Published January 1, 2021 · Reviewed by Sergey Litvinov, MD · ~626 words

At Pines Recovery Life Detox, we offer substance use detox for alcohol and drug addiction. After detox, you can begin recovery from both a physical and mental standpoint. Even once you are further along, signs of depression can show up. Recovery is not a straight line. Use your coping skills to protect your mental health while you are this vulnerable.

Symptoms of depression

The signs of depression include:

• Prolonged sadness
• Lack of interest
• Low self-esteem or self-worth
• Thoughts of self-harm or suicide

If you notice any of these symptoms, or other unusual feelings of doom and gloom, call your therapist or seek professional help right away. Five things that help with depression after detox:

Assess your lifestyle

If you can, work with a professional to find the source of your depression. Often the slightest things drag the whole day down. Staying up too late or skipping a meal is enough to do it. Exercise, eat regular meals and keep a consistent sleep pattern.

Sometimes you never find the source. Try different things to take the edge off the pain and despair, like journaling or a new hobby. Consider joining our alumni program for activities and events that help you maintain your hard-won sobriety.

Find a mentor

In detox you are surrounded by supportive professionals in a supervised setting. Back in your outside life, the triggers can overwhelm you. Find a sponsor or mentor you trust with your emotions. They can offer support and suggest ways to cope when the depression and anxiety come back.

Keep up with your journal

A journal is somewhere to put your feelings and thoughts without judgment or fear of reprisals. Write down the frustrations, the depression and anxiety, and the things worth celebrating. Recording what you have got through lets you take some pride in it. Putting the bad feelings on paper helps get them out of your head. Keep seeing a therapist after recovery too, while you settle into drug-free living.

Look out for your health

Drug and alcohol misuse takes a toll on every part of your body. In time you may feel like you have more energy, and that lifts your mood. Give yourself time to make the transition. In the meantime, eat well and do things you enjoy sober.

Develop a solid support team

When you feel depressed you may want to shut out friends and family. You need them for the bad stretches and the good ones. Telling people who care about you what is going on takes some of the weight off. Deal with depression early and do not let it fester. It can bring on relapse.

Substance use detox in South Florida

At Pines Recovery Life Detox in South Florida, we provide a treatment evaluation to develop a personalized detox plan for you. Our inpatient treatment programs address both alcohol and drug addictions, with a focus on your physical health. Our detox programs include treatment for cocaine, alcohol, heroin, meth, OxyContin, and other addictions. Contact us at 800.263.3869, or contact us online to begin the first step of recovery.