Common Mental Health Challenges Experienced in Addiction
Your mental health can contribute to the onset of substance use disorder (SUD). Your SUD can contribute to mental health disorders. In both cases, having the support of a licensed therapist can make an incredible difference.
If you fail to treat one without treating the other, your risk of relapse is much higher. Yet, treatment can be effective. If you are battling mental health disorders and addiction, our team at Victory Recovery Addiction Center can help. You don’t have to wait. Contact us now.
Types of Mental Health Challenges Commonly Linked to Addiction
Many people experience both mental health disorders and addiction. Data shared by the SAMHSA shows that about 21.5 million adults in the United States suffer from co-occurring disorders. Co-occurring disorders refer to the coexistence of a mental health disorder and a substance use disorder. This may include any type of combination. Some of the most common types include the following:
Depression and Mood Disorders
It is quite common for people to experience an SUD with a depressive disorder. You may feel:
- Sadness
- Irritability
- Loss of interest in things you loved
- Hopelessness
Bipolar disorder can also fall into this area. Many people with symptoms of mania or depression struggle with addiction. In these situations, substances may be a type of coping mechanism for the intense symptoms felt. If you are facing addiction and depression, treatment will focus heavily on seeking a solution for the underlying conditions.
Anxiety Disorders
Many people turn to substances when they have intense symptoms of anxiety. This includes anxiety disorders such as:
- Generalized anxiety disorder
- Panic disorder
- Social anxiety
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
For those with PTSD, for example, a person who experienced an incredibly traumatic event may find themselves unable to cope with the recurrent emotions and reliving of the events that happened to them. Turning to a substance like alcohol, which works to depress or slow the brain’s function, could prove a temporary solution. Addiction and trauma are often hand-in-hand. Treatment can help with both conditions at the same time.
Personality Disorders
Some people struggle with personality disorders and addiction. This might include borderline personality disorder or antisocial personality disorder. By turning to alcohol or drugs, it may be possible to overcome the intense struggle faced. You may find that using a substance makes it easier to deal with activities that otherwise seem impossible.
Psychotic Disorders
Mental health disorders that fall into the psychotic range, such as schizophrenia, can also fall into this range. The use of substances is often a critical step in managing the symptoms and debilitation these mental health disorders create. Because of how complex these disorders are, it is quite common for psychotic disorders to lead to long-term addiction without treatment.
ADHD
Attention-deficient disorder or attention-deficient hyperactivity disorder is a form of co-occurring disorder that can, in severe or uncontrolled situations, lead to serious complications to mental health. There is an increased risk of turning to substances to manage the symptoms faced on a daily basis.
What Happens When Mental Health and Addiction Collide?
Understanding what could happen is a part of the treatment process. Unchecked, SUDs and mental health disorders can worsen, impacting physical and mental health to profound levels. For many people, this often means struggling with:
- Struggling with managing life responsibilities at home, work, and school
- Battling increasingly challenging symptoms that become debilitating
- Needing to use more of the substance to find support
- Struggling with relationships and quality of life
- Overdose
You do not have to suffer on this path. With the guidance of a mental health and drug treatment center, you can find treatment for both conditions. Take a look at how we help those battling co-occurring disorders achieve long-term improvement in their quality of life.
- Detox treatment: The first step may be detoxing from the substance that is controlling your health. Detox with mental health disorders is a stepped approach, ensuring we control symptoms along the way.
- Residential treatment: For many people, residential treatment is the foundation of long-term success. It enables individuals to develop stress and coping skills in a structured environment.
- Intensive outpatient therapy: For some, it is best, as it allows for continued balance in recovery and the maintenance of responsibilities at home.
Dual diagnosis treatment in Lafayette is at the heart of this process. We provide you with the tools you need to navigate the mental health aspects of the process while also offering comprehensive, effective strategies to overcome SUD.
Get Started With a Call to Us Today
Victory Addiction Recovery Center is the resource you need by your side. With the help of our dedicated team, you will have the opportunity to overcome mental health challenges alongside addiction in a healthy manner. Contact us now.