Researchers at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center recently study the depression's effect on alcohol and cigarette use. Four-hundred-and-sixty-two people participated in the study, which documented initial alcohol and cigarette use, the measured use six months after participants had completed cessation treatment.

"Among those who were depressed, the odds of drinking, the next time you checked in with them six months later, were 1.5 times greater than the odds of drinking for individuals without significant depressive symptoms."

Though depression had a significant effect on alcohol use, cigarette use was not affected. The study's lead author, Molly Kodl, says the results underscore the importance of assessing a patient's depressive tendencies when he or she enters a treatment program.

Teenage depression is a real and scary thing. If your teen is experiencing signs of depression, you have to act quickly to get them the help they need. A residential treatment program that offers a full assessment of behaviors and emotions can help.

Labels: alcohol_abuse, depression, treatment