What Mental Health Issues Are Caused by Addiction?

Mental health disorders can occur for many reasons. Sometimes genetics or environmental factors play a role in why they happen. Addiction can be a factor for some people as well. The use of substances over a long period of time can trigger mental health disorder development or worsen underlying disorders you may not know you have.

At Mental Health Hope, we offer a wide range of resources to support your healing and recovery from both mental health disorders and addiction through dual diagnosis and treatment.

Mental Health Conditions That Develop with Addiction

Every situation is different. However, some of the most common mental health disorders linked to substance use disorders (SUDs) include the following:

• Depression: A person using substances can develop depressive symptoms, including the use of cocaine and long-term alcohol use. You may feel isolated, constantly sad or empty, and hopeless.
• Psychotic disorders: Some drugs can lead to psychotic disorders because of their interaction with brain structure and chemistry. This includes drugs like high-potency cannabis, cocaine, and amphetamines. Symptoms include paranoia, hallucinations, and delusions, and the onset of conditions like schizophrenia.
• Anxiety disorders: The use of some substances over a long period of time can trigger the onset or worsening of anxiety disorders, including the use of alcohol and sedatives, often as a result of turning to these substances as a way to self-medicate symptoms.
• Bipolar disorder: The use of substances can trigger and worsen the symptoms of bipolar disorder, including increasing manic episodes or mixed episodes, especially in people who have a predisposition for bipolar disorder.
• Personality disorders: Those who suffer from borderline personality disorders, including social anxiety and similar conditions, may also have a higher risk of SUD, often through the use of alcohol or opioids.
• Post-traumatic stress disorder: This type of panic disorder is often linked to the use of substances related to traumatic events.

Mental health conditions can occur for various reasons in these situations. Some people may not know they have a mental health disorder, often limiting their ability to receive an effective diagnosis.

Why Mental Health Disorders Happen with SUD

Having a mental health disorder may trigger your desire to use substances to self-medicate the symptoms. However, there are other situations in which the SUD can come first.

For example, you may have a predisposition for developing a mental health disorder due to your genetic makeup. The use of alcohol or drugs can trigger the development of a mental health disorder, creating symptoms. Without the substance, you may not have developed the mental health disorder.

The most common risk factors for suffering from mental health disorders and an SUD (called co-occurring disorders) include:

• Genetic makeup
• Chronic stress
• Environmental factors such as exposure to both
• History of trauma of any form

Substance use can trigger mental health complications like this because of the way it creates psychological changes in the brain. These drugs can change the way the brain functions, leading to the triggering of mental health disorders.

It’s also important to recognize that many people have an underlying mental health disorder but do not know it. You may have depression, anxiety, or panic disorders without realizing or having a diagnosis. Symptoms may be mild to moderate right away, but develop more intensely with the use of substances.

Getting Treatment Is Possible and Beneficial

It can be hard to understand if your mental health issues came before your substance use disorder or the opposite. What is true is that treatment can help with co-occurring disorders. Treatment for both a mental health disorder and SUD must occur at the same time, often in a treatment center designed specifically for both conditions.

Treatment for co-occurring disorders typically focuses on several steps:

• Stabilization: This may include working through a SUD detox process to remove the substance from the body and manage cravings from withdrawal. Many people also need medications to manage their mental health disorder symptoms.
• Mental health retreats: These retreats focus on privacy and treatment in a location that focuses on physical, mental, and emotional therapies, often for several weeks.
• Residential treatment programs: These programs allow you to spend several weeks in a treatment center, working through the addiction and mental health disorders with comprehensive care, including individual and group therapy, experiential therapy, and family therapy.
• Outpatient treatment: Some start here while others progress to outpatient therapy, allowing them to live at home and receive the care they need.

Finding Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Near Me

If you are looking for an alternative to a mental health hospital, we can offer guidance. Turn to Mental Health Hope now to find the level of care best suited for your needs. You can recover from both mental health disorders and addiction with a comprehensive treatment program.