I’m trying to figure out treatment for depression while also dealing with drinking. When I’m feeling low, alcohol seems like an easy way to shut my brain off, but it usually makes the next day worse.
I’m not sure whether to focus on depression first, drinking first, or treat both at the same time. I’m looking into dual diagnosis programs because handling them separately hasn’t worked very well. Has anyone found a treatment approach that actually helped with both?
@Richard_Malone, treating both at the same time helped me more than trying to pick one. When I focused only on depression, drinking kept undoing any progress. A dual diagnosis counselor could adjust the plan with both issues in mind.
One practical thing that helped was telling my prescriber exactly how much I was drinking, including the days I tried to hide or minimize it. We started with a safety plan for low moods and urges, then added small routines for the next morning. It wasn’t a quick fix, but the honesty made the treatment fit better.
@Richard_Malone, the part about alcohol shutting your brain off but making the next day worse sounds familiar. I found treating both at once made more sense, since drinking was tied closely to my low moods rather than being a separate problem.
A counselor helped me make a plan for the evening hours, when urges were strongest, and my prescriber knew the full amount I was drinking. That honesty changed the treatment plan. If you’re drinking heavily or daily, it’s worth getting medical guidance before stopping suddenly, since withdrawal can be dangerous.