Substance Abuse and Mental Health Facilities in Smithfield, VA

In case you abusing substances like alcohol and drugs in Smithfield, 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.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

In case you have been living with post-traumatic stress disorder, you might experience a wide variety of symptoms. These include repeated memories of the trauma you suffered, night terrors, vivid flashbacks, and extreme physical reactions when you are reminded of the traumatic event.

You might also try to avoid thinking and talking about the traumatic experiences as well as the activities, people, and places that trigger any memories of that event. Further, you could suffer emotional numbness, memory lapses, negative feelings about yourself and others, difficulties keeping relationships, and being incapable of experiencing positive emotions.

Psychosis

Substance abuse and psychosis are related. Although abusing drugs and alcohol could cause this mental health disorder to develop, it is most likely possible that you will start using these substances as a result of having this underlying mental illness.

When this happens, it could be because you are trying to calm the adverse effects of your psychosis by turning to drugs and alcohol. although this could work for a while, it will eventually cause you to develop a substance use disorder. Eventually, you will find that you need professional dual diagnosis treatment to manage both of these disorders and achieve long term recovery.

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.