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Is There A Connection Between Mental Health And Addiction Near Clark?
December 05, 2024
Have you ever wondered what causes substance use disorders (SUD)? Understanding the answer could give us the ability to avoid and address these disorders. The good news is, current research is providing insights that increase our knowledge and improve treatment. Recent studies have found a powerful connection between substance use and mental illness. If you struggle with a SUD, you might also be facing a co-occurring mental disorder. By being aware of this, you can pursue more worthwhile treatment that navigates both mental health and addiction near Clark.
What’s The Connection Between Mental Health And Substance Use Near Clark?
In a recent study, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) calculated that approximately 17 million adults in the United States live with both a mental illness and a SUD. They also discovered that adolescents and adults with mental illnesses were more likely to consume addictive substances. This evidence shows a significant connection between mental health and substance use in Clark and the rest of the country. But how can mental health disorders cause substance use?
How Does Mental Illness Lead To Substance Use?
It’s no secret that mental disorders are often hard to live with. When not treated adequately, your disorder can have you feeling despondent, angry, afraid and confused. You might even encounter some distressing physical symptoms. This is true whether you have been formally diagnosed with a mental illness or do not know you have one.
If a mental condition makes your life a struggle, it’s no wonder you may have been driven to use dependency-causing drugs or alcohol to cope. The chemicals in these substances make you feel temporarily better. They might provide a “high” that feels good or reduce the distress you have. When using, you could feel more normal and productive.
When you take addictive substances to handle the symptoms of mental illness, it’s referred to as self-medicating. You might utilize these substances to feel temporarily happier, more energetic, or less anxious. You might also use them to relieve physical aches and pains. Self-medication includes using substances not prescribed by a doctor, such as illicit drugs or alcohol, as well as overusing or misusing prescriptions.
Self-medication typically begins accidentaly. Overindulging in alcohol or misusing drugs seems like an escape and a way of dealing with reality. Sadly, it’s hard to quit using something that causes you to feel better. Your mind and body become reliant on those substances, and you cannot function without them. What follows is a cycle of self-medication that might spiral out of control and produce harmful and unsafe actions.
Recognizing the source of your substance use gives you a starting point for recovery. Once you realize that mental illness resides at the foundation of your alcohol or drug use, you can manage both and have a better likelihood of recovery.
Will Substance Use Influence Mental Health Too?
The impacts of mental illnesses and substance use disorders are frequently cyclical. The chemicals in habit-forming substances change neural pathways. They can trigger or aggravate mental illnesses. The stress of losing your life to addiction may also cause mental disorders like anxiety and depression. In return, you may turn to alcohol and drugs even more to get by, and the cycle begins again.
Why Treat Mental Health And Addiction Together?
Dealing with a substance use and mental health disorder could seem daunting, even hopeless. But digging into the root of your substance use is vital for enduring recovery. Once you realize what co-occurring disorder caused your alcohol or drug use, you have a great basis for treatment. Addressing mental disorders with therapy and approved medications empowers you to resist addictive substances. The skills you learn in therapy for handling mental health will assist you in remaining sober, too. You’ll have more success controlling your addiction when you improve any foundational mental health disorders first.
Get Help For Substance Use Disorders And Mental Illness Near Clark
If you battle co-occurring addiction and mental illness, The Counseling Center at Clark can help. Our expert staff know how to help you handle the obstacles you experience with research-backed treatment. Call 732-605-6029 or submit our contact form to speak with someone right away about admissions.
Author
Born in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, Stephen Cooke brings over a decade of experience in international and American healthcare communications to Praesum. A prolific writer and published author, Stephen has dedicated his career to promoting health and recovery across various organizations.
