Everyone goes through their own personal demons through life. Some of these are temporary, while others tend to stick around. By understanding the link between mental disorders and addiction, you can take control of your own personal issues.
Dual Diagnosis
Doctor’s have become aware of co-occurring disorders in the minor and severe categories. This has a direct affect on the treatment process for patients of different backgrounds. Mental disorders and addiction carry a shared burden such as depression, anxiety, self-abuse and more. Neither disorder is easy to deal with, so combating both at the same time requires correctly noting that it is a dual diagnosis. There are ups and downs, with each unique symptom taking on a life of its own. To handle the difficulties associated with this, you have to be prepared to combat both head on.
Paranoia
Do you ever get the feeling that the world is against you? Or that people are always talking about you or plotting against you? This feeling of paranoia is part of several mental disorders that affect millions daily. As a result of this constant sense of danger, individuals will try to find solace by making themselves feel less vulnerable. Substance abuse addiction enters the picture by serving as a temporary countermeasure to the overwhelming sense of danger. As the alcohol and drugs wear off, the victim continues to consume what brings them back to a ‘safe place’.
Confidence
Confidence is a great example of why mental disorders and addiction share similar charts. Both low confidence and overconfidence can tell a story of its own.
The confidence effect is linked to certain types of psychosis. On its own, it is damaging enough to destroy personal relationships or a promising career. For example, people with schizophrenia are underconfident when accurate but overconfident with errors. Alcohol is a depressant for the central nervous system that alters the chemicals in your brain. A schizophrenic that drinks alcohol has a chance to develop alcoholism based on how it makes them feel when making decisions. When a particularly tough week hits the confidence of someone with a mental disorder, finding solace at the bottom of a bottle seems like a normal reset before starting a new week.
Procrastination
Everyone knows a person that tends to procrastinate instead of getting things done. For some people this is just their way of thinking, but for others it may point to an actual problem. Depression is one of the many mental disorders linked to procrastination. Procrastination habits only get worse without treatments, with the danger of inviting substance abuse to resolve a perceived problem. If you find that it is more rewarding to indulge in drugs than to accomplish normal tasks, then it points to a specific problem. The severity of this problem won’t reveal itself until you seek help from a professional.
Be Honest with Yourself
An admission of the problem is the biggest hurdle to resolving it. Too many people suffer needlessly without looking for an answer. Be honest about your situation, and the everything else will fall in place.
