Addiction Looms in Unpleasant Weather

Every year around October until about February I fall into a depression. It’s like setting the clock back an hour makes me take a step back also. Yes, I have Seasonal Affective Disorder…”

– Jonathan

What is Seasonal Affective Disorder?

While you may have heard of the “winter blues,” or the “rainy day blues,” Seasonal Affective Disorder is extremely harmful and more than just a temporary change in mood.

It is not uncommon to feel a little damper in your mood or feel the occasional episode of cabin fever during the long winter months, but for people suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) these feelings become so overwhelming that they hinder the individual from functioning normally.

SAD is a form of depression in which individuals experience:

• Increased irritability or anxiety,
• Feelings of despair or hopelessness,
• Social Isolation,
• Sleep disturbances,
• Tearfulness,
• Changes in eating habits.

A scary fact is that with SAD’s close association to depression, many individuals have also tried to self-medicate themselves by abusing drugs or alcohol in order to dull or forget about their pain.

SAD is a real disorder with real symptoms. It’s a type of depression that shouldn’t be ignored and can be treated. As the hours of sunlight wane during the fall and winter, good spirits don’t have to disappear with them.”

– Dr. John Stracks, MD

How exactly does SAD associate with Alcohol and Drug Addiction?

Throughout the United States, it has been estimated that about 10% of the population is affected by SAD. As a difficult condition to spot correctly, many people suffering from SAD do not receive an accurate diagnosis of their condition and as such go completely untreated; leaving the door wide open to self medicate with substances such as alcohol.

In conjunction with other depressive disorders, it may seem natural for individual’s suffering from SAD disorder to have a drink or use stimulants such as cocaine or meth in order to make one’s self feel better.

However this is extremely dangerous. For example, Alcohol is a central nervous system suppressant that can ultimately worsen your symptoms, contributing to fatigue, sadness, and weight gain.

Additionally abusing substances such as drugs or alcohol can have extremely dangerous consequences to one’s health, livelihood, and loved ones; it can even be fatal.

Why Florida is exactly what you need.

As states with cold winter months see a higher percentage of Seasonal Affective Disorder, it’s extremely beneficial to come to a warmer state to get the help you need.

With miles of pristine white sand beaches and an average daily temperature of 70.7 degrees, Florida is the perfect spot to start the road to recovery.

If you or a loved one is struggling with SAD alongside a battle with alcohol and drug addiction it is also important to find a quality dual-diagnosis program to treat both the disorder and the addiction.

Please call our trained addiction specialists for more information regarding our dual-diagnosis treatment program and to help facilitate travel arrangements to sunny Fort Lauderdale, FL. We are here to help!

Google