Anxiety and Addiction
Anxiety disorders — generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety, and specific phobias — co-occur with substance use disorder more often than in the general population.
Read more →Depression and Addiction
Depression and substance use disorder co-occur at very high rates: many adults with major depressive disorder also experience a substance use disorder, and the relationship runs both ways — depression increases SUD risk, and chronic substance use worsens depression.
Signs of self-medication
When use is doing a job.
Substance use that started as a way to manage symptoms eventually creates its own problem. These are the patterns clinicians look for in co-occurring depression and addiction:
- Drinking or using to numb persistent sadness, hopelessness, or emptiness
- Using stimulants to overcome low energy or motivation
- Using opioids or sedatives to escape emotional pain
- Sleep changes (too much or too little) tied to use
- Withdrawal periods that intensify depressive symptoms
- Loss of interest in activities that previously brought pleasure
- Suicidal ideation that surfaces during withdrawal or use
If you're thinking about suicide or self-harm, call or text 988. If you're in immediate danger, call 911.
Integrated treatment approach
Both conditions, one plan.
Clinical sequence
Integrated dual-diagnosis treatment addresses depression and SUD simultaneously rather than sequentially. The approach pairs evidence-based addiction treatment (medication-assisted treatment (MAT) where indicated, structured behavioral therapy) with mental health assessment and trauma-informed therapy. Any medication for depression is a prescriber's decision made after stabilization, and mental health medication takes weeks to reach full effect.
DSM-5: F32, F33
Therapies we will use
Evidence-based for this pairing.
Different condition pairs respond to different therapies. The modalities below have the strongest evidence base for co-occurring depression and addiction.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Trauma Focused Therapy
- Individual Therapy
- Group Therapy
- Motivational Interviewing
Kentucky Medicaid coverage
Typically covered.
Kentucky Medicaid plans typically cover integrated dual-diagnosis treatment. Behavioral health and SUD services are administered as a unified benefit, meaning mental health medication support, therapy for depression, and SUD treatment can all be billed and coordinated within the same episode of care.
Coverage is determined by medical necessity. Call admissions and we'll verify your specific plan as part of the call.
Other dual-diagnosis conditions
More conditions we will treat alongside substance use disorder (SUD).
Take the next step
Treat depression and addiction and substance use together.
Admissions answers 24/7. Golden Grove will accept Kentucky Medicaid. Coverage check happens on the call.