The comorbidity of mental health disorders and substance abuse is common, and roughly %50- %75 of drug users suffer from both conditions. With such high statistics, some may wonder why the two conditions seem to go hand in hand.

But unfortunately, there are many reasons why these conditions co-exist. We will go over some below, so keep reading to learn why the two illnesses are regularly seen together.

Used to cope with depression – Depression is an overwhelming condition that can be difficult to treat, even with medication.

As a result, it is common for individuals to become addicted to drugs or alcohol because the drugs provide a temporary boost in mood that gives the user some relief from their depression.

Relieving stress – Individuals who suffer from stress and have difficulty dealing with it may start using drugs or alcohol to relax. However, if stressed often, consumption may increase and develop into dependency.

Relieving anxiety – Like having stress, anxiety can pave the way to drug addiction because of the dire need for relaxation and calmness.

Easily influenced – Some people have mental illnesses like social anxiety or ADHD, which cause them to be easily influenced. Because of how easy it is to influence these people, peer pressure plays a large part in their choices.

As a result, most addictions in teens or young adults originate from peer pressure situations.

Impulsive decisions – Many mental health disorders are accompanied by impulsivity. Being impulsive can make poor decisions that have not been thoroughly thought out; Partaking in drug use could be one of those poor decisions.

Prescribed medications – Being prescribed a controlled substance for mental health issues is one of the most common ways to develop a comorbidity situation involving addiction and mental health.

There are hundreds of different controlled substances being overprescribed, which often results in a habit that can be legally maintained.

Suppress trauma – There are not many treatments available for trauma-induced mental illnesses that work efficiently. Unfortunately, this leads many individuals to treat their trauma with addictive substances because traumatic memories are easily suppressed while under the influence.

Inability to afford treatment – 66% of Americans claim that they cannot afford the costs of medical care. When a person has a mental illness and cannot pay for doctors visits and medications, they often look to drugs and alcohol as an alternative treatment for their conditions.

Unable to find the proper treatment – Sometimes, an individual has gone through the process of visiting the doctor, trying medications, and changing types of dosage over time, but their treatment does not relieve their symptoms.

When this happens, the individual may take more than the recommended dose or medicate in other ways, leading to addiction.

Weight control – Eating disorders are severe conditions that often open the door to drug or alcohol abuse. Many drugs help a person put on or take off weight by increasing or decreasing appetite.

When a person has an eating disorder, their mind is altered to a point where being addicted to a substance that controls their weight sounds good.

Cognitive ability – Mental illnesses usually affect a person’s cognitive ability, overwhelming and hard to deal with. Drugs such as stimulants are sometimes used to treat a person’s cognitive side effects from their mental illness, resulting in addiction.

Improves sleep – Another common side effect of mental illness is disordered or disrupted sleep. When a person can not sleep or sleeps too much, they may turn to addictive substances to either get some rest or stay awake.

Need for acceptance – Like being easily influenced, having a need for acceptance can result in drug addiction. Many mental health conditions like borderline personality disorder can create a false sense of rejection and a severe need to be accepted.

When dealing with this type of illness, situations, where a drug is offered, may leave the person feeling as if they need to participate to be accepted by the group.

Genetics – Oddly, genetics can cause addictions and mental health issues to co-exist. Both conditions can be passed down to an individual’s children, so if a person’s parents have these illnesses, the risk of developing them themself is much greater.

Drug abuse created mental illness – We have spoken mainly about how mental illness leads to addictions, but it is essential to know that mental illness often results from addiction.

There are many conditions that addiction can create, such as anxiety, paranoia, depression, and more. Therefore, it is unlikely that addiction will end without a mental illness co-existing with it.

There are many Reasons Why Mental Health Disorders Coexist with Substance Abuse. Still, the bottom line is that substances are mainly used as a coping mechanism for an individual’s suffering. If you or a loved one is struggling with these coexisting conditions, many treatment options are available.

If you are interested in finding treatment, you can learn more about getting started from Hollywood hills recovery.

Mental illness and addiction are difficult conditions to combat on their own; having these illnesses coexist can be life-threatening and taken seriously.