Substance use disorders (SUD) and mental health issues usually go hand in hand. According to surveys, roughly half of the people suffering from addiction also struggle with depression, anxiety, PTSD, and other types of mental illness.
Conversely, about half of the individuals who suffer from some form of mental health concern became addicted to alcohol or drugs at some point or another.
Mental illness and addiction are a deadly combination because they exacerbate each other, increasing the risk of severe health issues. A mental health problem also makes getting treatment more challenging for recovering SUD patients.
Fortunately, overcoming these complex health concerns is possible. With expert guidance and support services, you or your suffering loved one can break free from the vicious cycle.
This article will walk you through everything you should know about mental disorders and addiction. We’ll explain what addiction is, how it relates to your mental health, and the best treatment options to recover.
Table of Contents
Co-occurring Addiction and Mental Health Condition
A co-occurring disorder (COD) happens when symptoms of two separate health conditions overlap. Substance abuse disorder co-existing with an underlying mental illness (anxiety, depression, etc.) is a common example of a COD.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) reports over 9 million people suffering from this complex health concern. Unfortunately, a mere 7% of those diagnosed with either condition seek treatment services.
Here’s what you need to know about addiction and mental health disorders:
What Is Substance Use Disorder?
Substance use disorder is a behavioral health disease that affects an individual’s brain. When someone suffers from SUD, they experience an uncontrollable impulse to use legal and illegal substances, including opioids, marijuana, and alcohol.
Addiction often starts through curious experimentation and recreational use of highly addictive substances. Others may develop drug dependence (and consequently, addiction) after taking prescribed medicines for particular diseases.
Drug abuse comes with physical, psychological, and social consequences. The person with SUD may be compelled to use the substance despite its physical and financial effects, neglecting their relationships and obligations.
What Is Mental Illness?
Mental illness refers to a wide range of mental health diseases that affect an individual’s mental state and behavior. Schizophrenia, depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder are common examples of serious mental illnesses.
All of us experience mental health concerns in some way or another. However, it becomes a mental illness when the ongoing symptoms cause significant stress to the individual, impeding their ability to function normally.
Some mental illnesses that can co-occur with drug addiction include:
- Schizophrenia
- Bipolar disorder
- Manic depression
- Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
- Anxiety disorders
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Antisocial tendencies
A mental disorder can manifest physically and psychologically. Apart from extreme mood swings, the person may also experience fatigue, excessive anxiety, confusion, paranoia, hallucinations, and suicidal thoughts.
If you or any of your family members struggles with extreme distress and suicidal ideation, see your primary health service provider immediately. Or reach out to suicide prevention hotlines and helplines like 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline to find counselor referrals and crisis services.
How Does SUD Relate to Mental Illness?
Both addiction and mental illness are chronic brain disorders. However, although there’s a high rate of comorbidity between these conditions, it doesn’t necessarily mean that one causes the other directly.
In many cases, the individual already suffers from an underlying mental disorder, like anxiety and depression, before developing drug addiction. They may take drugs in an attempt to alleviate the symptoms of their mental condition, consequently forming a dependency.
This is frequently observed in individuals with schizophrenia. They consume tobacco products for the nicotine, which temporarily alleviates symptoms. Those with post-traumatic stress (PTSD) also have a higher risk of developing alcohol use disorders (AUD) for the same reasons.
However, it’s worth noting that abuse of drugs may trigger symptoms or worsen an already existing mental illness, particularly in people with specific vulnerabilities. In marijuana users, for instance, an increased risk of psychosis has been reported due to its psychoactive properties.
Risk Factors of Addiction and Mental Disorders
Despite the complexity of their connection, addiction and mental illnesses share several risk factors that may explain their development and co-occurrence. Here are the common culprits contributing to both mental disorders and SUD.
- Genetic Vulnerabilities: About 40% to 60% of a person’s susceptibility to addiction is due to genetic vulnerabilities. That means families with a history of mental illness and SUD are at a higher risk.
- Affected Brain Region: Both SUD and mental disorders alter your brain’s chemistry. They affect similar brain regions, which makes them more likely to co-exist.
- Chronic Stress Levels: Elevated stress levels often result in behavioral issues and impulsivity. These factors, which are common among teens, can influence the likelihood of addiction and mental disorders.
- Trauma and Distressing Childhood Experiences: Physical and emotional trauma amplify your susceptibility to these chronic brain conditions. This concerning COD trend is seen statewide, especially among Army veterans.
How Are Co-occurring Disorders Diagnosed?
Co-occurring disorders are difficult to diagnose, partly because of the overlapping symptoms and their varying severity. It’s not uncommon for people to receive addiction treatment but fail to get medical help for co-occurring mental disabilities.
Another reason why an accurate prognosis is hard for CODs is the similarity between addiction and mental disorder symptoms. Health care providers may need specialized assessment tools to lower the risk of a wrong or incomplete diagnosis.
Proper diagnosis is crucial for comorbid conditions because they need to be treated at the same time. An integrated treatment program, with initiatives addressing both disorders simultaneously, greatly increases the chances of a full recovery.
That said, people with CODs may have more persistent symptoms than patients with one illness alone. They’re also often more severe and resistant to treatment, requiring personalized addiction services.
Treatment Options For Co-Occurring Substance Use and Mental Disorders
If you or any of your loved ones suffer from COD, it’s important to find a treatment center that understands the complexity of your condition. They should provide comprehensive and personalized mental health treatment plans for your unique needs.
A COD disorder treatment program may involve behavioral health services (psychotherapy) and medication, alongside other approaches and techniques.
Behavioral Therapies For Co-occurring Disorders
Behavioral therapy consists of several types of therapies used to treat mental health disorders. For SUD, this form of therapy helps patients identify and eliminate harmful and unhealthy behaviors and thinking patterns contributing to their conditions.
Some examples of effective behavioral therapies used for treating a dual diagnosis of SUD and mental illness include the following:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): One of the most popular types of talk therapy, combining behavioral therapy, which deals with destructive actions, and cognitive therapy, which focuses on resolving toxic thought patterns.
- Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT): DBT aims to decrease self-destructive actions and improve interpersonal relationships using core concepts of mindfulness, resiliency, emotional regulation, situational awareness, and acceptance.
- Assertive Community Treatment (ACT): ACT is an outpatient community-based service that emphasizes the role of communities in SUD recovery. It also offers an evidence-based, individualized approach to treat severe mental illness.
- Multidimensional Family Therapy (MDFT): Addiction not only affects the individual. MDFT works with the patient’s entire family to facilitate and support recovery from co-occurring SUD disorders.
Medication-Assisted Treatment For SUD and Mental Disorders
When a person has a mental condition alongside an SUD, their healthcare provider may recommend certain medications depending on their symptoms. These drugs may help treat or manage the effects of the disorders.
- Withdrawal Medication: During detoxification, your doctors may offer medication to alleviate withdrawal symptoms and prevent relapse. They may provide you with methadone, buprenorphine, clonidine, naltrexone, or naloxone.
- Antidepressants: These drugs are for patients who experience severe depressive and anxious moods during recovery. SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) are the usual choice of medication for their efficacy.
Final Thoughts: Getting the Right Professional Help You Deserve
Overcoming a co-occurring addiction and mental health disorder alone is a long and difficult battle. Without the right professional help, you and your family’s well-being are at risk.
Illinois Recovery Center is a mental health clinic for addiction in Illinois—in Chicago, Swansea, Centralia, Collinsville, and Belleville. We offer comprehensive and personalized dual diagnosis treatment programs to help get your life back on track.
Committed to your wellness, our services include drug and alcohol detoxification, residential treatment, intensive outpatient treatment, and an aftercare program. We will walk with you every step of the way.
Reclaim your life. Reach out to Illinois Recovery Center today!
References
- https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/conditions/co-occurring-disorders
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK571017/
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/drug-addiction/symptoms-causes/syc-20365112
- https://www.justthinktwice.gov/social-consequences-using-drugs
- https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/what-is-mental-illness
- https://988lifeline.org/
- https://www.healthline.com/health/drug-dependence
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3927252/
- https://nida.nih.gov/publications/drugs-brains-behavior-science-addiction/drug-misuse-addiction
- https://bmcpsychiatry.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1471-244X-14-67
- https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-021-10271-4
- https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/talk-therapy
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/in-depth/ssris/art-20044825
