When drug addiction and mental disorders occur at the same time, it is known as a dual diagnosis. This means that one problem is the cause of the other.
The fact is, information on the direct causes of drug addiction and mental health issues are still being discovered. However, it’s a known fact that several factors that play a vital role in these two are the same across both mental health disorders and substance abuse or addiction problems.
What Is Substance Abuse or Drug Addiction?
It occurs when you take illegal drugs. It also happens when you use prescription drugs, alcohol, or other legal drugs in an excessive and wrong way.
Substance abuse is not the same as addiction. However, they are closely related. While a substance abuser can quit or change such unhealthy acts, addiction is a medical disease. It’s not possible to stop/change the behavior for an addict even if he or she is being harmed from that.
Several factors are responsible for addiction to alcohol or drugs. They include:
- The belief that drug use is not a bad thing
- Genetic predisposition to addiction
- Lack of social support or skills
- History of mental illness
- Childhood trauma
What Is Mental Health?
It is a person’s condition concerning the emotional and psychological well-being. Multiple factors from the biological, environmental, and psychological background of a person can influence the mental health disorder in a person.
The following are the things that may boost the risk of mental health illnesses:
- Genetic predisposition
- Cultural expectation
- Family history of mental illness
- Substance abuse
- Poor nutrition that restricts brain development
- Past traumatic experience
- Poor social support
- Stress
Mental health issues and drug addiction are incredibly co-dependent. They both influence the growth of each other.
More than 50 percent of people that faced drug addiction problems at some point in their lives may also have some mental disorder. And, more than 50 per cent of people with permanent mental health disorders may also have permanent drug addiction problems.
Another study from SAMHSA in 2014 concludes a somewhat similar phenomenon. It reports that around 39 per cent of adult patients with drug addiction or substance abuse disorders in the past year had also experienced severe mental health problems in the past year. And, nearly 18 per cent of patients with mental ailments in the past year also went through drug addiction issues in the past year.
What Are The Most Common Effects Of Drug Addiction?
Substance abuse and addiction problems can take a toll on all the aspects of your life, including your mental, emotional, & physical health. Plus, it can have adverse effects on your social relationships, the standard of living, family, employment, school, and more.
The following are the most common symptoms or side effects of drug addiction:
- Lung diseases
- Nausea and abdominal pain
- Loss of appetite, weight gain or loss
- Brain damage, seizure, stroke, mental confusion
- Heart attack, collapsed veins, abnormal heart rates
- Increased strain on the liver
- Increased body temperatures
- Weak immune system
What Are The Symptoms or Signs To Identify General Drug Abuse and Addiction?
When someone you love is addicted to drugs or abusing it, it is easy to recognize that. Several factors can be observed in such people that indicate drug abuse or addiction. While it is quite tricky to identify the outward symptoms of addiction, some easy-to-know signs can make sure if the individual is abusing the drugs or not.
Here are some common signs you may observe in a drug addict:
- Social relationship issues
- Increased risk-taking attitude
- Lack of hygiene
- Slow breathing
- Lack of interest
- Disturbed sleeping habits
- Lack of concentration
- Trembling and sweating
- Seizures, mood swings
- Slurred speech, bloodshot eyes, clumsiness
- Frequent bloody noses
- Hallucinations
- Increased size of the pupil
- Injection marks
What Are The Causes Of Drug Addiction Disorders?
Several factors can influence the development of drug addiction or abuse. Both genetic and environmental factors heavily influence such potentially debilitating medical conditions.
Mostly, it is difficult or nearly impossible to pinpoint the exact cause of drug addiction problem in an individual. However, the decades of researches show that the following elements are the most common causes behind the development of drug addiction or abuse disorders:
Genetic Influences
Genetics are one of the internal influences that have a lot to do with a person’s drug addiction issues. Genetics play a key role in deciding if a person will develop an addiction to the drugs he or she is currently abusing.
Genes and genes clusters are involved in determining the individual’s vulnerability towards the drugs and the dependence on it. Furthermore, a family history of a person also influences his or her chances of getting addicted.
In short, if your first-degree relatives have experienced drug addiction problems, you are more likely to develop the same in you. History of mental illness in the family can also lead to addiction in a person.
External Influences
External or environmental traumas like neglect, harassment, military combat, abuse, loss of a loved one, or accidents can promote substance abuse in an individual to cope up with pain.
Illnesses related to drug addiction and abuse are also closely associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Several non-traumatic external factors that encourage drug abuse or addiction can be:
- Association with friends or family members who are drug addicts or abusers
- Living in a community where drug use is common
- Work stress and pressure
What Are The Effects Of Mental Health Disorders?
Different elements, such as circumstances and the type of disorder, defines symptoms of a particular mental illness. Residential alcohol treatment centers California recommends medications and therapies to overcome such problems.
Check out the following list to know the most common of them:
- Trouble understanding what is going on
- Withdrawal from friends, family, social activities
- Lack of interest, extreme tiredness
- Alcohol or drug abuse
- Rapid mood swings
- Panic attacks, excessive fear or guilt
- Hallucinations, paranoia
- Inability to deal with stress and anxiety
- Hostility, anger or violence
- Suicidal thoughts
- Disturbed eating and sleeping habits
- Sex drive changes
- Feeling sad and down always
In some cases, the symptoms of mental ailments can reflect through physical aches such as stomach pain, headaches, back pain or several other unexplained pains or aches.
What Are The Causes Of Mental Health Disorders?
Mental illness is a vast concept, and it has no single cause. But, several factors can contribute to mental health disorders.
Let us take a look at some of the most common of them:
- Having severe medical health conditions like cancer
- Excessive use of alcohol or drugs (recreational, illicit, or anything)
- Past traumatic brain injury
- Genetics and family history
- Chemical imbalances in the brain
- Lack of social connect
- History of abuse, neglect, accident, harassment, death of a loved one.
- Mother’s health while pregnant
Final Words
Mental health and drug addiction go hand in hand. Untreated mental illnesses increase the risks of relapse. So, if a person is looking for treatment centers in orange county to get rid of the addiction, he or she also should seek help from mental health experts.
A correct diagnosis of mental health and addiction disorder is essential for a patient’s success. It increases the chances of long-term or even everlasting recovery.
A correct diagnosis of mental health and addiction disorder is essential for a patient’s success. It increases the chances of long-term or even everlasting recovery.
If you or someone you love is experiencing similar drug addiction or mental health issues, contact us. We are happy to help!