Is Addiction a Mental Health Disorder?

Addiction has historically been stigmatised in a bad way for as long as most people can remember. Addicts to heroin, meth and even alcohol were stigmatised as inferior. They were treated as though they had chosen the predicament they were in. Some individuals still believe these statements to be true about drug or alcohol addicts today, despite more research than ever before. The knowledge that addiction is not a choice makes today’s situation different from that of yesterday. But is addiction a condition of the mind?

Addiction is characterised as a “treatable, chronic medical condition involving intricate interactions among brain circuits, heredity, the environment, and an individual’s life experiences,” according to the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM). The word “disease” is crucial in that description, indicating that addiction is not seen as a mental health issue in the same way that anxiety or depression is. This can be very challenging to comprehend since someone who is addicted to drugs or alcohol may act in ways that are similar to people who are dealing with mental health issues. Some examples of these actions are:

• Continue to use it despite knowingly producing negative consequences
• Developing withdrawal symptoms when unable to use as normal
• Made attempts to stop using it to no avail
• Suffering interpersonal, professional, and financial repercussions as a result of the use

To the untrained eye, it may appear that a person with an addiction is choosing to continue abusing drugs or alcohol. But an addict’s brain is much more active than what the average person can see. For instance, someone who abuses alcohol or drugs is rewiring their brain in a negative way. Mind-altering chemicals can affect the form and structure of the brain, which can result in problems with cognition, memory, problem-solving, and self-regulation. All illnesses, including cancer and diabetes, have the potential to cause physical or structural dysfunction that prolongs symptoms and has extra negative effects on one’s health. Addiction fits this criterion just the same.

Risk Factors for Addiction 

People who suffer from mental illnesses like obsessive-compulsive disorder and bipolar disorder are frequently asked about their family history. The vast majority of these people state that at least one member of their family currently has or has ever had a mental health issue. This is due to the significant role that genes play in the emergence of some mental health disorders. The same is true of addiction; when it runs in a family, there is a 60% chance that someone else will develop a drug or alcohol addiction.

Undoubtedly, the most important risk factor for having this disease is a family history of addiction. Past histories of physical or sexual abuse, abandonment, neglect, or domestic violence are some other risk factors. This is because, in addition to genetic factors, addiction almost always has an environmental component.

The Connection Between Addiction and Mental Health Disorders

It makes sense that addiction is frequently referred to as a mental health disorder for a variety of reasons. But is addiction a condition of the mind? No, but that does not negate the fact that it is closely related to mental illnesses.

Disorders of mental health and addiction diseases frequently co-occur. Some people develop a drug or alcohol addiction before they develop a mental disorder, however, this is not the case for everyone. When mental illness and addiction coexist, they negatively feed off of one another in a number of ways, making both conditions more severe. As a result, someone suffering from a major depressive disorder may utilise alcohol or drugs to treat their symptoms. Or, someone who is addicted to meth may experience symptoms resembling those of ADHD, such as extreme energy and a nearly manic appearance. When both of these symptoms are present simultaneously

Thankfully, it is possible to treat both mental diseases and addiction at the same time. In the past, healthcare professionals would advise clients to quit drinking before seeking any mental health care. However, it is now commonly understood that treating a dual diagnosis necessitates addressing the problems associated with both the addiction and the mental health condition simultaneously.

Although addiction and mental health illnesses are not categorised in the same way, there are still some similarities between them (as well as many differences). Reaching out and asking for assistance is the most crucial action someone dealing with either ailment can do.

How Addiction Affects The Brain

Most medicines function by activating the brain’s reward system. This system, which is involved in learning and runs on the chemical dopamine, which makes people feel good, causes them to feel good. Drugs cause this system to operate at full capacity. The brain produces 2 to 10 times as much dopamine when people take drugs, including alcohol, then it normally does. This is what contributes to the euphoric effects of drug use. But as people use the drugs, their brains become desensitised to these unnaturally large dopamine surges and adapt to them.

Tolerance and eventually reliance follow as a result. This is the point at which most drugs cause psychological and physical addiction in users. At this point, using drugs is a reflex to a brain disorder rather than a conscious decision.

Which comes first, mental health illness or addiction?

Addiction and mental illness are directly related, according to researchers. In half of those who experience addiction, a co-occurring mental health issue also occurs, and vice versa. The majority of those who struggle with addiction also have schizophrenia, bipolar disease, ADHD, anxiety, despair or depression. For depression, one can undergo spravato treatment, which gives relief.

Researchers do not believe that one condition causes another, even though both conditions co-occur. Drug misuse can worsen mental illness, and substance use disorders can contribute to drug abuse. Dual diagnosis is how addiction specialists refer to this.

What is a Dual Diagnosis?

A person with a dual diagnosis suffers from both substance use disorder and mental illness. A substance use disorder affects about 1 in every 4 people with mental illness. Unfortunately, only 12% of patients receive simultaneous care for both ailments. According to the data, there is a notably high prevalence of both substance use disorders and anxiety disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, panic disorder, and generalised anxiety disorder. 

Signs of Addiction

• Difficulty keeping up with school, work, or family responsibilities without being under the influence
• Engaging in lying or stealing to continue addictive behaviour or consumption of an addictive substance
• Failing to quit drugs or alcohol despite repeated efforts
• Expressing feelings of regret or shame about compulsive behaviour and drug-seeking behaviours
• Spending too much time thinking about using, using, and recovering from substance abuse
• Experiencing withdrawal symptoms when trying to quit an addictive substance
• Withdrawing from friends and family members to spend more time around people who also use drugs

Signs of Mental Illness

• Expressing feelings of hopelessness, despair, and worthlessness for over two weeks
• Feeling compelled to follow elaborate rituals and maintain high standards to relieve symptoms of anxiety or stress
• Experiencing delusions, hallucinations, and other psychotic episodes
• Struggling to hold a job, friendships, or relationships due to mood swings and behavioural issues
• Turning to drugs, alcohol, or other compulsive behaviours to manage or cope with stress or anxiety 
• Withdrawing from others, refusing to allow support from friends and family members

Dual Diagnosis Treatment

In many ways, addiction is a disability. An individual may have a loss of control over their actions, thoughts, and behaviours due to substance use disorders that alter the brain. 

These include dialectical behavioural therapy (DBT) and cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT). These approaches can help to modify maladaptive patterns in order to promote increased well-being.  These evidence-based therapies can provide long-term, sustainable outcomes for individuals by effecting change on a behavioural and thinking level. These types of therapy aim to lessen harmful habits, such as drug misuse.

Additionally, there are powerful drugs that can treat alcohol, nicotine, and opioid addiction while also easing the symptoms of mental disorders. For instance, bupropion is used to treat both nicotine addiction and treatment resistant depression.

Creating treatment plans that address both disorders jointly rather than separately is key to treating comorbid disorders.