Several
research studies have confirmed the association of major depression and alcohol
use disorder. However, it is not always known which one causes the other. Some
research has shown that people use alcohol to relieve their depression, while
other studies have revealed that alcohol use can cause depression. It
is safe to say that there is a casual relationship between the two. Kuria et
al., (2012) were interested in the depression rate of alcohol dependent individuals
in Kenya during a detoxification period. In order to conduct the study, Kuria
et al., (2012) looked closely at the participants who scored positive on the
multiple alcohol use disorder tests that were given. A community-based health
worker followed up with the participants twice a week for six months, in order
to discover depressive symptoms associated with abstinence from alcohol. As a
result, Kuria et al., (2012) found a high rate of depression in individuals who
are alcohol dependent, as past studies suggest. This also supports a high rate
of alcohol use disorder and major depression occurring together. Some
individuals were even still depressed after six months, and the researchers
explanation for that depends on the alcohol use at posttest. For instance,
those that were using alcohol to relieve depression are seen as individuals
diagnosed with depression as their main problem. In order for them to fully
overcome their alcohol dependence, their depression must be treated first. One
last finding includes the significant association between depression and
craving. After six months, those with a stronger craving had higher symptoms of
depression than those with mild cravings.
There are a
couple of limitations to this research. First, the research looked only at
those alcohol users who were presently being detoxified from the substance.
Also, the association between depression and alcohol dependence does not take
into account the genetic predisposition towards one or the other, passed down
the family line. However, the association between the two is still significant
due to the high prevalence of depression among alcohol dependent persons. The
research findings leave individuals with the encouragement that recovery from
alcohol and/or depression is achievable, and it does not always take a treatment for depression to solve the problem.
Kuria,
M. W., Ndetei, D. M., Obot, I. S., Khasakhala, L. I., Bagaka, B. M., Mbugua, M.
N., & Kamau, J. (2012). The Association between alcohol dependence and
depression before and after treatment for alcohol dependence. ISRN
Psychiatry, 1-6.
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