevalence of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and the prevalence of substance abuse and alcohol abuse. The sample consisted of 424 students of age 16 to 19 who were attending college. The findings support the positive correlation between the two variables. The researchers discovered that substance abuse was closely related to Major Depressive Disorder; the substance or alcohol abuse almost always followed the MDD onset. This supports the statement that drugs are used to drown out depression.
Whether drug addiction spawns from depression or depression increases the likelihood of drug use is controversial but one thing is for certain: depression is only made worse by substance abuse. Beth Wilkinson (1994) states in her book, Drugs and Depression, that there are three common types of depression. Major depression causes the patient to experience a combination of symptoms. It can interfere with everyday function, and may be episodic. Dysthymia is less severe but is long-term. Bipolar disorder, also known as manic depression, is associated with a biochemical imbalance in the brain. It can be controlled with appropriate medication (pp. 10-11). There are many symptoms of depression and these can manifest in very severe or relatively mild manners. Restlessness and agitation are common with depressed patients. They tend to become isolated and withdrawn from everyone else. With depression usually comes a dramatic appetite change, with tremendous weight loss or gain. Patients suffer from fatigue and feelings of worthlessness and hopelessness. They no longer enjoy activities that were previously pleasurable. They either sleep too much or suffer from insomnia (Wilkinson, 1994, pp. 11-12). All of these dramatically change the patient’s life regardless of their severity. Illegal drugs and alcohol “can [also] make depression worse and might lead to thoughts of suicide” (“Major Depression,” m.d.).
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Science has made great strides in rapidly identifying the underlying neurological processes involved in forms of addiction. The use of drugs increases dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure. Neurotransmitters carry signals between neurons as chemical messages. The higher the level, the higher need for the brain’s increase in tolerance. When the brain has more tolerance to dopamine, pleasure has to be provided by more dopamine. People who rely on drugs require a lot more dopamine in order to feel that pleasure, but the only way to achieve this amount of dopamine is to take more drugs. The instant feeling of euphoria is replaced as soon as the drugs wear off with an even deeper depression combined with fatigue and, in some cases, guilt and anxiety.
Continued use leads to addiction and fundamental alterations in the brain that worsen existing psychological conditions and sometimes create new forms of psychosis depending upon the drug, dose, and length of addiction. It’s a never ending cycle that viciously increases in severity over time. Since most drugs are extremely addictive due to this dopamine factor, as well as their use increasing dramatically, the relationship between drug use and depression will become more and more serious as more people turn to drugs to cope with their problems. In Against the Legalization of Drugs, essayist James Q Wilson said, “Stimulants such as cocaine and amphetamines alter the way certain brain cells communicate with one another. That alteration is complex and not entirely understood, but in simplified form it involves modifying the way in which a neurotransmitter called dopamine sends signals from one cell to another. When dopamine crosses the synapse between two cells, it is in effect carrying a message from the first cell to activate the second one. In certain parts of the brain that message is experienced as pleasure. After the message is delivered, the dopamine returns to the first cell. Cocaine apparently blocks this return, or “reuptake”, so that the excited cell and others nearby continue to send pleasure messages.
When the exaggerated high produced by cocaine-influenced dopamine finally ends, the brain cells may (in ways that are still a matter of dispute) suffer from an extreme lack of dopamine, thereby making the individual unable to experience any pleasure at all. This would explain why cocaine users often feel so depressed after enjoying the drug. Stimulants may also affect the way in which other neurotransmitters, such as serotonin and noradrenaline, operate. Whatever the exact mechanism may be once it is identified it becomes possible to use drugs to block either the effect of cocaine or its tendency to produce dependency. There have already been experiments using desipramine, imipramine, bromocriptine, carbamazepine, and other chemicals. There are some promising results.”
The correlation between illegal drug use and depression is closely linked because the rates of both depression and drug use have been increasing. This will become a major problem for adolescents because both drug use and depression are strongly affecting teenagers and young adults. Although it is not known whether one causes the other, or if they just simultaneously occur, there is definitely a strong relationship between illegal drug use and depression.
References
- American Psychiatric Association – What is Depression?
- National Institute on Drug Abuse – Drugs, Brains, and Behavior: The Science of Addiction
- Healthline – The Effects of Depression on the Body
- Mayo Clinic – Depression (major depressive disorder)
- Medical News Today – What is depression and what can I do about it?
- WebMD – Depression Health Center
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism – Alcoholism and Co-occurring Disorders
- PsychCentral – Drug Abuse &
