There is a very unique term called comorbidity and this is a term that is used to describe a situation where an individual is suffering from two or more mental illnesses at the same time. These can happen together or they can happen one after another. Either way, they can feed off of each other and they may actually make each other worse from time to time.
At times a person who is dealing with a drug abuse problem may be suffering from another mental illness at the same time. This can be contributed to the fact that drug and alcohol abuse can really effect the way that a persons brain works. It can cause thinking to be changed and it can really play a large role in a person's ability to think things through clearly. This is when a mental illness may be exacerbated. This can be seen with people that may be suffering from a drug abuse problem along with anxiety or depression. Some studies have actually shown that individuals who are suffering from these emotional disorders may be addicted to drugs and alcohol as well.
It can often be very difficult to determine which complication came first, the abuse or the illness. It can also be hard to determine if one caused the other in the first place. There is usually no way to prove that the anxiety caused the drinking or vise versa. Because of that, you may want to simply understand the following points and keep them in mind.
First of all, you need to realize that some drugs can cause the symptoms of a mental illness to be worse. For example, a person that is suffering from schizophrenia may have an increase in hallucinations and delusions if they are using marijuana. Likewise, some people may use drugs or alcohol on a regular basis as a way to self medicate themselves if they are dealing with a mental illness. Some people may drink alcohol to help them deal with depression or other emotional disorders.
Keep in mind that genetic may play a part in both of these disorders. Genetics can cause mental illness as well as drug abuse. Some people may be genetically programmed to use certain drugs or alcohol. These genetics may also make it very likely that a second condition will appear once the first one has presented itself.
There are often environmental issues that can make someone more susceptible to comorbidity. Stress, being exposed to drugs and alcohol at an early age and facing trauma may all result in comorbidity as a person grows. Actually, using drugs at an early age can change the way that the brain functions and the way that the brain responds to certain situations. This can create a lot of problems later on down the road.
If you know someone that may be facing comorbid conditions then you should try to seek professional help as soon as possible. It can be really difficult to deal with these situations and they may not be solved if the person is trying to fix them on their own. It is always best to seek professional help in order to help the person find positive and healthy coping skills.
