Substance Abuse and Mental Health Facilities in Minong, WI

In case you abusing substances like alcohol and drugs in Minong, they can prove effective at managing - albeit in the short term - the symptoms of your mental health disorder. This form of self-medication, however, can be dangerous because it can lead to addiction.

The temporary relief that you derive from these substances could soon be overtaken by other negative physical and psychological effects. Eventually, you may even find that you have started struggling with more of the common mental health problems that are linked with drug and alcohol addiction.

Psychosis

Research studies show a link between substance abuse and psychosis. Substance abuse occurs when you take any illicit drug, use prescription medications without a valid prescription or outside the prescribing instructions of your doctor, or taking legal substances in excess.

SAMHSA - the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration - reports that addiction tends to occur often alongside psychosis. This is because some of the symptoms of substance abuse often resemble those that occur when you are struggling with this mental health disorder. If you are diagnosed with psychosis, you may also turn to these substances and eventually find yourself dealing with a clinical addiction.

Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is linked to imbalances in the chemicals that are found in the brain - including but not limited to dopamine, serotonin, and glutamate. These imbalances will affect the response of your brain to external stimuli. As a result, you can experience hallucinations and hypersensitivity - some of the common symptoms of this mental health disorder.

There are also differences in the structure of the brain occurring with schizophrenia. These differences include enlarged ventricles (the cavities at the core of the brain that are filled with fluid), decreased gray matter, and decreased or increased activity in certain parts of the brain.

A dual diagnosis treatment program can help you understand the reasons behind your substance abuse and addiction as well as how this disorder is affected and continues to affect the other co-occurring behavioral and mental health disorders that you have also been diagnosed with.

This type of treatment would most likely be highly specialized and integrated. This is because it has to manage all the disorders that you have been struggling with at the same time - or simultaneously. It is recommended that you go through dual diagnosis treatment if you have been living with both addiction as well as any other co-occurring medical or mental health disorders.