Every time I speak to someone who is battling addiction or substance use disorder, the topic of trauma is always in the mix. From what I see the two go hand in hand and from my perspective, one serves as the fuel, the other serves as the fire. It wasn’t until personally I began to understand how my addiction to alcohol was truly impacting my mental health that I made the needed change to quit drinking.
Good mental health is golden to say the least. It is a key component in our overall health and well being. When our mental health is poor, it is extremely difficult to make it through life’s obstacles when they come to say the least. The average person unfortunately in this day and time is impacted by usually anxiety, depression, ptsd, etc or a combination of these.
When a person’s mind isn’t in the best place, that’s when addiction tends to look to take hold. It’s important to note as that addiction does not come in the obvious form all the time of substance use, behavioral addictions can be present as well. It’s also important to note that addiction is caused either through genetics, environment or psychological factors.
Although it’s often looked at as drinking or getting high is the answer to dealing with stress, we need to understand that addiction to substances can cause mental health issues as well. Certain substances can increase anxiety as well as depression. Also it should be noted that using substances alters brain chemistry over time as well. Mental health issues can lead to addiction as we know when substances are looked at as coping mechanisms. This increases when the person falls into a cycle of self medication.
The impact of addiction on mental health definitely needs to be discussed with emphasis. The short term effects include things like mood swings, irritability and cognitive impairments. Some long term effects include chronic mental health disorders as well as social isolation.
The treatment approaches vary. Integrated treatment models that include both therapy and medication to assist your body in ridding itself of the chemicals caused by certain substances are available. We at the Believe Detox Center take this approach as our residents tend to stay with us around 30 days as we assist them in taking the first step into recovery and beyond. We believe that both the addiction and mental health of a person needs to be addressed when they walk through our doors.
It’s always a great suggestion that you build or find a support system as well. Therapy groups, community resources, and more serve as safe spaces for you to get support when needed in certain moments along your recovery journey. Never underestimate the amount of support you may need when it comes to getting sober as well as staying sober.
Mental health is often impacted by substance use disorder. Addiction to substances increases the risk for mental health issues. Have you found the support you need for you or your loved one? Are you moving towards a path of recovery or worse? Please don’t hesitate to get the help needed as we would love to assist you in taking back control of your life and finding peace of mind while doing it.