Mental health disorders, also known as mental illnesses, are a family of disorders that affect your mood, behavior, and perception. Mental disorders modify the state of your mind, and you may experience symptoms like hallucinations and mood swings, etc. Certain life events and sudden traumatic occurrences can also trigger mental disorders.
Mental health disorders are of different types some of them include anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia. Individuals suffering from a mental health disorder often try to cure their illness by using drugs. However, prolonged and excessive usage of these drugs may lead to substance abuse dependency, overdose, or addiction.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, multiple surveys claim that half of those who experience mental illness during their lives will also experience substance abuse disorder. Adults and teenagers may suffer from several mental illnesses that contribute to substance abuse disorder, and some of them are as follows:
- Anxiety disorder:
We all feel a little anxious and nervous from time to time. However, in the case of anxiety disorder, you might have a heightened panic response to a specific situation. Anxiety disorder is a mental illness in which a person responds to several circumstances with nervousness, extreme fear, or dread.
Symptoms of an anxiety disorder include excessive sweating, shortness of breath, and a pounding heartbeat. The treatment options for an anxiety disorder include anti-anxiety medications and breathing exercises.
Research indicates that individuals with substance use disorder also have an anxiety disorder, and for such individuals, residential programs are available as a treatment option. These programs offer 24-hour monitoring, psychological and medical help, a peaceful environment with fewer stressors or triggers, and a daily schedule to manage their condition.
- PTSD:
Post-traumatic stress disorder is a mental disorder that develops after a traumatic event. The event may be life-threatening, scary, or dangerous, for example, sexual assault, terrorist attack, accident, fire, or war. Places and events associated with the traumatic experience can trigger panic, anxiety, and distress. Symptoms of PTSD include feeling vulnerable, trouble sleeping or eating, and co-existing emotional disturbances.
According to American Psychiatric Association, PTSD affects 3.5 percent of adults in the US every year. One in 11 people have been diagnosed with PTSD in their life, and women are three times more likely to get PTSD.
Often psychiatric treatment is needed to avoid extreme distress and substance use disorders. According to the American Psychological Association, people with PTSD looking for treatment are 14 times more likely to be diagnosed with substance use disorder.
To avoid future complications, individuals should seek proper psychological and psychiatric treatments.
- Depression:
Depression is a mental illness that impacts your mood, feelings, and way of thinking. It is a condition that causes you to lose interest in activities you once enjoyed with pleasure. Depression causes several symptoms like sleep disturbances, inability to function properly, slowed speech, focus issues, and thoughts about suicide or death. However, it is treatable. Psychologists recommend evaluations, and if it is necessary, patients are placed on antidepressants by a psychiatrist.
According to the American Psychiatric Association, depression affects 1 in 15 adults every year; and on average, it may occur in the late teens to mid-twenties. Depression is also pretty common in individuals with a substance use disorder. According to NIDA NIH, substance use disorders co-occur at high prevalence with mental illnesses like depression and bipolar disorder. Proper medications and therapy can help affected individuals.
- Bipolar disorder:
According to NIH, bipolar disorder or manic depression is a mental illness that results in changes in mood, activity, energy levels, focus, and ability to carry out everyday tasks. Bipolar disorder is divided into three categories, and they differ from each other in the range of mood and energy changes they produce. The most distinguishing symptom of bipolar disorder is mania or manic episodes that make you feel energized or highly active and depressive or very sad, low episodes.
Research indicates that substance abuse is a significant comorbidity in bipolar patients. It may occur in adults and children and is very common in individuals with substance use disorders. Bipolar disorder and substance use disorder require appropriate and supervised medical treatment.
- Schizophrenia:
Schizophrenia is a chronic mental illness, and according to the APA, about one percent of the people in the US suffer from it. Symptoms of schizophrenia include hallucinations, delayed or disorganized speech skills, delusional thoughts, trouble organizing ideas or attaining motivation. Schizophrenia and substance use disorder have a common link between them.
In adolescence, excessive substance use will increase the risk of developing a substance use disorder and psychotic illnesses. According to NCBI, the genetic basis of schizophrenic individuals suggest that it makes patients vulnerable to substance abuse disorders (SUD). Recent studies also indicate that this vulnerability may occur before any psychotic symptoms appear.
Conclusion:
Mental illness and substance abuse are strongly connected.
Mental health disorders affect the brain, behavior, and overall health of a person. These disorders also produce varying symptoms that often occur with substance abuse disorders. Several studies show a strong correlation between deteriorating mental health and substance use disorders. You can overcome both and lead a life of sobriety and freedom with appropriate treatment from an online suboxone clinic for people with opioid use disorder (OUD), support from friends and family, and proper guidance from trained professionals.
