A common misconception about loneliness is that it only happens when you are physically alone, but drug addicts can feel lonely even when surrounded by others as a result of any struggles they are dealing with.
Does someone you love have a drug problem? Here’s how to help someone with an alcohol or drug addiction.
A prolonged feeling of loneliness can lead people to feel empty, alone, and even unwanted for a period of time. Living in this mental state impacts a person’s overall mental health which can lead to several other conditions such as:
- Alcohol abuse and drug abuse
- Worsening or furthering the progression of Alzheimer’s disease
- Increase in antisocial behavior.
- Cardiovascular disease or stroke
- Decreased memory and learning capacity
- Depression and suicide
- Increased stress levels
- Compulsive behavior that results in poor decision making
- Mental health disorder
When someone suffers from addiction, it is common that they will also suffer from a decline in physical health. It is common for people to downplay their addictions and illnesses, including prolonged loneliness and the depression it causes, which often results in people feeling trapped in their disorders and destructive behaviors. Half of all individuals who experience substance abuse or addiction challenges are also diagnosed with a mental illness. People with addiction may even neglect their appearance and personal hygiene, and suffer withdrawal symptoms if deprived of their drug of choice.
Signs of addiction don’t always appear at once, so you may have trouble pinpointing them.
How to Help Someone with an Addiction
Comprehensive treatment is recommended for both depressions caused by loneliness and substance abuse. Many people find that intensive inpatient or outpatient treatment is necessary to curb addictive behavior and learn healthy coping strategies for depression. The approach that offers the best chance at the recovery process will depend on the person, the seriousness of their symptoms, and their barriers on road to recovery.
If you have been diagnosed with depression, it is important for you to discuss with your doctor whether or not you are also at risk for a substance use disorder. Having an open and honest conversation with your healthcare provider will ensure you get the type of treatment you need.
For both depression and substance dependence, it is important that the addicted person experiencing the disorders is motivated and works toward their recovery. The help you receive from loved ones and healthcare professionals should be used as tools and support systems, but they can’t get you all the way across the finish line. Continuing to work on healthy behaviors and being monitored by the appropriate care providers gives clients the chance they need at successful addiction recovery.
To achieve long-term recovery from drug addiction, it’s vital to tackle both addiction to drugs and mental health issue at the same time. If a person has a severe addiction, then an inpatient detox is recommended.
Now’s the time when you find out how to help someone with an alcohol or drug addiction. Contact us today to get started.
We offer extensive treatment programs to those struggling with co-occurring disorders. We will help you find the right type of addiction treatment that will depend on the specific needs of the addicted person and finding the treatment plan best suited to address these needs.
