At Arizona Drug Addiction Helpline, our goal is to keep you abreast of new developments in medication, therapy and addiction-related research. We contribute informative and educational blogs for our website visitors to peruse. Check frequently to see what's new.
Comorbid mental illness and drug addiction can be especially difficult for adolescents and require specialized treatments to combat. Teens are still developing physically, mentally and socially, so great care must be taken to put them on the right path toward sobriety and mental health. Doctors have a variety of tailored treatments at their disposal that serve the unique needs of adolescents with comorbid conditions. A few of the most effective therapies include the following:
In order to provide effective treatment to patients, doctors must first properly diagnose the disorders they are treating properly. Often times, patients have two or more conditions rather than just one. In fact, approximately 80 percent of Medicare spending goes to treat patients with four or more chronic conditions (“Defining Comorbidity: Implications for Understanding Health and Health Services”). When patients have a substance abuse problem and a mental illness, a number of factors can complicate the correct diagnosis of each disorder. Due to the frequency of comorbid conditions, doctors are searching for new ways to better identify these related conditions.
Mental illness and substance abuse disorders are often found in the same individual and there has been a great deal of investigation into discovering why this is true. Rather than a single “smoking gun,” scientists believe that there might be many possible causes for the correlation between substance abuse and mental illness. For some people, one condition might cause the other, while other people might be more vulnerable to both conditions right from the start.
While most people understand the dangers of underage drinking, less attention is given to the risks of drinking during middle age. Heavy alcohol consumption can have a wide range of negative health effects, which only accumulate and worsen over time. Alcohol’s effects on the brain are particularly severe. As people age, it’s important to understand the ramifications that heavy drinking can have on their mental health.
Drinking is a major aspect of American culture and has been built into the customs of many activities, from parties to sporting events to holiday celebrations. When drinking, people should be mindful of their consumption and limit themselves to a responsible amount of alcohol. Drinking to excess, often called “binge drinking,” can lead to alcohol poisoning and serious health consequences.
Many drug users realize that if apprehended with illegal drugs they face arrest and possibly jail time or probation. Sadly, others may be unaware of the bodily effects that can result from the use of illegal drugs. The fact is that there are health dangers associated with every illegal drug and some of them can even lead to death. The following are some commonly used illegal drugs and the damage they can do to a person’s physical health and appearance. Continue reading
