Posted by Adam on September 1, 2001, at 12:17:04
In reply to Atypical Depression=Alcoholism, posted by Patrick C. on September 1, 2001, at 9:20:42
Hmm. I think I have "atypical depression", whetever the heck that means. I HAVE had a drink in the last three months, but that had everything to do with the fact that these were social situations, and everyone was drinking socially. Play softball, go out for beer and wings, etc. I've been that way since my first introduction to alcohol.
I think substance abuse and addiction are tricky things, and the only safe way to generalize is to say that some people seem to be more prone to codependancy than others. Why this is true has yet to be clearly described, but there is almost certainly a genetic component. Some alcolholics were never clinically depressed. I'm sure there are more than a few "typical"/melancholic types who fell prey to liquor. Maybe there is a predeliction among those with anxiety to self-medicate with alcohol; it would make sense, since it is a GABAnergic compound. Do all self-medicators become addicts? Is self-medication itself a definition of addiction? I think there are far more questions than reliable answers here presently.
> I have noticed that alcoholics and atypical depressants have many of the same symptoms:
>
> anxiety/panic attacks, social phobia (i.e fear of people), general anxiety disorder (i.e fear of economic insecurity) and depression
>
> Question: Is there anyone that suffers from Atypical Depression that has not had a drink in over three months?
>
> Thanks
poster:Adam
thread:77264
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010828/msgs/77281.html