Most people are aware of the ways that substance addiction can negatively affect a person’s physical health — the signs are right in front of them. However, not as many people are aware, or even acknowledge, how badly substance addiction can affect a person’s mental health.
There are many dangerous connections between mental health and substance abuse, so it’s important to be informed in order to keep yourself or your loved ones safe.
Those Will Mental Health Issues Often Use Alcohol as a Coping Mechanism
When someone struggles with anxiety or depression, they can often see alcohol or drugs as vehicles to deal with their emotions. In a similar way, adults who are bipolar or Schizophrenic may use substances in an effort to prevent themselves from having episodes or quell their symptoms.
This is bad enough when a person’s mental health is professionally diagnosed; but when it’s not and that person is using drugs and/or alcohol to self medicate, symptoms can worsen, leading to the development of addiction.
Substance Abuse Can Worsen Mental Illness
Especially if someone is self-medicating with drugs or alcohol, they’ll eventually realize that the substance is only masking their symptoms, not actually fixing them. This can cause a greater decline in mental health and cause a person to experience exacerbated symptoms.
Alcohol and Drugs Can Cause Mental Health Disorders
While mental health disorders can be caused by a wide variety of factors, alcohol or drug addiction can worsen a person’s risk for developing a disorder. For example, those in midlife who become increasingly dependent on alcohol or opiates can be more at risk from developing depression, while those addicted to hallucinogen drugs can be more prone to psychosis.
We offer treatment specifically designed for those in midlife. A high-quality dual diagnosis treatment program will address issues of body, mind, and spirit. At Silver Ridge, our holistic approach involves conventional and complementary therapies that address the individual’s multiple needs and issues for whole-person healing. Get your fresh start and contact us today.
