It’s tough to live with a mental illness without professional guidance, support, and coping techniques to soften the symptoms. Some days are so unbearable that an individual who is suffering may turn to drugs and alcohol, thinking these substances may temporarily ease the pain. When the side effects fade, the individual may feel stuck with …
Continue reading “A Dual Diagnosis: Depression & Substance Abuse”
Many cringe when hearing the words substance abuse because of the countless lives that have been affected by this dark truth. The World Health Organization reported that at least 15.3 million persons in the world have drug use disorders. Alcohol and prescription drugs, such as opioids and benzodiazepines, are a just few examples of popular …
Drug addiction can have a severe and lasting impact on one’s entire body, but perhaps most intensely affected is the brain. In fact, drugs can cause intense changes to the brain within mere minutes of entering the body. Lasting Effects on the Brain The entire brain is negatively impacted by drug addiction. The brain has …
What A Co-Occurring Disorder Is Individuals who struggle with substance abuse sometimes struggle with mental health disorders as well. Called co-occurring disorders or dual diagnosis, they can sometimes be difficult to diagnose. Mental health disorders and substance abuse disorders are often entwined due to the ability of some drugs to mask or relieve some symptoms …
Continue reading “Diagnosing, Understanding And Treating Co-Occurring Disorders”
