More often than not, addiction and mental health problems exist together. It has been observed that having a mental health problem increases the risk of substance abuse. Likewise having a substance abuse problem increases the risk of mental health issues arising. The situation in the medical field is so common it has a name, co-occurring disorders or dual diagnosis. The mental health problems that tend to co-occur with substance abuse most often are:
- depression
- bipolar disorder
- anxiety disorders
- personality disorders
- schizophrenia
Statistics from the American Medical Association show that approximately 53 percent of people with substance abuse addiction have some sort of mental disease. This number is 37 percent for alcoholics. It has been reported that almost 30 percent of people with mental health disorders have a substance abuse problem.
It can be difficult to realize that there is a co-occurring situation taking place. However, the telltale signs of substance abuse can also give an indication of this. Some of these include:
- Restlessness
- Inability to sleep
- Lack of general interest
- Difficulty socializing
- Problems concentrating
Treatment Options for Co-existing Addiction and Mental Health Disease
An integrative approach to treatment is normally recommended. This way both conditions can be treated at the same time. However, there are times when the first recourse is to get the substance abuse dealt with. When this is done, treatment for the mental health defects or disorders must follow immediately. Failure to do this will more than likely result in a relapse.
With substance abuse addiction or mental health problems, recovery is largely dependent on the support network available. People standing by the affected persons and encouraging them while they are on the road to recovery is half the victory. While difficult to treat, dual diagnosis can be successfully controlled.