It’s no secret that there is a close relationship between mental health and addiction. Addiction often arises as a way to cope with an underlying mental health condition and when someone is struggling with addiction, their mental health can quickly deteriorate. This is why it’s so important for people with addiction to get treatment for both their addiction and their mental health and to address any underlying issues that may exist – To effectively heal the whole person rather than just treat them for the addiction. Check out Tennessee alcohol and drug detox.
Of course, it can be hard to get a handle on what is causing specific mental health issues that may pre-exist an addiction, especially if the person has been struggling with addiction for a long time. If you don’t know where to start, it may be helpful to learn about some of the common causes of mental health issues and how they relate to addiction.
One of the most common causes of mental health issues is trauma. If a person has experienced any kind of trauma, whether it was sexual abuse or violence in their childhood home or an accident as an adult that left them feeling helpless and overwhelmed, this can cause serious emotional problems down the road. In some cases, these issues may not even surface until later in life when they’re triggered by something else entirely. People suffering from these types of trauma may try to escape from their feelings by using drink or drugs, which can easily see them become addicted to these substances and end up needing specialist drug or alcohol addiction treatment.
Other common causes of mental health issues are genetic predispositions and environmental factors. If someone has a family history of depression or anxiety, they’re considerably more likely to experience these feelings themselves and if they grow up in an environment where they feel neglected or unsupported, this can also make them more susceptible to developing mental health problems as adults and leave them needing some form of mental health treatment at some point in their life.
Physical health is the third area that can make us more susceptible to mental health issues. If you have a chronic illness or are dealing with other physical problems, this can affect your moods and emotions. Cancer patients who experience depression may find it difficult to cope with their treatments; people with diabetes may feel anxious about monitoring their blood sugar levels; those who have arthritis may struggle with feelings of frustration and despair when they’re forced to give up activities they enjoy because of their condition.
Lastly, the way you think about yourself and the world around you can also contribute to your mental health. If you have low self-esteem or believe that other people are always judging or criticising you, this can lead to feelings of depression. This in turn may lead a person to resort to using substances such as drink or drugs which can, again, easily escalate into an addiction.
It is important to get expert help for any mental health issue, whether it is linked to a form of addiction, or addictive behaviour, or not. The symptoms may be treatable with lifestyle changes or medication, but the first step is to recognise that there is a problem and to seek help.
If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction or mental health, don’t hesitate to reach out for help. There are many resources available to those who need it. With the right support, addiction can be overcome and mental health can be restored.