Symptoms of Substance Induced Depression
Substance Induced Depression
Substance induced depression is a mental illness that occurs from a person using a particular drug. Substance induced depression can occur from a person using illegal drugs or can occur from a person using medication prescribed to them from their doctor.
When a person has substance induced depression, they only have the illness because of the drug they are taking. If they had depression before taking the drug, or of they have depression months after stopping the drug, then they do not have substance induced depression.
The problem about substance induced depression is that many people who have the illness do not realize that the drug they are taking is causing the problem, so they continue to take the drug making their depression worse. If a person has never experienced depression before, this new onsite of emotional turmoil may lead them to act irrational and cause them to make poor decisions in regards to areas of their life that are important to them, such as relationships and work.
Symptoms of Substance Induced Depression
Substances can sometimes cause depression. You can find help today!
According to Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition, Chapter 18: Drug Induced Disorders, the symptoms of substance induced depression are severe enough to result in significant distress in a person’s social behaviors, occupational responsibilities, or in other areas of their functioning. The symptoms of substance induced depression are similar to those of major depressive disorder.
Symptoms of substance induced depression include:
Fatigue: Not wanting to do much of anything, constantly feeling tired and weak.
Increased Sleeping: Only wanting to sleep, physical activities that a person once enjoyed seem meaningless now.
Thoughts of Suicide: A person with substance induced depression may feel as though ending their life would be beneficial, they may start to think of ways they can commit suicide.
Feelings of Hopelessness: A person may feel like their life has no meaning or purpose; this is usually the precursor to suicidal thoughts.
Disengagement: A person suffering from substance induced depression may pull away from friends and family by ignoring them or avoiding them all together.
Sadness and Irritation: A person with substance induced depression will constantly feel sad and possible irritation every day, making it difficult for them to engage in social activities.
Missing Work: A person suffering from substance induced depression may begin to miss work frequently or miss school frequently, this is mostly due to the feelings of sadness and hopelessness that they constantly feel; areas of importance become trivial to people suffering from substance induced depression.
Substance induced depression can be helped and treatment is available. Any person experiencing symptoms of depression after taking a drug should talk with their doctor.
