Plant City, FL -- (ReleaseWire) -- 12/18/2020 -- December is Seasonal Depression Awareness Month and WhiteSands Alcohol and Drug Rehab is taking the opportunity to shed light on this condition that affects millions of Americans every year.

WhiteSands is a premier addiction treatment center operating a large network of inpatient and outpatient facilities throughout Florida. The alcohol and drug rehab has published an article on Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and its complicated relationship with substance abuse. Unfortunately, those who struggle with Seasonal Depression, and other mood disorders, are more vulnerable to the disease of addiction. Likewise, using drugs and alcohol makes symptoms of Seasonal Depression worse. To read the full article, click here.

According to the American Psychiatric Association, "About 5 percent of adults in the U.S. experience SAD, and it typically lasts about 40 percent of the year" (Source).

Several factors contribute to SAD and Seasonal Depression including the change in season, shorter days and longer nights, colder weather, and increased isolation. Those who struggle with this disorder are more likely to turn to substance abuse to cope with the symptoms they're experiencing. Using drugs and alcohol in an attempt to cope is a major risk factor for addiction. When individuals understand that seasonal depression is a condition that can be managed and treated, they can get the therapy they need to better cope when their seasonal depression sets in. Knowing how to handle the signs and symptoms of SAD can be the difference between spiraling into substance abuse and addiction, or being stable, content, and mentally resilient.

Fortunately, WhiteSands Alcohol and Drug Rehab offers all-inclusive treatment programs for those struggling with an underlying mental health disorder and substance abuse problem. Through their highly-effective dual diagnosis treatment program, they can diagnose, treat, and help manage co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders. Dual diagnosis treatment helps heal the root causes of addiction by addressing mental health conditions that can be underlying causes of addiction.

About WhiteSands
WhiteSands was recently rated the number one treatment center for drug and alcohol addiction in the state of Florida by Newsweek magazine. With board-certified addictionologists, psychiatrists, registered nurses, and highly-qualified and certified clinical staff on-site full time, they were able to earn their ranking as a top-performing facility across the U.S. WhiteSands' impressive inpatient facility spans over a 10-acre campus and features private rooms for all guests, a newly-constructed recreation center and athletic complex, as well as offering a full-range of comprehensive levels of care.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/whitesands-alcohol-and-drug-rehab-raises-awareness-of-connection-between-seasonal-depression-and-substance-abuse-1321304.htm