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Social Media & Your Mental Health

MENTAL ILLNESS AND ADDICTION

by Mihaela Avramut, David Hernandez

Introduction

A mental illness is a condition that affects a person’s thinking, behavior feeling, mood (or a combination of these). Mental illnesses are associated with distress and/or problems functioning in social, work, or family activities. The most common types of mental illness with which people can suffer include: Depression Disorders, Anxiety Disorders, phobias, OCD, Bipolar Disorder, just to name a few. A mental health condition isn’t the result of one event. Research suggests that multiple, linking causes may lead to mental illness. Genetics, environment and lifestyle influence whether someone develops a mental health condition. A stressful job or home life makes some people more susceptible, as do traumatic life events like being the victim of a crime. Biochemical processes and circuits and basic brain structure may play a role, too.

Background

Anyone can suffer with mental illness, although it is most common in those with a family history of mental illness. Statistically, in any given year, nearly 1 in 5 (19 percent) U.S. adults experience some form of mental illness; 1 in 24 (4.1 percent) has a serious mental illness, and 1 in 12 (8.5 percent) has a substance use disorder. The onset of mental illness can occur at any time during a person’s life; symptoms can present in childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and in older age. However, the years between 18 and the late 20’s account for the greatest percentage of mental health diagnoses.

Research indicates that that approximately 80-90 percent of substance misusers, including those misusing or overusing the internet and social media, have correlated mental health issues.

Mental illness and addiction can be rooted in childhood development. It is believed that the emotional atmosphere in a childhood home wires the brain and how it develops. For a healthy brain to develop, a calm, connected, attuned, non-stressed parenting environment is required. That wiring affects all of the brains circuits that are involved in addiction—from the opiate circuits, the emotional stress and self-regulation, to incentive/motivation circuits. The greater the early stress and trauma, the less calm and supportive the early environment, the greater the risk that person is at of addiction and mental health problems because those parts of the brain have not effectively developed.

The problem is that by self-medicating with drugs and alcohol or engaging in overuse of technology people only exacerbate their mental illness.

Drugs Related to Mental Illness

Often, certain drugs can create problems that trigger mental health symptoms. In other cases, substances can create mental health symptoms like paranoia, delusions or depression while the person is under the influence of the drug. When these symptoms last after the drugs wear off, then it can indicate a co-occurring mental health disorder. Some examples include:

  • Chronic drug and alcohol misuse increases the chances of becoming a victim of assault or rape. These traumatic events can create serious mental health issues like PTSD, depression, eating disorders and more.

  • Poor decision-making is common under the influence, and patients may break the law or make other choices that cause them to struggle with anxiety in addition to drug addiction.

  • Unprotected sex or sharing needles with people infected with HIV or hepatitis C can lead to the contraction of the disease, which in turn can mean a struggle with depression and grief over the life-changing consequences.

  • Depression is a common effect of certain drugs like crystal meth and alcohol as they begin to wear off, and it’s a symptom that can deepen into a disorder over time.

  • Alcoholism and Antisocial Personality—Alcoholics are 21 times more likely to be diagnosed with an antisocial personality compared to the general population. An antisocial personality is marked by impulsive behavior, difficulty acknowledging rules and trouble discerning right from wrong.

  • Cocaine and Anxiety—A study in the American Journal of Psychiatry found that up to 84 percent of cocaine users experience paranoia. Other common symptoms are a tense demeanor, irrational suspicions toward others and delusions.

  • Opioid Addiction and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)—PTSD affects 6.8 percent of Americans and causes people to avoid people, places and memories associated with a traumatic event. Women who misuse prescription opioids are 200 percent more likely to be diagnosed with PTSD. It can be difficult to discern the difference between opioid addiction and PTSD, as their symptoms often intersect.

Treatment and Therapy

The best treatment for dual diagnosis is integrated intervention, when a person receives care for both their diagnosed mental illness and addiction. The idea that “I cannot treat your depression because you are also drinking” is outdated—current thinking requires both issues be addressed.

Perspective and Prospects

While it is sometimes difficult to differentiate if addiction precedes mental illness or vice versa, leading experts claim that addiction can mask the symptoms of an underlying mental condition. Many patients who have an underlying mental illness either self-medicate or seek substances to help them alleviate their psychiatric issues. Depression and PTSD are two common conditions that lead to misuse. Mental health providers must do a more comprehensive job educating the population about the importance of seeking help for mental health issues. The resources should be available to all regardless of their ability to pay and they should be available in different languages so they can be widely accessible. Screenings for mental health should increase and reassurance provided to people who might be suffering from a mental disease.

References

1 

Atkins, Charles. Co-Occurring Disorders: Integrated Assessment and Treatment of Substance Use and Mental Disorders. PESI, 2014.

2 

Baranyi, G., Fazel, S., Langerfeldt, S. D., & Mundt, A. P. (2022). The prevalence of comorbid serious mental illnesses and substance use disorders in prison populations: A systematic review and meta-analysis. The Lancet Public Health, 7(6). doi.org/10.1016/s2468-2667(22)00093-7.

3 

Choi, Sam, Susie M. Adams, Siobhan A. Morse, and Sam MacMaster. “Gender Differences in Treatment Retention among Individuals with Co-Occurring Substance Abuse and Mental Health Disorders.” Substance Use and Misuse 50.5 (2015): 653–63.

4 

Gordon, Sherri. “Why Mental Health Disorders Co-Exist with Substance Use.” VeryWell Mind. 16 Jul. 2021.

5 

Kranzler, Henry R., and Joyce A. Tinsley, eds. Dual Diagnosis and Psychiatric Treatment: Substance Abuse and Comorbid Disorders. Marcel Dekker, 2004.

6 

Mignon, Sylvia I. “Treatment of Co-Occurring Disorders (Dual Diagnosis).” Substance Abuse Treatment: Options, Challenges, and Effectiveness. Springer, 2015. 139–56.

7 

“Spotlight On…Comorbid Substance Use and Mental Health Problems.” European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction. 6 Nov. 2023, www.emcdda.europa.eu/spotlights/comorbid-substance-use-and-mental-health-problems_en.

Citation Types

Type
Format
MLA 9th
Avramut, Mihaela, and David Hernandez. "MENTAL ILLNESS AND ADDICTION." Social Media & Your Mental Health, edited by Mari Rich, Salem Press, 2024. Salem Online, online.salempress.com/articleDetails.do?articleName=SMMH_0095.
APA 7th
Avramut, M., & Hernandez, D. (2024). MENTAL ILLNESS AND ADDICTION. In M. Rich (Ed.), Social Media & Your Mental Health. Salem Press. online.salempress.com.
CMOS 17th
Avramut, Mihaela and Hernandez, David. "MENTAL ILLNESS AND ADDICTION." Edited by Mari Rich. Social Media & Your Mental Health. Hackensack: Salem Press, 2024. Accessed December 14, 2025. online.salempress.com.