Can Drug Addiction Cause Mental Illness? Keep reading to find out
Did you know that those who deal with mental health issues are often considered to be more susceptible to the grip of addiction? Mental illness and substance abuse are indirectly and directly connected to one another, and either way, there are adverse effects on the user. If someone is suffering from mental health issues, they may be drinking to help the symptoms and experiences. Those who drink and take drugs are also more susceptible to feeling low, with periods of anxiety and vulnerability.
There are different types of mental illness with different levels of severity. Often, these can be in the same patient population, and regardless of how vague the symptoms may be, individuals suffering from a mental health disorder are also more likely to abuse drugs and alcohol. Often, people turn to these substances as a way to alleviate their own stress and it only leads to more stress and issues over time – addiction being one very difficult side effect! It is very common knowledge that those who are suffering from addiction turn to other things to help them to manage their feelings, and different treatments can help you to manage the pain you feel without the need to turn to drugs and alcohol.
Can Drug Addiction Cause Mental Illness?
Understanding that mental illness and substance abuse are linked isn’t the only thing to consider. It’s important that we understand why they are linked. Mental illness depicts any conditions that cause disorder in relation to behavior and thinking. These can include eating disorders, anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, dissociation, OCD, and bipolar disorders.
When a patient takes medication or drinks alcohol in order to manage their symptoms to alleviate those feelings, it can spiral and lead to a dependency that becomes a longstanding addiction. Some people smoke or take cannabis and even alcohol to unwind at the end of a long day, but it’s when these escalate to heroin, meth, and ecstasy as well as a dependency on alcohol that addiction can spring up. When a person is reasonable, they are aware of their illness. This is then the catalyst for behavior in craving a feeling of being better.
People want to feel better and this becomes a bigger need than the need to overcome mental illness in the first place. This means that those depression symptoms are often alleviated because of a glass of wine or two. The more the symptoms of mental disorders are alleviated, the more people rely on substances to get through the day. Self-medicating then becomes a very dangerous thing, and while it’s understandable that people would seek out alcohol or narcotics to help them with their emotions, it’s also not a good thing!
How Substances Are Used To Influence Mental Illness
There are plenty of ways that substances can be used to block out negative feelings and it’s this reliance that leads to a full-blown dependency that lasts for years. Some of the ways that substances impact mental illness include:
- Using marijuana to block out negativity and feel a sense of relaxation and euphoria.
- Drinking alcohol to be able to lower inhibitions and feel more confident.
- Valium abuse can be the case for those with anxiety that doesn’t seem to go away. Using tablets to shut off that anxiety in the first place is how some patients choose to get away from their own feelings.
- Sleeping pill abuse is common for those dealing with insomnia, and eventually, it stops working!
Those with mental disorders may never learn to avoid these substances, and they self-medicate, which escalates into other substances later.
Getting the Right Treatment
It’s important to understand the dual diagnosis. Treatments of substance abuse have to go hand in hand with mental health treatments, and it makes sense as to why. Treatment centers will often offer the help of therapy and CBT to go with their withdrawal help and therapy. Diagnosing both mental illness and substance abuse can be a double blow, but it’s smart given that you can get help for both at the same time. This will further strengthen the connection between the two illnesses and patients have to treat both afflictions simultaneously. With the help of the right outpatient treatment center, you can ensure that you get the help that you need for your mental health and well-being. Contacting Louisville Addiction Treatment Center today is one of the best things that you can do for your ability to overcome addiction and get the best help.