Research has shown that those who abuse drugs or alcohol are more likely to have mood problems. Forty percent to sixty percent of persons with alcohol use disorder suffer from depression brought on by their addiction. In the case of opiate users, 55% experienced depression due to their drug of choice.
Substance abuse as a means of dealing with unpleasant feelings might have negative consequences. This article will discuss how to overcome substance-induced mood disorders. Stay tuned for more information!
What is Substance-Induced Mood Disorder?
Substance-induced mood disorder, or SIMD, is a kind of depression that begins with substance abuse. Common side effects of these drugs, such as feeling down or groggy or irritable, or even having a typical hangover, are different from the symptoms of a condition. Compared to other medical conditions, the effects of a disorder are much more severe and persistent.
Some people may need to see a doctor if they experience severe depression or sorrow hours and days after using alcohol or drugs, even prescribed medicines. Various options, including antidepressant therapy, are accessible to those suffering from substance abuse disorders. A good treatment center will assist you in overcoming both your addiction and depression.
Various Types of Substance-Induced Mood Disorder
Many different types of mood disorders are made worse by the use of drugs. We’ll be talking about the big three mood disorders:
- Anxiety Disorders
Approximately 25% of the U.S. population suffers from some anxiety illness each year. Extreme tension and anxiety over matters beyond one’s control are to blame.
- Bipolar Disorder
This kind of depression is brought on by an imbalance in the brain’s hormones. It makes a person’s emotional state fluctuate wildly and unexpectedly.
- Depression Disorders
Substance-Induced Depressive Disorders are characterized by negative beliefs that the person can’t control. When neurons in the brain don’t work right, these symptoms appear.
Substance-Induced Mood Disorder Triggering Factors
Sadly, the connection between substance abuse and psychological well-being is commonly misinterpreted. Self-medicating for significant mental health symptoms may quickly become an out-of-control addiction. When substances are abused, chemical imbalances occur, which may lead to major emotional disorders. Treatment for two disorders at once might reveal their origins and provide direction.
A substance-induced mood disturbance may be caused by:
- Amphetamines
- Inhalants
- Opioids
- Cocaine
- Alcohol
- Hallucinogens
- Sedatives
Depression, anxiety, and other mood disorders are all symptoms that may be brought on by using these substances and dealing with their aftereffects or hangovers. Extreme mania, like excessive enthusiasm or fear, is manufactured by those around us. The medicines disrupt normal brain function by altering chemical messengers and intercellular communication. In turn, this impacts the nervous system’s chemical messengers. Mood disorder symptoms are the result of this cyclical process.
Recognizing the Signs of a Substance-Induced Depressive Disorder
Different symptoms may be present in people with various diseases. They falsely represent diseases with no known cause. Drug and alcohol withdrawal symptoms often start during the first few days of use. Some of these effects may last for as long as the drug is in your system, while others may go away several days after you stop taking them.
In most cases, symptoms are classified as either depression or mania. Indicates depression, which may manifest in a variety of ways:
- Disappointment and melancholy
- Disinterest in a previously enjoyable activity
- Disappointing energy levels
- Disappointing energy levels
- Negative emotions such as shame, humiliation, or despair
- Difficulty focusing
- Headaches
- Inflammation and discomfort in the joints
The disorder’s high and inflated sense of self-worth that accompanies manic episodes are characteristic features. Your energy levels will be over the roof, and you’ll be able to spend days without sleeping or slowing your mind’s pace. You may also find that you are more prone to anger and aggression.
Treatment for Substance-Induced Mood Disorders
Successful diagnosis of mood disorders may be achieved by consultation with a trained mental health practitioner about entering a treatment program. Substance-induced mood disorders may be evaluated by a mental health professional, who can then recommend treatment options. Possible methods of treating a mood illness brought on by drug abuse are:
Psychological Treatment
Substance-induced mood disorders have symptoms that may be managed medically. Therapy and medicine ease the most severe symptoms, allowing patients to concentrate on their long-term rehabilitation.
Structured Neurobiological Integration Training
Through a multifaceted approach, NBI programs reduce physical stress and calm the mind. This treatment enhances the patient’s emotional resilience because they learn to control their reaction to stressful events.
Education in Essential Life Skills
When dealing with the incapacitating effects of a mood illness, it’s common to put off basic duties. Learning crucial life skills help you maintain a healthy and productive routine daily. You can go back to work and your rehabilitation with these abilities.
Holistic Treatments for Addiction
Techniques like yoga and physical exertion help patients calm their overactive nervous systems. Therapists in the clinical setting guide patients through sessions designed to help them re-establish healthy routines of care for themselves.
How Does Substance-Induced Mood Disorder Affect Treatment?
Because of the need to treat both the addiction and the mood disorder, those with substance-induced mood disorders should seek care only from qualified mental health and addiction practitioners. It is difficult to manage mental health concerns while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and detoxing from narcotics does not make sadness or anxiety go away.
The most effective therapy method for those with Substance-Induced Mood Disorders is dual diagnosis. The first step is recognizing the existence of the illnesses. Professionals will begin further care when detoxification is complete. Medication for your mood illness will be an important part of these therapies. Also, mood-altering medications, antidepressants, and antipsychotics will all fall under this category.
Substance addiction and mental disorders may be effectively treated with medicines, but we also feel that a comprehensive approach is crucial. A person may better address their emotional and mental requirements with a holistic approach rather than only treating the symptoms of their disease. Destructive emotions fuel both conditions, and this holistic therapy demonstrates how to redirect that negativity toward a more positive goal. Recovery is possible through treatment, aftercare, and a relationship with god; to learn more about our faith-based program in Orange County, CA, contact Covenant Hills Treatment at 844-268-8412.
