One of the harmful effects of drug abuse and
addiction is depression, especially during the patient’s withdrawal stage.
Depression is usually hard to detect. Some persons are more hesitant to be
diagnosed; some are just really difficult to ascertain. Where there are symptoms of depression found in
a person, the first step to do is to have him undergo a physical examination by
a physician.
The help of a physician or therapist in a treatment center in California is
important because it could be that the signs of depression are caused by other
factors. For example, certain medications as well as some medical conditions,
like viral infections, can cause the same symptoms as depression. Thus, a
physician could be helpful in ruling out these possibilities through
appropriate medical examinations, interviews, and laboratory tests. Should the
results of the physical examination show that the cause is a physical ailment,
then there is no cause to worry about depression. On the other hand, where the
physician finds that there is no possible physical cause for the depression,
then there is a need for a psychological evaluation.
The diagnostic evaluation should include a complete
history of symptoms. The patient would be asked when the symptoms started
manifesting themselves, how often they occur, their severity and frequency, and
whether they have been treated before. The questions on history should also
include questions about the occurrence of the ailment within the family, and
whether the patient is exposed to drugs or alcohol. In addition, the diagnostic
evaluation should also include a mental status examination. This is important
in order to determine if speech or thought patterns or memory have been
affected, since such sometimes happens in the case of a depressive or
manic-depressive illness.
The diagnostic evaluation will shape the treatment
process. The choices will usually boil down to either the use of antidepressant
medications and psychotherapies. The decision to use either of the two or both
would depend on the severity of the disorder. For people who have mild forms of
depression, psychotherapy alone could do the trick. On the other hand, in the
cases of people with moderate to severe depression, there might be need for the
use of antidepressants. Combined treatment have also been found to be
effective, meaning medication is given to give the patient quick symptom relief
and at the same time psychotherapy is applied in order to help the patient
learn more effective ways to deal with life's problems.
Most of the treatment
centers in California recommend that individuals who suffer from drug abuse
and are undergoing depression should seek the help and expertise of
professionals for fast treatment and recovery. For more information, visit http://www.paxhouse.org/CA_Drug_Treatment.html.
