Drug Abuse and Mental Illness.
When someone is suffering from drug abuse and mental illness such as depression, bipolar disorder, or anxiety, it is called a Co-Occurring Disorder or Dual Diagnosis. Dealing with substance abuse, alcoholism or drug addiction is never easy and it's even more tough when someone is struggling with mental health problems. There is a thin line hope and there are variety of treatments and steps are available to put someone on the road to recovery. Best treatment for this problem is self help and self motivation, others chipping in later like right support and right treatment.
What is the link between substance abuse and mental health ?
There is no direct connection between the former and the latter. In Co-Occurring disorders, both the mental health issues and the drug or alcohol addiction have their unique symptoms. They both can occur or happen differently which could affect the ability to function at work place or school, maintaining a home life, handling life's complexities and relationship with others, all become troubled. Sometimes the situation gets more complicated when the co-occurring disorders also affect each other. When a mental health problem goes untreated, the substance abuse problem usually gets worse. And when alcohol or drug abuse increases, mental health problems also usually increases too. This is a vice-versa relationship between the two. Co-occurring substance abuse problems and mental health issues are common than many people realize.
*26th June is celebrated as International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking*
According to reports published in the Journal of the American Medical Association :
1) Roughly 50% of individual with severe mental disorders are affected by substance abuse.
2) 37% of alcohol abusers and 53% of drug abusers also have at least one serious mental illness.
3) Of all people diagnosed as mentally ill, 29% abuse either alcohol or drugs.
What comes first ? Substance abuse or the mental health problem ?
Substance abuse and mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety are closely linked, while some substance abuse can cause prolonged psychotic reactions, one does not directly cause the other.
Alcohol and drugs are used as normally to self-medicate the symptoms of mental health problems.
People often use alcohol or drugs to ease the symptoms of an undiagnosed mental health issue, to fight with difficult or to change their mood for temporary period of time. Unluckily, abusing substances cause side effects and in the long run process most of the time it may gets worsening the symptoms they initially helped themselves to relieve.
Alcohol and drug abuse can hike the underlying risk for mental disorders.
Mental disorders are caused by a complex interplay of genetics, the internal as well as external environment and other internal and external factors are responsible. If an individual is at the risk for a mental disorder, abusing alcohol or illegal or prescribed drugs may push him over the edge. For example, we can take this, that certain abusers of marijuana have an increased risk of psychosis while those who abuse opioid painkillers are at greater risk for depression.
Alcohol and drug abuse can cause symptoms of a mental health disorder worse.
Substance abuse may sharply increase symptoms of mental disorder or even start new symptoms. Abuse of alcohol or drugs can also react adversely with medications such as antidepressants, anti-anxiety pills and mood stabilizers can make them less effective at managing symptoms.
How one can detect about himself or herself that he or she is suffering from substance abuse and co-occurring mental health disorder or not?
It can be difficult to detect or diagnose a substance abuse problem and a co-occurring mental health disorder. It is a time consuming process to detect about the exact problem whether it is a mental disorder of drug alcohol problem. The signs and symptoms can be varying in nature depending upon the both the mental health problem and the type of drug being used by an abuser.
For example, the signs of depression and marijuana abuse could look very different from the signs of schizophrenia and alcohol abuse.
However, there are some general warning signs that one can follow to detect about having co-occurring disorder :-
1) If someone is using drug or alcohol to relieve himself from unpleasant memories or feelings, to control pain or the intensity of moods, to cope with certain situations that are frightening or scary or to stay focused on tasks.
2) The relationship between the substance abuse and mental health disorder. For example, do that person gets depressed when he drinks?
3) The family history is very important. Has someone in the family grappled with either a mental disorder or drug or alcohol abuse?
4) Getting depressed or anxious at the time of when someone is sober.
5) Any history which relates to unsolved trauma or substance abuse.
6) Do that person was previously medicated for either addiction or mental health problem?
7) Did the substance abuse treatment failed because of complications from your mental health issue or vice-versa?
Concept of Dual Diagnosis and Denial.
Complicating a dual diagnosis and denial. Denial is common in substance abuse. It's often hard to admit how dependent you are on alcohol or drugs or how much they affect your life.
Denial frequently occurs in mental disorders as well. The symptoms of depression or anxiety can be frightening, so you may ignore them and hope they will go away. Or you may be ashamed or afraid of being viewed as weak if you admit that you have a problem.
But substance abuse and mental health issues can happen to any of us. And admitting you have a problem and seeking help is the first step on the road to recovery.
Signs and symptoms of substance abuse.
If you are wondering whether you have a substance abuse problem, the following questions may help. The more "yes" answers the more likely your drinking or drug use is a problem.
1) Have you ever felt you should cut down on your drinking or drug use?
2) Have you tried to cut back, but couldn't?
3) Do you ever lie about how much or low often you drink or use drugs?
4) Are you going through prescription medication at a faster than expected rate?
5) Have your friends or family members expressed concern about your alcohol or drug use?
6) Do you ever feel bad, guilty or ashamed about your drinking or drug use?
7) On more than one occasion have you done or said something while drunk or high that you later regretted?
8) Have you ever blacked out from drinking or drug abuse?
9) Has your alcohol or drug use caused problems in your relationships?
10) Has your alcohol or drug use gotten into trouble at work or with the law?
Source :
The Times of India
By: Muskan Srivastava
When someone is suffering from drug abuse and mental illness such as depression, bipolar disorder, or anxiety, it is called a Co-Occurring Disorder or Dual Diagnosis. Dealing with substance abuse, alcoholism or drug addiction is never easy and it's even more tough when someone is struggling with mental health problems. There is a thin line hope and there are variety of treatments and steps are available to put someone on the road to recovery. Best treatment for this problem is self help and self motivation, others chipping in later like right support and right treatment.
What is the link between substance abuse and mental health ?
There is no direct connection between the former and the latter. In Co-Occurring disorders, both the mental health issues and the drug or alcohol addiction have their unique symptoms. They both can occur or happen differently which could affect the ability to function at work place or school, maintaining a home life, handling life's complexities and relationship with others, all become troubled. Sometimes the situation gets more complicated when the co-occurring disorders also affect each other. When a mental health problem goes untreated, the substance abuse problem usually gets worse. And when alcohol or drug abuse increases, mental health problems also usually increases too. This is a vice-versa relationship between the two. Co-occurring substance abuse problems and mental health issues are common than many people realize.
*26th June is celebrated as International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking*
According to reports published in the Journal of the American Medical Association :
1) Roughly 50% of individual with severe mental disorders are affected by substance abuse.
2) 37% of alcohol abusers and 53% of drug abusers also have at least one serious mental illness.
3) Of all people diagnosed as mentally ill, 29% abuse either alcohol or drugs.
What comes first ? Substance abuse or the mental health problem ?
Substance abuse and mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety are closely linked, while some substance abuse can cause prolonged psychotic reactions, one does not directly cause the other.
Alcohol and drugs are used as normally to self-medicate the symptoms of mental health problems.
People often use alcohol or drugs to ease the symptoms of an undiagnosed mental health issue, to fight with difficult or to change their mood for temporary period of time. Unluckily, abusing substances cause side effects and in the long run process most of the time it may gets worsening the symptoms they initially helped themselves to relieve.
Alcohol and drug abuse can hike the underlying risk for mental disorders.
Mental disorders are caused by a complex interplay of genetics, the internal as well as external environment and other internal and external factors are responsible. If an individual is at the risk for a mental disorder, abusing alcohol or illegal or prescribed drugs may push him over the edge. For example, we can take this, that certain abusers of marijuana have an increased risk of psychosis while those who abuse opioid painkillers are at greater risk for depression.
Alcohol and drug abuse can cause symptoms of a mental health disorder worse.
Substance abuse may sharply increase symptoms of mental disorder or even start new symptoms. Abuse of alcohol or drugs can also react adversely with medications such as antidepressants, anti-anxiety pills and mood stabilizers can make them less effective at managing symptoms.
How one can detect about himself or herself that he or she is suffering from substance abuse and co-occurring mental health disorder or not?
It can be difficult to detect or diagnose a substance abuse problem and a co-occurring mental health disorder. It is a time consuming process to detect about the exact problem whether it is a mental disorder of drug alcohol problem. The signs and symptoms can be varying in nature depending upon the both the mental health problem and the type of drug being used by an abuser.
For example, the signs of depression and marijuana abuse could look very different from the signs of schizophrenia and alcohol abuse.
However, there are some general warning signs that one can follow to detect about having co-occurring disorder :-
1) If someone is using drug or alcohol to relieve himself from unpleasant memories or feelings, to control pain or the intensity of moods, to cope with certain situations that are frightening or scary or to stay focused on tasks.
2) The relationship between the substance abuse and mental health disorder. For example, do that person gets depressed when he drinks?
3) The family history is very important. Has someone in the family grappled with either a mental disorder or drug or alcohol abuse?
4) Getting depressed or anxious at the time of when someone is sober.
5) Any history which relates to unsolved trauma or substance abuse.
6) Do that person was previously medicated for either addiction or mental health problem?
7) Did the substance abuse treatment failed because of complications from your mental health issue or vice-versa?
Concept of Dual Diagnosis and Denial.
Complicating a dual diagnosis and denial. Denial is common in substance abuse. It's often hard to admit how dependent you are on alcohol or drugs or how much they affect your life.
Denial frequently occurs in mental disorders as well. The symptoms of depression or anxiety can be frightening, so you may ignore them and hope they will go away. Or you may be ashamed or afraid of being viewed as weak if you admit that you have a problem.
But substance abuse and mental health issues can happen to any of us. And admitting you have a problem and seeking help is the first step on the road to recovery.
Signs and symptoms of substance abuse.
If you are wondering whether you have a substance abuse problem, the following questions may help. The more "yes" answers the more likely your drinking or drug use is a problem.
1) Have you ever felt you should cut down on your drinking or drug use?
2) Have you tried to cut back, but couldn't?
3) Do you ever lie about how much or low often you drink or use drugs?
4) Are you going through prescription medication at a faster than expected rate?
5) Have your friends or family members expressed concern about your alcohol or drug use?
6) Do you ever feel bad, guilty or ashamed about your drinking or drug use?
7) On more than one occasion have you done or said something while drunk or high that you later regretted?
8) Have you ever blacked out from drinking or drug abuse?
9) Has your alcohol or drug use caused problems in your relationships?
10) Has your alcohol or drug use gotten into trouble at work or with the law?
Source :
The Times of India
By: Muskan Srivastava
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