I've made three different trips (as a patient) over the years to a treatment center for alcohol and drug abuse.
I've always thought it was odd that the majority of the patients who enter treatment for drugs or alcohol are on some type of anti-depressant.
As a recovering alcoholic, I suffered from severe depression during my drinking days.
And for extended periods of time after I would quit.
However, there is one major thing I did after I stopped drinking the last time over three years ago.
I worked a recovery program; which I still work each and every day.
The reason why I bring up the topic of "is it alcohol or depression?", is that in my personal opinion, depression is way over diagnosed in people who are actively abusing some type of substance.
Before I go any further, I must remind anyone reading this, that this is my opinion, and I'm not a doctor nor do I specialize in any type of medical field.
I'm simply a recovered alcoholic who suffered from depression as a result of my drinking.
Alcohol is a depressant, so it would naturally make sense that while drinking excess amounts one would become depressed.
When I was abusing alcohol, I usually did not go around telling everyone how much I drank.
Especially not my doctor.
The denial aspect of substance abuse and addiction is extremely powerful.
I have the disease of alcoholism, and in my experience, the disease will go to any length to convince me I don't have it.
That includes blaming all sorts of other factors on my erratic and depressive behavior.
When I'm actively in my addiction, I will do anything to keep drinking, including lie to those around me and most certainly my doctor.
For years I drank alcoholically and was filled with remorse and regret for things I did and the way I acted.
So much so, that eventually I simply stopped hanging out with people and would drink by myself.
Of course that made my self-respect and esteem worse than before.
The result would always be more guilt and depression.