Mental health and addiction are often linked. Most likely, one led to the other. Handling a mental health issue, such as depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorders are tough on your own. When you pair them with an addiction, it’s even harder.

When a doctor diagnoses a patient with a mental health disorder and an addiction, it’s called co-occurring disorders or a dual diagnosis. The symptoms of multiple diagnoses often intensify each other. That can make it hard to function at work, school, and even at home.

What is the Link Between Mental Health and Addiction?

According to the National Bureau of Economic Research, “When other factors are held constant, mental illness does increase use of addictive goods – relative to use by the overall population – by 20 percent for alcohol, 27 percent for cocaine.” Undeniably, we need to address the link between mental health and addiction.

Each diagnosis has its own set of unique symptoms that feed off one another. People with depression and other mental health disorders use drugs and alcohol as coping mechanisms. The substances’ ability to numb emotions make them convenient ways to escape and feel better.

Often, there is a stigma attached to mental health issues. Patients frequently experience prejudice and discrimination because of their symptoms. Therefore, they don’t want others to know what is going on. Instead of reaching out for help, they hide their hardships, which intensifies isolation. Turning to drugs and alcohol to cope is easy and convenient. People tend to rely on them for comfort without realizing it at first. Consequently, they’re at more of a risk for addiction.

For example, a person dealing with an addiction can become depressed because his life is not what he envisioned. So, he drinks to feel numb. This sends him spiraling deeper into the addiction. The link between mental health disorders and addiction is strong, and one cannot be effectively treated without the other.

Should I Get Treatment for Mental Health and Addiction?

Mental health and addiction are malfunctions that occur in the brain. For that reason, psychological treatment for both is necessary for recovery. If you choose to treat the addiction without addressing its underlying root, you will lessen your success in recovery. In fact, simultaneous treatment for co-occurring disorders is vital for long-term addiction recovery.

Getting treatment for your mental health and addiction will help you think about the role of alcohol and drugs in your life. You’ll discover ways to manage your mental health and build meaningful relationships in your life. You’ll begin to establish a healthy and fulfilling life without drugs and alcohol.

What Type of Treatment is Right for Co-Occurring Disorders?

Treatment for mental health and addiction is possible in different settings. Outpatient and inpatient recovery facilities create treatment plans especially for you. They will guide you through your journey to recovery.

Real Recovery Home in Moreno Valley, California offers families and patients the chance to discover a new life. Individual and group therapy sessions give you the safe space you need to dig deep and face your struggles without judgment.

The key to breaking free from the bondage of addiction is to treat the whole person. We specialize in holistic approaches, which we design to heal the whole person, mind, body, and spirit.

Your recovery is not just about getting the drugs and alcohol out of your life; it is about healing the body and mind, as well. Contact us today to begin the journey of a lifetime.