The Effects of Drug Abuse on Mental Health v.2

The Effect of Drug Abuse on Mental Health

    Image of drug addicts sitting in a circle at group therapy.            Source: Peace Valley Recovery           

      I was in denial that my cousin was dead until I laid eyes on him. At his burial, my hands grasped the soft bright yellow daisy; I took a petal off with ease and slipped it into my pocket before I gently placed it on his dark wooden casket that was about to be six feet underground. I take my cousin Mikey's drug-fueled demise as a lesson to always reach out when I need help or look out for others when they act as he used to when he was abusing drugs. Mikey had been battling with voices inside of his head for years, and no one knew; they never thought he was anything other than a drug addict. Mikey began to self-medicate to stop the voices going on inside his head. People who have abused substances are more likely to attempt suicide and have mental health disorders than those who have never used drugs.

According to WebMD, "The 2007 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National Findings is being released by the Department of Health and Human Services. The survey shows that people aged 18 to 25 are using less cocaine and methamphetamine, but they are using more prescription pain relievers recreationally compared to 2006. Baby boomers aged 55 to 59 more than doubled their use of illicit drugs since 2002 (from 1.9% to 4.1%)." People from all different backgrounds and age groups can abuse substances. Therefore, more substances are used by teens other than cocaine, meth, and prescription pills.  

A quote from a reliable peer-reviewed journal by Robert E. Davis states, 

“Suicide is the second leading cause of death among ages 10-34 and  

the 10th leading cause of death among all Americans.”   

   The journal discusses how drug use is usually paired with depression and feelings of suicide. Davis provides statistics about suicide and the effect of substance abuse on college students. It also brings up the topic of stigma. Many people who have mental illnesses self-stigmatize themselves. Drug abuse is a highly stigmatized topic which makes users feel shame and blame. Society's views can affect how you feel worse about yourself, especially when you're an addict. We need to stop stigmatizing drug users and instead provide the help and support they need!

    The National Library of Medicine published the article Drug Addiction as Risk for Suicide Attempts describes a survey where 200 people who took either heroin or opiates have either attempted suicide or not. It shares the results of the study in-depth with analysis and statistics. The survey's primary goal is to compare the risks and elements of different drug use and whether they have attempted suicide. The National Library of Medicine states that: "Systematic review findings suggest that society views individuals with drug use disorders as dangers to themselves and others, subsequently, these individuals are intentionally avoided." Society views drug abusers as less than only because they do drugs. They are

considered to be dangerous and destructive to society only because of false stereotypes.

       Just because someone does drugs does not mean they want to kill themselves or have mental health issues; the correlation between substance abuse and suicide does not indicate that it happens all the time. According to SAMSHA an organization (The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) aims to aid the nation in decreasing the effects of drug use and mental disorders. "Individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs) are particularly susceptible to suicide and suicide attempts. Opiates (including heroin and prescription painkillers) were present in 20 percent of suicide deaths, marijuana in 10.2 percent, cocaine in 4.6 percent, and amphetamines in 3.4 percent." Statistically, it is proven that if you have an addiction to narcotics, you are at a higher risk for depression and the ideation of committing suicide. 

    NIDA, known as The National Institute on Drug Abuse, states that "Long-term marijuana use has been linked to mental illness in some people, such as temporary hallucinations, temporary paranoia, worsening symptoms in patients with schizophrenia—a severe mental disorder with symptoms such as hallucinations, paranoia, and disorganized thinking." Marijuana use has also been linked to other mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts among teens. However, study findings have been mixed." Statistics prove that drug use and abuse are linked to many mental health disorders. Therefore, just because a study has numbers concluding drug users are more inclined to have mental illnesses and feel suicidal, rather than someone who has never tried drugs. It does not mean everyone that uses drugs is suicidal or has mental illnesses. Or that non-drug users do not have any mental health issues or do not have suicidal feelings.

   HelpGuide.org states, "Developing an addiction to drugs isn't a character flaw or a sign of weakness, and it takes more than willpower to overcome the problem. Abusing drugs can create changes in the brain, causing powerful cravings and a compulsion to use that makes sobriety seem like an impossible goal." Previously mentioned above, drug users often self-stigmatize and feel shame for what they have done. They do not want to reach out for help because they feel unworthy. Author Tess Callahan describes addiction as "just a way of trying to get at something else. Something bigger. Call it transcendence if you want, but it's like a rat in a maze. We all want the same thing. We all have this hole. The thing you want offers relief, but it's a trap." Addicts try to ease their pain from mental illnesses through drugs. These illicit substances give users a temporary euphoric feeling that they chase over and over again. 

Image of a helping hand reaching out. Source: istockphoto

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services National Institutes of Health, "The goal of drug abuse treatment is to stop and allow people to lead active lives in the family, workplace, and community." Drug users need support to heal from their addictions; often, they feel as if they are
undeserving of help and that their situation is hopeless.  Another quote from  HelpGuide.org states, "Recovery is never out of reach, no matter how hopeless your situation seems or how many times you've tried and failed before. With the right treatment and support, change is always possible."