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Topic: depression verses addiction
Topic Posted by: jan morris (morrisl@ieighty.net )Date Posted: Mon Mar 30 0:07:45 1998
Topic Description: Do the levels of chemicals in the brain at time of addiction in any way resemble those of depression? Are they at all similar in makeup? Are any of the same drugs for depression used in addiction therapy? Does the brain after it is addicted resemble the depressed brain? Are healing therapies similar and in what ways?
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Posted by: Marlene Pollock (nzyj99a@prodigy.com )
Date posted: Tue Mar 31 23:39:28 1998
Subject: Addiction/Depression and Treatment
Message:
My recovery time is now 18 months, after 22 years of using. My father is an alcoholic and my mother is chronic depressive. I found that treatment facilities will either treat one illness or the other, but never both. When I was housed in mental facilities I was mentally ill and drugged up. When I was in substance abuse facilities I was examine and proclaimed as not having a mental illness, hence all anti-depressive medications were ceased cold turkey. This see-sawing continued for several years. My recovery began when I realized that I was both an addict and suffered from chronic depression. I combined the twelve steps from NA with the twelve steps for dual diagnosis's. In my area of southeastern Michigan I have not come across any facility, either in-patient or out-patient that addresses both illness's. Is there anyone that expand on these dual illnesses and treatment? Has anyone been in this predicament?Thank you.
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