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Depression is a serious mental illness that saps your energy and reduces your quality of life. Living with depression can cause other illnesses, and it can lead to unhealthy lifestyle choices, including drug or alcohol abuse. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, 20 percent of American adults who suffer from depression also have a substance abuse disorder, and 20 percent of people with a substance abuse disorder are addicted to drugs or alcohol. Depression can be effectively treated with both medication and psychotherapy, although the National Institute of Mental Health notes that psychotherapy is typically the best option for mild to moderate depression in adults. Psychotherapy can be administered one-on-one or in a group setting. Group therapy is less expensive than individual therapy, and numerous studies, including one meta-analytic study published by the American Psychological Association, show that there is no difference in outcomes between group and individual therapy.

Catastrophizing is a common type of cognitive distortion, which is the umbrella term for a number of irrational ways of thinking that keep us stagnant in life and negatively impact our behaviors. Psychologists often refer to catastrophizing and other cognitive distortions as "stinking thinking," because they're almost always part of the cause of anxiety, depression, addiction, and other mental health disorders. If someone you love has a tendency to catastrophize, your initial reaction may be to simply roll your eyes and assume they're simply overreacting. But in some cases, particularly when a drug or alcohol addiction is involved, catastrophizing can do some serious damage. People who catastrophize tend to deplete your energy and take up more of your time than you can afford. You may even feel threatened at times, especially if you're on the receiving end of misguided accusations or invalid conclusions.

If you have a partner, child, sibling or friend who is struggling with alcohol or drug addiction, you want to make the best possible choice for effective treatments. It's easy to be overwhelmed with the different treatment approaches available: 12-step, holistic, cognitive behavioral, etc. Is existential therapy a viable option? Keep reading to learn more.

Holistic refers to the idea that the whole is greater than merely the sum of its parts. In relation to holistic therapy for substance abuse, this concept has wide ramifications. Research has showed that addiction is a systemic brain disease marked by compulsive drug-seeking behavior. Of course, there are surefire methods of helping a person get clean. However, even these methods don't always take into consideration the whole individual. The holistic approach to treating substance abuse goes beyond traditional therapies such as those for individual, group, or family through behavioral or pharmacological treatment. Instead, this approach promotes recovery by healing the mind, body and soul.

Are you someone who has shrugged off yoga as an activity solely for other types of people? It's time you reconsider the power of Om. Yoga packs a mighty punch when it comes to developing mind-body awareness, which is why yoga should be an integral part of your addiction treatment. Before you mistakenly pass off yoga as being for "the other guy," find out how it can provide a positive impact on your addiction recovery.

As you know, depression is like a cloud hanging over everything you do. It alters who you are by affecting how you interact with and treat others. It diminishes the joys of your life and makes you see your future as a drudgery. But, thankfully, there is hope when it comes to treating depression. In addition to medication and counseling (both vital tools of recovery), art therapy has a positive impact on depression.

After you have completed treatment, the biggest challenge to enjoying a life free from addiction is learning to deal with triggers. According to UCLA, triggers are "specific environments, people and objects that can spark an addict's craving for drugs." This can be something as simple as walking into the room where drug use regularly happened or feeling an emotion that would have caused you to turn to drugs before recovery. While some triggers, like the places or people you were around when you used drugs, are avoidable, avoiding triggers is not possible 100 percent of the time. If you are struggling with the desire to use drugs, even after successfully completing a recovery program, your reaction to triggers may be to blame.

You feel like you should be able to grit your teeth and just get through urges to use. Just go cold turkey and do it on your own. But, if you are like many people who struggle, you’ll need more than willpower to overcome addiction and get past cravings to maintain your sobriety. The surprising reason why? Willpower is most likely a limited and exhaustible resource.

Substance abuse impacts the lives of every individual in a family. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (1), family members face a variety of challenges and complications when a loved one abuses drugs or alcohol. Finding the right treatment approach is crucial and allows the addicted individual to focus on personal treatment goals. Gestalt Therapy for addiction recovery is proving to be a viable option. Gestalt Therapy is a holistic approach to the recovery process that allows a person to make positive changes by understanding the factors that contribute to an addiction.

A co-occurring disorder refers to an individual with a mental health disorder and a substance use disorder that occurs at the same time. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (1), roughly 50 percent of individuals with a severe mental health disorder also abuse drugs or alcohol. Among individuals who abuse a substance, roughly 53 percent show signs of a mental health disorder, says the National Alliance on Mental Illness. By using integrated treatment for co-occurring disorders, a person learns tools and skills to avoid substance abuse and maintain emotional well-being.

A loved one's behavior and thought patterns often change after abusing drugs or alcohol. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (1) says that drugs interfere with the way that the brain communicates and floods the brain's reward system with dopamine. Although the physical reactions to the substance contribute to an addiction, the psychological aspects of an addiction also play a role in the recovery process. During treatment, a loved one must address the emotional and psychological dependence that develops during an addiction. This is why the use of psychology in addiction treatment and recovery is often very effective.

When you have a loved one who struggles with addiction and a mood disorder like depression, it can be difficult to separate and understand all of the different factors at play. You may get frustrated and think, "of course you're depressed! You're making your life more difficult with alcohol and drugs!" But, depression and addiction are often deeply linked and it is necessary to take on both of them together to see a full and lasting recovery.