How Mental Health and Substance Use Affect Each Other?
Mental health conditions and substance use are different challenges, but they often influence one another. However, they are intertwined in several different ways. Studies have shown that 36.5% of those with substance use disorders were also struggling with a mental health disorder. Some studies even estimate higher co-occurrence rates.
When mental health and substance use occur together, they are known as co-occurring disorders or dual diagnosis.
In this article, we will explore how mental health and substance use affect each other, why they affect each other, and what your recovery options can be.
How Mental Health and Substance Use Affect Each Other?
Mental health and substance use often affect each other in connected ways. Stress, anxiety, depression, trauma, and emotional overwhelm can increase the risk of substance use as a coping mechanism, while alcohol and drug use can also worsen mental health symptoms over time. When both occur together, it is commonly referred to as dual diagnosis or co-occurring disorders. Integrated treatment often works best as both the mental health symptoms and substance use patterns impact each other.
Why Mental Health and Substance Use Often Overlap?
Mental health and addiction (or substance use) do not occur in isolation. Typically, there is an overlap – a huge overlap. As we have mentioned earlier, some estimates have shown that 36.5% of those with substance use disorders also face mental health disorders. Some estimates have shown even higher numbers.
While experts have not been able to pinpoint exactly why this happens, there are three major theories:
- Mental health and substance use have similar genetic and biological risks that lead to both.
- Substance use can become an unhealthy coping mechanism that a person with mental health conditions like anxiety, depression, or trauma turns to to numb what they are feeling inside. To feel better.
- Substance use can lead to or exacerbate pre-existing mental health conditions.
How Substance Use Can Worsen Mental Health Symptoms?
For those who are struggling with mental health symptoms, life can feel very challenging. This is why they may turn to substance use as a coping mechanism – to feel better.
When a person with anxiety, depression, trauma, or other conditions turns to substance use – they begin feeding an unhealthy cycle.
Sanford Health says that substance use has both short and long-lasting effects. It changes cognition, memory, and executive functioning in the short term, and also in the long term – risking slowed reaction times, impaired judgment, etc. These factors further exacerbate mental health symptoms where the person does not know what they can anticipate or where they are headed.
It can become a difficult cycle to break.
When a mental health condition is untreated, it worsens substance use. When substance use is untreated, it worsens the mental health condition.
How Mental Health Symptoms Can Increase the Risk of Substance Use?
Mental health symptoms can increase the risk of substance use as a way of coping, albeit an unhealthy way of coping.
While the person may experience a high or relaxation for a short while, it only leads to further emotional distress in the long run.
Commonly used substances like stimulants, depressants, opioids, and hallucinogens can lead to negative effects, such as:
- Sleep disruption
- Loss of focus
- Changes in perception
- Reduced sensitivity to pain and other feelings/emotions.
These effects can mask mental health symptoms for a while, but they can become a negative cycle as time goes on. In higher doses, substance use can also induce symptoms like mania and psychosis – affecting the person’s mental health even further.
What Is Dual Diagnosis Treatment?
When substance use and mental health occur together – and they commonly do – they are known as co-occurring disorders or a dual diagnosis.
Dual diagnosis treatment involves treating both mental health conditions and substance use together as interconnected concerns – rather than treating only one aspect of it. Many can approach a treatment center for mental health and adopt sobriety for the time being, only for it to become a way of living afterward. Or vice versa.
Dual diagnosis treatment typically involves:
- Cognitive behavioral therapy
- Dialectical behavior therapy
- Medication management to treat one or both conditions
- Skills training
- Peer community
- Relapse prevention
- Lifestyle modifications.
Dual diagnosis treatment can take longer than treating one condition at a time. However, treating both together often leads to stronger, more sustainable outcomes as it breaks the reinforcing cycles between the two.
Learn More About Integrated Dual Diagnosis Care
If you want to learn more about what dual diagnosis treatment can look like for you, then you can speak with licensed and experienced clinicians in safe and confidential settings to understand what it means and how it can be tailored to your needs and goals.
How Outpatient Treatment Can Support Mental Health and Substance Use Together?
Seeking dual diagnosis treatment does not mean putting your life on hold. While residential and hospital treatment can be required for severe cases where safety and stabilization are involved, many opt for structured outpatient treatment programs that offer a bridge between residential/inpatient treatment and weekly therapy.
Programs like intensive outpatient program (IOP) and partial hospitalization program (PHP) provide structured care for dual diagnosis. IOP runs for 9-15 hours per week, with flexible scheduling sessions, while PHP runs for 6-8 hours per day, for 5 days per week – it is meant for more severe concerns where you can still go home after completing your treatment for the day.
This level of care ensures real-life integration and reinforces recovery. Flexibility does not mean less effective treatment; it allows you to build skills in your real-life settings with consistent clinical oversight.
Signs Additional Support May Help
Additional support may be helpful when you notice worsening anxiety, depression, or other conditions, increasing reliance on substances to cope, emotional instability, relationship strain, difficulty functioning consistently, and coping strategies that are no longer useful.
These signs do not mean you have to wait for a crisis. Recognizing them early can open the door to effective, tailored care for both mental health and substance use concerns.
Many people benefit from consistent care and structure at this point, and reaching out is a positive step in that direction.
Talk Through What Level Of Care May Fit Your Situation
Whenever you are ready, you can speak with licensed and experienced specialists who will sit with you to understand your challenges and goals to recommend the right level of care that meets you where you are.
Integrated Outpatient Support in West Los Angeles
If you are living in West Los Angeles and are looking for outpatient dual diagnosis treatment in the area – Create Recovery Center offers integrated outpatient programs conveniently located for West Los Angeles communities such as Playa Vista, Culver City, Venice, Santa Monica, and Silicon Beach. Our location and easy commute make it seamless to attend treatment sessions while managing school, work, and home responsibilities in the West Los Angeles area.
Local outpatient care provides flexible, high-quality integrated treatment close to where you live, study, or work.
You Do Not Have to Figure This Out Alone
We understand how challenging a dual diagnosis can feel. However, you do not have to navigate these challenges by yourself. You do not have to have everything figured out right at the beginning, either.
The first step begins with reaching out to licensed and experienced clinicians who will sit with you to understand your story, experiences, challenges, needs, and goals to recommend what your next step can be and whether structured outpatient care can meet you where you are.
You do not have to commit to anything right away – at Create Recovery, our team is always here to answer your queries and concerns. Let us begin with just a conversation.
Get Clarity On Your Next Step
Without having to commit to anything right away, you can speak with our team at Create Recovery to understand what your next step toward healing can look like for you.
Frequently Asked Questions About Mental Health and Substance Use
What is dual diagnosis?
Dual diagnosis is when mental health and substance use disorders occur together. They are also known as co-occurring disorders.
Can anxiety or depression lead to substance use?
Anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions can lead to substance use as a way of coping – to numb the struggle within.
Can alcohol or drugs worsen mental health symptoms?
As alcohol and other drugs impact brain chemistry and functioning, they do worsen mental health symptoms.
What does integrated treatment mean?
Integrated treatment means treating both mental health and substance use conditions together – at the same time and not as two separate conditions. It is also known as dual diagnosis treatment.
Can outpatient treatment help with both mental health and addiction?
Structured outpatient treatment options like intensive outpatient and partial hospitalization programs can help with both mental health and substance use concerns.
What is the difference between mental health treatment and dual diagnosis treatment?
While mental health treatment focuses on treating mental health conditions, dual diagnosis treatment focuses on treating both mental health and substance use concerns when they occur together.
Is dual diagnosis treatment only for severe cases?
Dual diagnosis treatment is ideal for a wide range of co-occurring experiences, not only the most severe. Many benefit from early integrated care before challenges become overwhelming.
How do I know if I need additional support?
If mental health symptoms and substance use are affecting your daily life, relationships, or functioning, a confidential conversation with a licensed and experienced clinician in safe and confidential settings can help you understand if you need additional support.