Do you think I am an alcholic or depressed?

Question

I have been diagnosed as having moderate to severe depression, but question this because I having not been entirerely truthful with my dr. about my drinking. When I feel incredibly depressed I go on drinking binges. Then I am depressed because I cannot easily get out of these drinking binges. I'm not sure which comes first the drinking or the depression. They seem to intercept. It's kind of like which came first the chicken or the egg. Hopefully it will be more obvious for you guys if you can help. Which came first the depression or the alcohol?

Answer 1

You need to get rid of both. But drugs (like alcohol) have long term effects that are the opposite of the short term effects. These 2 guys took huge amounts of LSD and experienced the highest feelings but then went into the deepest h**l.

Ignoring the effects on physical health, alcohol is a legal drug. It used to be an illegal drug. It makes people less relaxed and so more stressed out and less happy. Drugs cause a slingshot effect. You get a long term effect to the opposite of the short term effect. This is due to homeostasis. My 1,900 page Mosby Medical Dictionary defines homeostasis as: "[Gk, homoios + stasis, standing still] a relative constancy in the internal environment of the body, naturally maintained by the adaptive responses that promote healthy survival. Various sensing, feedback, and control mechanisms function to effect this steady state."

Whatever effect the drug has on the body, the body produces an opposite effect to balance it out. If you have no trouble getting to sleep, then take sleeping pills every night for a week and then try to get to sleep without them. So whatever pleasurable effect the alcohol has temporarily, it has the opposite effect on you permanently. This is the same with all drugs. You can take drugs to make you high, but then the body produces an opposite effect on you.

Answer 2

It's hard to say, but alcohol is a depressant, so if you are depressed, you aren't doing yourself any favors by drinking.  Why don't you quit drinking and see if you don't feel better?

Answer 3

i had a similar problem and I can safely say the depression comes first. and alongwith it comes a whole host of problems like self indulgence - which leads to the binges, self loathing, irritability etc. so my advice would be to go on prozac. it will take a month to start working. and antabuse to prevent any binges and the vicious cycle it causes. google for antabse. it is the best way to stop drinking.

Answer 4

I am enlightened by your question. I drink a 12 pack a day. I feel the grasp of it. Alcoholism. I am a social drinker. I drink to be social. If you find the answer let me know.

Answer 5

You tell us.  Did you start drinking before you were diagnosed or after?  I think you were depressed first and use alcohol to cope.