Depression and alcohol are frequently two things that go hand in hand. Annie spent a lot of time researching the topic due to her own experience with her diagnosis. One of her questions was which one came first: Did depression cause drinking issues? Or did drinking make depression worse? After much research, it turns out it doesn’t matter which came first. If drinking can numb our negative feelings, then it only makes sense to accept the fact that it also numbs our ability to feel happiness, as well and this contributes to depression. Depression is unique to each person and deciding to quit drinking may not fully CURE depression, but I know for a fact that continuing to drink WILL make depression worse.

If you struggle with depression, stop and ask yourself some of those difficult (maybe scary) questions. Use the ACT technique to draw conclusions about your beliefs surrounding this issue. Sometimes we have to get a little deeper than we’re comfortable with in order to get to the bottom of things, but trust me, it’s worth it. You’ll only cheat yourself by continuing to defend the use of alcohol to treat feelings of sadness and depression.

This course should not substitute talking to a licensed medical doctor and/or therapist and/or taking your prescription medication.

Anxiety and depression can go hand-in-hand. I was never diagnosed with depression (if you’ve met me, you won’t be surprised), but I was diagnosed with Alcohol Use Disorder and PTSD, and prescribed anti-anxiety medication as treatment. In my experience, my doctor didn’t know how to handle me, my job, or my treatment. I remember her asking me “can’t you just change jobs?” She put me on Buspirone … and that was it. No AA referral (thankfully), no therapist recommendations, no book suggestions. While I was able to verbalize that I was looking for help - help managing the stress of my job and help with my drinking - I did not know what to do to get that help.

Thankfully, I found This Naked Mind and was able to learn the ACT technique to manage my thoughts and take control, instead of letting them slides me back into drinking. What I’ve concluded - without a doubt - is that drinking to self medicate is an awful idea. Good ideas include connecting with other people and talking about the good and the bad, paying attention to what goes in your mouth, recharging your batteries with rest, sleep, and exercise, and practicing positive self talk and mindfulness. I created Forensics Found to give back to our responder community; if just one person finds quicker relief through my mentorship, then it will have all been worth it.