Maintaining good mental health is essential to overall well-being. Since substance use disorder is a form of mental illness, it only makes sense to address these issues together. However, there’s more to the importance of dealing with mental health and substance abuse than that. Find out more about the connection and the best way to address them.
The Connection Between Mental Illness and Drug Abuse
According to the National Bureau of Economic Research, there’s a strong connection between substance use and mental health. It reports that people with mental health disorders account for 38% of alcohol consumption. They also account for 40% of cigarette and 44% of cocaine use.
The biggest issue for these individuals is that they self-medicate their mental illness symptoms. Rather than seek professional help, they use drugs to relieve discomfort and stress. For example, people with social anxiety may drink alcohol to feel more comfortable in groups of people.
On the other hand, some people develop substance use disorder from recreational drug abuse. The problem is that substances can change the chemical balance in the brain. Then, it becomes vulnerable to mental illness. For instance, people who abuse heroin are at risk of developing depression.
The Importance of Addressing Both Mental Health and Substance Abuse
Since there are many types of mental disorders and drug abuse, numerous combinations can develop. It’s important to get help for both of these issues because the combination can trigger serious symptoms. Delusions and paranoia are two examples. People who don’t get help increase their risk of overdose and life-threatening symptoms, including death.
In some cases, people seek help for one problem but not the other. For example, they might visit a substance use clinic but don’t get proper care for mental illness. Even though they heal from the substance use disorder, the untreated mental illness is still a problem. Most of the time, it just triggers drug abuse again, which puts people’s lives at risk.
For these reasons, it’s essential to get help for mental health and substance abuse at the same time. Doing so is the safest way for people to regain control over their lives and improve their overall well-being.
How to Deal With Mental Illness and Drug Abuse
The best way to deal with mental illness and substance use disorder is to visit a mental health clinic. The psychologists and psychiatrists can provide dual diagnosis therapy. The term “dual diagnosis” simply refers to the fact that both a mental condition and drug abuse problem are present. This type of therapy helps people deal with the cause and develop skills to support healthier lives.
Find Dual Diagnosis Therapy That Meets Your Needs
Do you need help for a mental disorder and drug abuse? PACE Mental Health Houston provides women’s and mens mental health therapy. Some of our services include:
- Medication-assisted treatment
- Family counseling
- Medication management
- Stress management counseling
- Mindfulness meditation
Don’t suffer anymore because of mental health and substance abuse problems. Get customized care at our mental health clinic. Call us today at 866.971.8423.
