The connection between poor mental health and addiction is an intrictate one with one diagnosis often causing the other, and then them both feeding off of each other in an endless vicious cycle. Below we are going to take a look at that relationship in a little more detail.
Story Stages
A Vicious Cycle
Poor mental health can often drive people to unhealthy coping mechanisms like alcohol or drugs, which may make them feel better temporarily. Not only that, but an addiction can cause poor mental health as people withdraw from society and find themselves unable to get out of the mess they have found themselves in.
Self-Medication Gone Wrong
It’s not unusual for people to self-medicate, numbing their distress with drugs and alcohol, but if they do not get good mental health treatment in time, this can turn into habitual use and then an addiction. This only ever pours more fuel on the poor mental health fire.
The Wrong Kind of Help
This can lead to people with mental health issues hanging out with other people who are self-medicating their mental health issues, as a form of support, but this just leads to them all encouraging each other down a less than healthy path that could lead to a long lasting addiction.
If you are struggling with both your mental health and an addiction right now, there is help available for you in the form of dual diagnosis treatment centers. You can find out more by checking out the infographic below:
Inforgraphic about Dual Diagnosis Treatment Center
