Anyone caring for or treating an addicted person knows that depression and drug or alcohol addiction frequently go hand in hand. Some traditional medical and psychiatric based programs diagnose and treat the depression an addict is experiencing as the root cause of the person’s drug or alcohol problem, when in fact it is more often a symptom that shows up after a person becomes addicted.

Most addicts are in a deteriorating or poor state of health. While high, they are in a euphoric, painless state of mind, numb to the damage drugs or alcohol are doing to their bodies. They are physically spent as a result of the severe nutritional deficiencies that follow long-term drug or alcohol use and addiction. And, as a result of the addiction, the addict is surrounded by broken relationships, lost jobs, spouses, children or homes, problems with the law or finances. Aside from the physical effects, depression is an appropriate emotional response, considering the circumstances.

Psychotropic (altering perception, emotion or behavior) medications are often used which temporarily mask symptoms but do nothing to cure them. As these medications wear off, depression returns, often magnified, making the recovery process more difficult if not impossible. The best possible treatment program would be one that rebuilds physical and mental health without tethering the recovering addict to a schedule of medications.

To bring about addiction recovery for a lifetime, an addict must be withdrawn from drugs without the administration of more drugs, and helped to rebuild his or her health and life through development of new life skills and their application. The rehabilitation program at Narconon Arrowhead is a completely drug-free program that uses nutrition, natural detoxification and education to help an addict eliminate cravings and rebuild a healthy life.

J.S., a recent graduate of the Narconon program, said, “When I came to Narconon, I was physically, mentally and emotionally dead, not only from drugs and alcohol but from mental and emotional abuse. Today I love myself and know who I am. No more anxiety or depression. I am happy and comfortable with myself.”

To help citizens in Boston and surrounding communities understand how addiction can be overcome, Narconon is making the booklet Healing Addicted Lives available free for the asking. Indispensable for anyone faced with drug abuse in their community, this informative booklet fully explains how addiction starts, how depression presents a barrier to recovery and how it can be overcome.

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