What Do Mental Health and Addiction Have in Common?

There is an undoubted connection between mental health and addiction. And when this occurs, it is essential that the individual gets help for both issues while in rehab.

Below, we explore more about the links between mental health and addiction. We’ll also explain how you can get help if you or a loved one is struggling with these co-occurring disorders.

Why Mental Health and Addiction Issues Often Co-Occur

Contrary to what you might think, the high prevalence of mental health and addiction issues occurring together does not mean that one causes the other. That’s often because it can be difficult to pinpoint when a mental health disorder or addiction starts. Usually, it is a slow progression that happens over time. More often than not, the two issues simply feed off each other and both worsen over time if they are not treated.

However, there are certainly specific instances in which the relationship between mental health and addiction is unique:

When Mental Illness Leads to Drug Abuse

In many situations, someone struggling with a mental illness or mood disorder such as depression or schizophrenia may turn to drugs in order to self-medicate. In the instance of depression and alcohol, for example, someone suffering from depression may begin drinking, thinking it will make him or her feel better.

When Drug Abuse Causes Symptoms of Mental Illness

In other situations, an individual may struggle with drug abuse, and mental illness symptoms could begin to appear. For example, someone who smokes marijuana with regularity may begin to have an increased risk of psychosis. Sometimes, the effects are indirect. For example, someone who smokes marijuana and drinks regularly may end up seeing negative effects in their daily life.

They may lose friends, lose interest in their jobs or hobbies, or lose their financial situation because they are spending all of their money and energy on drugs. These effects may then spur depression, other mood disorder or mental illness symptoms.

Treating Both Mental Health Issues and Addiction

In order to recover from both mental health disorders and addiction problems, treatment needs to address both issues. In the past, however, only one issue would be treated. For example, 30 years ago, treatment centers would focus only on an addiction itself. Detox services would be employed. The individual would be put into a situation where they could not get their hands on any drugs or alcohol.

This would no doubt stop the addiction. However, it would not address the serious mental illness that the individual may have been experiencing. After treatment, therefore, the individual would likely relapse back into substance abuse.

So that’s where dual diagnosis treatment comes in. A counselor can evaluate and suggest treatments and therapy for co-occurring disorders. In fact, it’s one of the therapies we rely on during addiction treatment at Beaches Recovery.

Finding Help for Addiction and Mental Health Issues

If you are interested in learning more about treatment for addiction and mental health issues, Beaches Recovery can help. Our intensive detox services and therapies provide optimal care for those struggling with both of these issues. Our therapy programs include the following:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy
• Dialectical behavioral therapy
• Anger management
• Post-traumatic stress disorder therapy
• Family and group therapy

Find out more by calling us at 866.605.0532. It’s time to stop allowing addiction to control you. Take charge by contacting Beaches Recovery right now.