How to deal with co-occurring mental health and addiction problems

Introduction

Many people suffering from addiction problems also have co-occurring mental health issues, whether they are already known or they are undiagnosed. It can be quite challenging to heal these two problems simultaneously. In this article, we will consider some of the hurdles faced by these overlapping demographics and suggest some tips on how to better handle the circumstances life presents them. Please note that nothing written on this blog should be misconstrued as a substitute for medical advice.

Overlapping conditions

It’s a vicious cycle. Some of us start with mental health conditions, and to numb the pain we start abusing substances. Others have trauma that they self-medicate with drugs, and this causes mental health conditions. Either way, somehow many of us wind up dealing with both mental health issues as well as addiction problems. But all is not lost. Our trials and tribulations can refine us into a new creation like a phoenix rising from the ashes. All we have to do is keep working on ourselves little by little.

Whether you’ve recently determined that you want to recover, or you’ve been on your recovery journey for a while, you’re right where you need to be. Remember that if you slip up not to beat yourself up. Every moment that you aren’t using is a moment to be grateful for.

What to do if you believe you may have a mental health condition

Perhaps you’ve noticed ongoing symptoms yourself, or maybe loved ones have brought certain aspects of your behavior to your attention. Regardless, if you think you may have an undiagnosed mental health condition, take heart not to stress too much about your circumstances. It can be scary or uncomfortable at the beginning, but eventually knowing your diagnosis (or lack of diagnosis) helps to empower you along your journey.

You should definitely contact a health care provider to get an official diagnosis, but the actual results can be a relief either way. If you don’t have a mental health condition, then you can better focus on the habits you’ve fostered along with what you can do to affect the way other people perceive you. If you do have a mental health condition, then you can begin finding resources and medication that can help you become higher functioning.

Remember that if you don’t have a diagnosis you can still work on yourself and the habits that you noticed that made you believe you might have one. And if you do have a diagnosis, it’s not the end of the world. In fact, it can be the start of a brand new chapter where you eventually feel more comfortable sharing your real self with the world. It’s all about perspective.

Whether or not you have a condition, you are still loved by God and many others who you may not even know you’ve affected in a positive way. You are more than your diagnosis (or lackthereof). Everyone has a piece to play along this journey called life.

Tips for managing co-occurring mental health and substance abuse conditions

1. Relax. We often get so stressed about the struggles we’re facing that we overlook the blessings and provision that the Lord has granted us, even during our bleak seasons. Take some time to calm your body, mind, and spirit with some mindfulness techniques. Meditation, yoga, qi gong, visualization, affirmations, calming music, mantras, and mudras are all useful tools to become more relaxed and centered.

2. Be thankful you still have time. As I often mention on this blog, if you still have breath in your lungs then you still have more of your story to create. Be thankful and content for what you have, including not only material things, but also relationships, mental faculties, opportunities, and knowledge.

3. Baby steps. If you’re in active addiction and you want to break free of your strongholds, break down your actions day-by-day so that each day along your journey you’re getting incrementally closer to your goals. As an example, when I wanted to stop drinking alcohol I initially joined Facebook groups related to recovery and started looking up articles about the process of getting sober. From there, I realized I should go to detox. This led me to the recovery community near where I live, where I met very kind people who helped me start my journey toward sobriety.

4. Focus on your strengths. Oftentimes, those with mental health conditions have unique abilities or attributes that they can hone into a useful skill that can help others. Whether this is your creativity, your memory, your logical reasoning, your focus, or something else unique to you, don’t let your talents go to waste just because you got labeled as neurodivergent.

5. Focus on changing one thing at a time. In an immediate gratification society, we want what we want when we want it how we want it. But this realm doesn’t work that way. It takes time to grow good fruit and harvest it, and building healthy habits is no different. With deeply ingrained habits like addictions and mental health conditions, I’ve found it best to focus on one thing you want to change at a time and make that stick before moving on to something else. If you’re really in a crunch, it’s best to change no more than three things at a time.

Moving forward after you’ve started your recovery journey

After you’ve recovered for a while, you may wonder what to do next. Remember those gifts I mentioned earlier in the article? Now’s your time to shine by sharing them with the world. You probably spent your free time doing something along with your substance(s) of choice. All that energy doesn’t have to go to waste.

Did you read a lot of books while you were drinking wine? Make an online course around your knowledge domain. Did you learn how to make music with a digital audio workstation? Start creating instrumentals for other artists. With a dash of creativity, those goals that you hacked away at during all the downtime you had while using can become a new passion project now that you’re in recovery.

And if you didn’t really do much while you were using, not to worry either. You can still give back to the community in other ways. Volunteering, helping the still sick and suffering, or otherwise sharing your testimony are all productive uses of your time now that you’re in recovery. When we were in our active addictions, it often seemed like our life was going to waste. In recovery, we can get a new lease on life and help those around us the way the Most High intended.

Conclusion

If you’re suffering from co-occurring mental health and addiction challenges, remember you’re not alone. Sometimes a mental health challenge can cause one to become addicted to numb the pain, or sometimes the opposite chain of events is true. Don’t beat yourself up. Be kind to yourself and to others, expect miracles in your life, and work towards meeting God halfway in order to see those miracles manifest.

If you’d like more content like this delivered directly to your inbox for free then sign up to the Faith Works newsletter at faithworks.beehiiv.com/subscribe. Help a loved one by sharing this article with someone you think could benefit from it.

Wishing you the best !