Unfortunately, if a person isn't aware he is suffering from depression, such treatment is not sought and the person might not know how to deal with his situation. Instead, he may turn to drugs or alcohol for relief. However, using substances such as drugs or alcohol actually makes depression worse because most of these substances have depressant qualities. During the high period, the user may think he feels better, but the depression gets worse as the drug's effects wear off. This might cause the person to use more drugs in an effort to feel good again.
Addiction is often a consequence of untreated depression.
In fact, nearly 70 percent of patients being treated for substance abuse are found to also suffer from some sort of depression or other psychological problems. Since depression is hereditary, teens who suffer from depression may have parents who also suffer, making home life harder to deal with. In many cases, their parents will fail to recognize the signs of depression because they themselves have been living with depression all their lives without realizing it or treating it. However, depression is very important to recognize and understand. It is a serious mental illness that can become very debilitating for some people.