Living with a mental health disorder can be quite challenging, so people often turn to drugs and alcohol to self-medicate their symptoms. Unfortunately, this behavior can lead to the development of a substance use disorder when a person becomes both physically and mentally dependent on the abused substance.
Co-occurring mental health conditions can create complex challenges for both patients and healthcare providers, but it’s important to recognize that there’s always hope for recovery. Access to evidence-based care personalized to fit individual needs can help a person suffering from addiction and a mental health disorder plan for a brighter future.
Here, we look at some of the mental health disorders that often accompany addiction and what treatment options are available.
1. Clinical Depression
Clinical depression, also known as major depressive disorder, causes persistent feelings of sadness that are often severe enough to interfere with daily life, including work, school, and personal relationships.
Symptoms of clinical depression can include:
- Low mood
- Lack of energy
- Loss of interest in activities that were once enjoyable
- Changes in appetite and sleep patterns
- Unexplained physical symptoms such as headaches or stomach aches
- Difficulty concentrating
- Feelings of worthlessness
- Thoughts of self-harm or suicide
2. Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety disorders cause individuals to feel nervous, agitated, or on edge in situations that would not normally provoke such a response. Anxiety disorders can take many forms, including generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, and specific phobias.
Symptoms of anxiety disorders can vary depending on the type of disorder, but may include:
- Panic attacks
- Avoiding situations or activities that may trigger anxiety
- Excessive worrying or fear
- Restlessness or feeling on edge
- Difficulty concentrating
- Irritability
- Muscle tension or aches
- Fatigue or tiredness
- Obsessive or compulsive behaviors or thoughts
3. Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder, also referred to as manic-depressive illness, is characterized by extreme shifts in mood, energy, and activity levels. People with bipolar disorder have episodes of mania, which are periods of elevated or irritable mood, increased activity or energy, racing thoughts, and impulsive or risky behavior. They also experience episodes of depression, which are periods of low mood, feelings of hopelessness, and a loss of interest in once enjoyable activities. These mood episodes can last for weeks or even months. This can significantly interfere with daily life, including work, school, and personal relationships.
4. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that can develop after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event. Traumatic events can include natural disasters, serious accidents, assault, combat, terrorism, or anything threatening a person’s safety or well-being.
Symptoms of PTSD include:
- Recurring, distressing memories, flashbacks, or nightmares of the traumatic event
- Avoiding people, places, or things that might trigger memories of the traumatic event
- Being constantly on alert for danger
- Feeling irritable, angry, or anxious
- Having difficulty sleeping or concentrating
- Having distorted thoughts, feelings, and beliefs about oneself or the world
- Feeling detached from others or unable to have positive emotions
5. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder affecting both children and adults. It is characterized by a pattern of inattention, hyperactivity, and/or impulsivity that interferes with daily functioning.
Symptoms of ADHD may include:
- Difficulty focusing on tasks
- Forgetfulness
- Disorganization
- Difficulty following instructions
- Fidgeting
- Restlessness
- Difficulty staying seated
- Impatience
- Acting without thinking about the consequences
6. Borderline Personality Disorder
Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a mental health condition resulting in a pattern of unstable relationships, emotions, self-image, and impulsive behavior.
Symptoms of BPD include:
- Intense emotional outbursts of anger and irritability
- Sudden mood swings
- A persistent feeling of emptiness or boredom
- Difficulty maintaining stable and healthy relationships
- Fear of abandonment or rejection
- Impulsive behaviors, such as substance abuse, binge eating, or reckless driving
- Self-harm behaviors or suicidal ideation
- Feeling detached or out of touch with reality
- Paranoia or feelings of being disconnected from reality
- A pattern of unstable self-image or self-identity
7. Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a severe mental health disorder that affects how a person thinks, feels, and behaves. The onset of symptoms usually occurs in late adolescence or early adulthood, and the disorder typically persists throughout the individual’s life.
Symptoms of schizophrenia include:
- Hallucinations
- Delusions
- Trouble organizing thoughts or making sense when talking
- Acting in a way that does not make sense or is not socially acceptable
- Lacking emotion or motivation
- Social withdrawal
- Difficulty with focus, attention, or memory
- Fluctuating emotions, often with episodes of anxiety and depression
- Poor hygiene and self-care
- Failing to recognize that one is experiencing symptoms of a mental illness
Treating Mental Health Disorders to Establish a Foundation for Lasting Sobriety
Mental health disorders are treated using a combination of medication, therapy, and lifestyle changes that are personalized to fit individual needs.
- Medication can be used to manage symptoms of mental health disorders such as depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia. People who are taking antidepressants, antipsychotics, and mood stabilizers typically check in with their healthcare provider regularly to ensure that they are responding appropriately to their medication.
- Therapy, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy or dialectical behavior therapy, can help people with mental health disorders change negative patterns of thinking and develop coping skills to manage their symptoms. Therapy can be provided on an individual, group, or family basis.
- Lifestyle changes, such as exercise, healthy eating, and stress management techniques, can alleviate some of the symptoms of mental health disorders. Holistic approaches such as meditation, yoga, and mindfulness may also be recommended.
At Waypoint Recovery Center, we help men and women with substance use disorders build the foundation for a lasting recovery by focusing on the underlying issues that contributed to the development of their drug or alcohol addiction. For clients with co-occurring mental health disorders, this means connecting them with the resources to manage their mental health safely and effectively so they are no longer self-medicating symptoms with addictive substances. Contact our admissions representatives today to learn more about the programs offered at our South Carolina residential addiction treatment program.
