The Dangers Of Mixing Illegal Drugs And Mental Illness

Mental illness carries its own symptoms and guidelines for care in Gilbert, addiction medicine stands as one of the most useful. From depression to schizophrenia, the conditions that exist among this broad classification can make patients desperate for a respite from its symptoms. Whether from worries about costly treatments, inability to seek medical care, or a search for something better to deal with their problems, some patients reach a point where illegal narcotics instead of doctor-prescribed medication might seem like the answer.

Anxiety And Drug Use

Anxiety is a condition that pushes someone to be on a sense of heightened alert. As part of the fight or flight urges from our earliest ancestors, the condition pushes many to the point of exhaustion as they fight through fear and a general feeling that something is wrong. Mixing this condition with stimulants does nothing to stop the problem, instead, it brings the problem to a fever pitch that is as dangerous as it is uncomfortable. As the pulse goes higher and the blood pressure increases, those with anxiety in all of its forms become more irrational and out of control. When it comes to drug binges, it can become even more dangerous with everything from heart attacks to fainting.

The Serious Ramifications of Depression And Illegal Drugs

Those with depression often seek the same rush that those with anxiety are trying to avoid. In some cases, they choose stimulants, in others, they go for mild altering choices that slow down every part of the body. In the case of stimulants, the pulse throbbing, power-packed adrenaline surge gives many with depression a sudden boost of energy. That feeling comes to an end much too quickly and those people begin to feel the sensation of depression on an even more frightening level. Suddenly, they find themselves wanting more and more of the feeling as they crave higher doses. The results often lead to hospitalization or even worse without the proper treatment at the time of overdose. On the other end of the spectrum are those drugs that promise a calming high that takes depression sufferers from the reality of their condition. Trying to venture out of this selected world only leads to more problems as the urge to stay lost in the high continues. With many drugs in this category, a person may not realize they are losing consciousness until it is too late. Another consideration is the effects of being in this state, not being aware of serious signs like lower blood pressure or decreased heart rate.

Mixing Medications

With either of these conditions or any other related to mental health, it is important to know as well as understand any currently prescribed medications. Mixing some of these doctor-approved treatments with illegal drugs is a problem in its own right. The side effects could lead to short term as well as long term health issues as well as death in some cases.

Seeking help for mental illness can be the first step in establishing a normal life once again. While there is no cure, a treatment plan that includes psychiatry, the right medications, and even a healthy lifestyle can put to rest some of their most common symptoms. It’s a far better step than searching for help from the bottom of a glass or through the quick medicinal drips of a needle.