Mental disorder leading to dependence on drugs is a disease that has no cure yet, but there are various treatments for it. Drug dependence occurs when a person needs some drugs and medicines for their functioning. Drug dependence is a more severe problem than drug abuse. Research on mental disorders reveals each patient requires a unique treatment because each treatment may not have the same effect and may not be suitable for every patient. However, a unique combination of medicines and beneficial interventions can help patients control physical, emotional, and mental dependence on drugs and alcohol. Therefore, providing special treatment to patients and taking healthy interventions can be helpful in mental disorders.
For some people, maintenance medication can be effective in mental disorders. For example, consuming a drug like Suboxone can help combat the epidemic of heroin or use methadone may prove helpful in avoiding opioid drugs. But using these medications for a long time may get people addicted to them, and addiction is addiction no matter for what purpose or frame it is for in mental disorders.
Fact or Myth?
Drug addiction makes it possible for a person to develop both a physical and psychological dependence on a specific drug. Psychological dependence is when an addict cannot stop consuming drugs or medicines in mental disorders that can damage the addict’s physical and mental health. Many people have become physically addicted to various non-addictive medications that may help treat chronic illness.
Long-term medications may not be the fastest way to get rid of past addictions in mental disorders. Still, it provides patients with an opportunity to quickly break free from the destructive and harmful life model and help to come back to everyday life and you can learn how to live totally drug-free in mental disorders.
A New Addiction Offers Many Benefits
If a patient opts for or not for long-term medical treatment, they have to find a new addiction to spend their time recovering from a mental disorder. Many people who are new to the recovery process may discover that the day may seem never-ending because they do not have to worry about getting more drugs or wasting hours under the effect of the drugs they have been consuming. They may find this routine overwhelming, but soon people discover plans and come up with ideas to spend their time wasted before due to drug addiction in mental disorders. People find different activities and try to live healthy lives. Sometimes people focus on only one thing, and this routine becomes a new normal for them, and they get addicted to their new routine sobriety long-term.
Some Affirmative ‘new Addictions’ that May Be Helpful in Rehabilitation or Recovery Process Are:
- Going to school or college to get a degree and learn new skills
- Finding a new job or starting a new business in mental disorders
- Developing new habits or hobbies (gardening, cooking, book reading, playing favorite games, etc.)
- Joining gyms or exercising regularly
- Eating well
- Being positive and happy
Practically, there are no addictive effects of developing a hobby that positively affects one’s life as they were by using the drugs. But when a habit has a positive impact and proves helpful in the recovery and rehabilitation process may act as an excellent and valuable tool for sobriety for the long-term in mental disorders.
Don’t Let Relapse Come in Your Way:
Relapse is to go back or fall to your previous or former situation. So after the recovery process, one should not let relapse come in the way and take one back to the previous condition in mental disorders. Instead, one should be determined enough to live a healthy and active life and earn from past mistakes and promise not to repeat the mistakes.
The Causes of Relapse in Mental Disorders May Be:
- Negative thoughts
- Stress
- Craving to use the drug
- Social pressure
- Physical pain
- Emotional pain
One Can Avoid Relapse in Mental Disorders By:
- Thinking positively
- Reducing stress
- Being happy
- Spending quality time with family and friends
- Talking to friends or family in case you feel a strong desire to take drugs.
- Exercising
- Eating well
Lack of Support: As drug addiction is considered a wrong thing by family and peers, drug addicts hide it. This may delay the recovery process, and the situation of the addict may worsen. Research on mental disorders reveals Most people feel ashamed to talk about this problem, and this worsens the situation. Friends and family are not willing to take the addicts to the rehabilitation center, or they are not ready to give them proper treatment. This may be very harmful to the addict and can cause significant damage to the addict’s physical and mental health.
Negative Attitude: Some people may walk to rehabilitation centers without having a strong determination to come to normal life. Research on mental disorders reveals They may be rude to others and show negative behavior. These people may be late to the meeting, may miss their appointments, and have negative behavior.
Willpower: Drug addiction has a significant effect on one’s mind and body in mental disorders, and it requires huge willpower to overcome this problem. No matter how much you get addicted to a drug or how hopeless your case has become, a change is possible with the proper treatment and determination. The toughest step in the recovery process is recognizing your problem and preparing yourself to make a decision that can make a change. Research on mental disorders reveals A firm and right decision can help you combat the issues you are facing due to drug addiction and help you come back to normal life and live a healthy and active life.
Exploring Addiction: Once you’ve decided and are ready to overcome the addiction in mental disorders, the next step is to explore your addiction and find the solutions to your problem. Finding the proper treatment is very important. If you discover the appropriate treatment for you, the recovery process becomes more accessible. The right solution may increase your recovery process too.
Rehabilitation Process: Drug addiction can cause harm to one’s physical and mental health in mental disorders, and trying to free yourself from the drugs immediately can cause immense damage to one’s psychological and physical health. Trying to do this may be fatal. The drug addicts should be taken to rehabilitation centers for treatment because they know how an addict should be treated depending on the condition of the addict. In these centers, the addicts are provided proper guidance and treatment to come back to life. These centers’ staff gives special attention and care to the addicts that help in the recovery process in mental disorders.
Support of Friends and Family: After a drug addict recovers, the friends and family need to keep an eye on the addict so he or she may not return to addiction. Research on mental disorders reveals For this purpose, family, and friends should spend quality time with the patient. If you see that any friend or family member is still taking drugs, make sure that the patient keeps a distance from those people to stop the patient from returning to drugs for mental disorders. The company of an addict matters because it may take them towards or away from drugs.
New Addiction: The drug addict should try to develop some habits that can help to overcome addiction. One should remain busy in other activities, so they don’t get time to consume drugs. Research on mental disorders reveals one should develop new habits that comfort them and can take them back to a normal life. Developing new habits that can prove fruitful in the recovery process is very important. One should develop new habits to distract themselves from drugs and try something innovative to help in the recovery process.
Effects of Drug Addiction: Drug addiction can affect one’s whole body, and it significantly affects an individual’s life and those near that individual. Drug addiction can cause physical and mental disorders. It may affect your feelings, learning abilities, decision-making, moods, and judgment. Drug addiction can cause heart problems, liver disorders, hepatitis, tuberculosis, lung cancer, and other infectious diseases. In a nutshell, drug addiction affects one’s personality, takes away one’s abilities, and can cause many diseases.
Factors that May Lead to Drug Addiction are following:
- Getting less attention or being neglected at home
- Being influenced by peer or family member who uses drugs
- Getting bad grades at school
- Lack of social activities
- Mental Disorders
- Stress
Drug addiction and drug dependency can become a deadly physical and mental illness for a person with mental disorders. However, if a person is determined to recover from drug dependence, treatments are available, and each person must be treated, mainly depending on their body requirements and phase. If drug dependence is not treated on time, it can lead to different diseases such as heart diseases, cancer, liver disorders, and other infectious diseases. Research on mental disorders reveals, however, one should never give up on the problem and be resolute in overcoming it with strong willpower and determination.
Determining What Your Loved One Needs from Treatment
Maintenance medications for a long time are not suitable for each person, and not everyone finds new hobbies helpful in recovery that becomes an enthusiasm. This happens because each person with a mental disorder is different and needs to be treated differently and uniquely. Everyone is different, and not all things are suitable for everyone; what each person needs to develop in recovery will be a different combination of solutions, new mates, and chances that are a good match for the person with a mental disorder and their situations.
Do you or someone you care about need assistance to overcome their drug and alcohol addictions? If so, contact us at the number above and start the process of getting your loved ones what they need to achieve lasting abstinence and recovery from mental disorders.
Further Reading
Ben Lesser is one of the most sought-after experts in health, fitness and medicine. His articles impress with unique research work as well as field-tested skills. He is a freelance medical writer specializing in creating content to improve public awareness of health topics. We are honored to have Ben writing exclusively for Dualdiagnosis.org.