Using drugs or alcohol as a means to alter your mood, confront your fears, or manage difficult emotions? In terms of improving one’s mood and managing problems, self-medication is not a good idea.
What Does It Mean to Self-Medicate?
In these uncertain times, many of us are turning to narcotics for relief. If you’re feeling down or bored, eating can help lift your spirits. Before you go out in public, light up a joint or have a few drinks to ease your anxiety and settle your nerves. On the other hand, perhaps you use Xanax or Valium for sleep, ADHD medication for concentration, or prescription opioids for stress or grief.
People who “self-medicate” by abusing substances like alcohol or narcotics often struggle with mental health concerns. Feeling helpless in the face of a mental health crisis is a common experience. If your illness goes untreated, you may turn to alcohol or drugs to alleviate symptoms.
Even while it works at first, self-medicating will make your illness worse in the long run. Addiction, mood disorders, and health problems can result from self-medicating with alcohol, drugs, prescription medications or food. Interactions at home, at work, and in the classroom might also take a knock.
Alternatives are available to you. If you want to fix your problems and feel better emotionally and physically, you need to know when and why you self-medicate.
In the face of seemingly endless crises, many of us have turned to substances to alleviate the stress and anxiety we feel.
As a means of numbing the agony of traumatic experiences or unpleasant memories, some people turn to narcotics. When faced with terrifying situations or when trying to maintain attention all day long, some people turn to alcohol or medicines. People use drugs or alcohol for a wide variety of reasons, and their methods of self-medicating are just as diverse:
- Alcohol is the most self-medicated and overused substance since it is easily accessible. As a self-medication, alcohol can amplify the negative effects of mental health issues like anxiety, sadness, and stress.
- Also commonly found are prescription narcotic medicines, ADHD medication, and anxiety medications. In addition to alleviating pain, they have a calming effect and can increase power.
- Marijuana, cannabis, cocaine, and amphetamines are recreational substances that people use to deal with bad emotions, memories, and experiences. Addiction and drug misuse could follow.
- When depressed, anxious, or stressed out, emotional eaters reach for food as a crutch. Emotional eating may have a devastating effect on your weight and mental health because most people crave foods that are high in sugar, fat, and calories.
- Nicotine, included in tobacco products, may aid attention for some people but exacerbates ADHD symptoms and makes quitting smoking more difficult for others.
Warning Signs of Self-medication
The signs of someone self-medicating can be subtle. A lot of places let people drink alcohol, most people have prescription medications in their medicine cabinets, and recreational drugs like marijuana are either legal or easy to get.
If you want to know if you’re self-medicating, you have to look at your drug or alcohol use and the reasons behind it:
- After a long day on the job, do you use a pain reliever to ease your back or any other aches and pains?
- Does alcohol help you relax, improve your mood, enhance your dining experience, or all of the above?
Warning indications of self-medication include:
You turn to alcohol or drugs when you’re anxious, upset, or depressed
After hearing bad news, like losing a job or a relationship, many of us turned to drugs as a means of coping. You can engage in self-medicating behavior if you turn to alcohol or drugs to alleviate stress, boredom, boost your mood, or get ready for social meetings.
Substance Abuse Exacerbates Symptoms
Using drugs or alcohol is only a temporary fix. You may find it more difficult to sleep, have more energy, and have a weaker immune system if you self-medicate. Your mental and emotional well-being will decline as you spiral into a downward spiral of worsening mood and increased substance usage.
Your Tolerance Has Heightened
The number of drinks needed to alleviate nighttime anxiety or stress has increased from one or two to three, four, or perhaps more. If your tolerance to alcohol or drugs has grown, you will need to consume more of them to achieve the same effect. Increased tolerance and substance use disorders are consequences of self-medication. In order to interrupt the pattern, it is necessary to find healthy solutions.
Your Problems Multiply
Problems with your health, your relationships, and your finances have arisen since you began drinking to alleviate stress. Things get even more tense. More problems arise as a result of self-medication.
You Miss the Lack of Drugs or Alcohol
Without booze, how do you plan to navigate social situations? Does the thought of running out of your medication cause you any anxiety? Do you wait anxiously for your payday so you can buy more drinks or contact your dealer?
Your Friends and Family Are Concerned About You
Is your excessive drinking something that your loved ones have mentioned? Or have they picked up on changes in your demeanor, behavior, or social circle? Everyone is impacted by substance abuse, not just you. Acting OK or ignoring other people’s concerns is easy. It takes guts to acknowledge you have a drug use problem and listen to the worries of those you care about.
Admitting You Have a Problem
What you use or drink does not define if you have a substance abuse problem. Neither the timing nor the quantity of use determines it. The consequences of substance abuse are what characterize the problem. If your drinking or drug usage starts to negatively impact your relationships or daily life, you may be abusing substances.
Dangers of Self-Medicating
Many problems, not only addiction, can result from people self-medicating their mental health concerns. The use of self-medication has the potential to:
- Make symptoms worse: Self-medicating for mental health problems could make existing symptoms worse or perhaps bring on new ones.
- Manage medication regimens: Negative effects or diminished effectiveness of other medications may result from drug and alcohol usage interfering with them.
- Produce problems with mental health: If your mental health is already precarious, engaging in heavy drinking or drug use might worsen your condition. There is a correlation between the psychotic symptoms of marijuana and meth and the depressive symptoms of alcohol and opiates.
- Prevent you from getting assistance: It might be challenging to transition to healthier and more effective alternatives when you self-medicate. But when you realize that your substance use is making your problems worse, you may be able to take action.
What’s the Starting Point?
Acknowledge and Track Emotions and Substances
If you want to get better at handling your emotions and problems, you need to start by figuring out when and how you self-medicate. That necessitates being forthright with those who matter to you and with yourself.
It’s common to rationalize or downplay one’s substance abuse, downplay the frequency or amount of use, or even deny the existence of a problem. Your relationship or money problems can be the result of your blaming other people. Many people are worried, anxious, and depressed because of the economic crisis, and the increasing unemployment rate. But it’s also possible that the money and time you spend drinking or doing drugs is adding to your problems.
If you suffer from anxiety or depression, you can feel ashamed to admit it. Although ignoring your problems is simpler, doing so will not get you any closer to recovery than overcoming denial.
Change Your Mindset and Habits
Gradually reducing substance use is a pivotal step towards reclaiming control over mental health. This process involves acknowledging patterns of dependency and actively exploring alternative coping mechanisms. Whether it’s engaging in creative outlets, pursuing hobbies, or seeking professional support, finding constructive ways to manage stressors is essential. Prioritizing quality sleep is paramount for overall mental health. Exploring relaxation techniques such as mindfulness meditation, deep breathing exercises, or yoga can promote restful sleep and alleviate symptoms of anxiety or depression.
Adopt Positive Coping Mechanisms
In adopting positive coping mechanisms, seeking social support from trusted individuals plays a significant role in combating feelings of helplessness. Whether it’s confiding in close friends or attending support groups, sharing experiences with others can provide validation and reassurance. Further incorporating regular exercise into one’s routine not only enhances physical health but also boosts mood and reduces stress. Activities such as walking, jogging, or yoga release endorphins, which are natural mood lifters.
Address Specific Mental Health Issues
To address specific mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, or stress, it’s essential to explore tailored strategies for management. This may involve cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), mindfulness-based interventions, or medication under the guidance of a healthcare professional. If symptoms persist or worsen, seeking professional help is imperative. Consulting with a therapist or psychiatrist can provide personalized treatment plans that address underlying issues effectively.
Integrate Treatment Approaches
Integrating treatment approaches involves recognizing the interconnected nature of substance abuse and mental health disorders. Seeking support through peer groups, therapy, or medication can facilitate recovery and promote holistic well-being. Encouraging loved ones to seek help and providing non-judgmental support fosters an environment conducive to healing. Establishing boundaries and prioritizing self-care are vital components of supporting others while maintaining one’s own mental health.
There’s Always Hope
While turning to substances may offer a temporary escape from depression, anxiety, or stress, this approach often leads to a deepening cycle of dependency and the exacerbation of mental health issues. Recognizing the warning signs of self-medication is the first step toward seeking healthier alternatives and support. Whether it’s the increased tolerance to substances, the escalation of problems in daily life, or concerns raised by friends and family, these indicators signal a need for change.
We Do Recover offers services for individuals grappling with addiction or mental health challenges, including specialized care for behavioral addictions.
Each of our clinics is operated by certified experts in addiction and mental health care, including psychiatry, therapy, and rehabilitation.
Our facilities in the UK, Thailand, and South Africa are officially accredited and staffed by a team of qualified psychiatrists, general practitioners, psychologists, addiction counselors, social workers, and nurses, ensuring comprehensive care from start to finish.
Integrating treatment approaches that consider both substance use and mental health holistically offers the best path forward. Encouraging individuals to seek professional help and providing a supportive South African rehab center environment are key steps in fostering recovery. By prioritizing mental well-being and adopting constructive strategies to manage life’s challenges, individuals can navigate away from self-medication toward a healthier, more resilient future.
Written by Doug K (Addictions Counsellor at Changes Rehab Johannesburg).