Not everyone with a mental illness is going to become a drug or alcohol addict and not everyone with a drug or alcohol addiction has a mental illness. There are underlying causes that lead to the occurrence of this connection of addiction and mental illness. Other factors play a role in the connection of addiction and mental illness. These factors include genetics, chemical deficiency, and environment.
A variety of mental illnesses such as post-traumatic stress disorder, antisocial personality disorder, anxiety, sleep disorders, or depression, increases the risk of addiction. The highest risk of addiction connection to mental illness is those who have bipolar or schizophrenia.
It is not fully understood why people with these particular disorders are at a higher risk for addiction, it may be due to the extreme highs and lows associated with them. Some noted correlations between addictions and mental disorders are that alcohol and drug abuse does change the brain that can sometimes lead to permanent damage causing mental disorders and changes in personality. As well, alcohol withdrawal mimics schizophrenic symptoms in that one can experience hallucinations during withdrawal. Alcoholics, regardless of gender, frequently suffer depression and anxiety disorders.
If you need help, are struggling with an addiction, or know of someone who is, please contact A Better Tomorrow Treatment Center today. We are here to help.
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I've noticed that a fair number of vets who suffer from PTSD also have drug addictions. My heart goes out to them. They have seen and done things that most of us can't even conceive.
ReplyDeleteI makes sense that the extreme highs and lows suffered by some people with mood disorders would make them more susceptible to becoming addicted.
ReplyDeleteI think what all of this boils down to is that it's the luck of the draw. There are no hard and fast rules that will apply to every situation.
ReplyDeleteA great number of individuals suffer from some type of mental illness. Most can be treated with the right diagnosis and proper medication. The main problem is that there are so many without health care that they never get treatment. I pray for those especially who cannot get help, that their lives are not further complicated by drugs or alcohol.
ReplyDeleteI suffer with clinical depression and I do pretty well if I stay on my medication. Occasionally, I get off of them and I tend to turn to alcohol when I do. I stay in a fog for days until one of my friends or family come and nurse me back to reality and get me on my meds again. I don't know why I let it happen, I wish I did so I could stop it for good.
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of chemical deficiency being an underlying cause of drug addiction. I guess it makes sense though. This is something that would have been caught during a complete physical, but a lot of people just don't get them for one reason or another.
ReplyDelete