There are many categories of mental illness. And because of the frequency with which people with addiction issues also have mental conditions, individuals who are interested in recovery and rehabilitation must understand them. If you are suffering from a substance use disorder and are struggling with your addiction, there is a high chance that you also have a mental condition that is fueling that addiction. When a patient is suffering from both addiction and an underlying mental health issue, we refer to it as a “co-occurring disorder.” At Palmetto Center, treating co-occurring disorders is one of our specialties.
Of the many mental conditions that can underpin addiction, the following are the most common types of mental illness.
Types of Mental Illness: Anxiety, Depression, and Schizophrenia
Anxiety disorders
People with anxiety disorders approach particular situations with so much fear. It impedes their daily function and regularly affects their sleep patterns as well. If you are suffering from an anxiety disorder, your response greatly outweighs the gravity of the situation that is causing your anxiety. In such cases, you also have trouble managing your response, or it is reflexive and uncontrollable. Most importantly, it gets in the way of your daily function. This type of mental illness is particularly likely to lead one to substance abuse, and so it must be closely monitored.
Mood disorders
These types of mental illness include depression as well as bipolar disorder. Mood disorders — sometimes called “affective” disorders — involve intense or prolonged periods of sadness or despair. In many cases, they also include dramatic fluctuations in mood. This includes the toggling back and forth between extreme happiness and dark periods of unhappiness. Mood disorders are also major culprits when it comes to substance abuse issues.
Psychotic disorders
The third category that can often be linked with addiction issues is psychotic disorders. This category includes schizophrenia. The most prominent symptoms of psychotic disorders are hallucinations and delusions. Hallucinations involve the sensory experience of something that is not real. Delusions, on the other hand, refer to ideas that the sufferer firmly believes to be true, but for which there is no evidence.
Other Common Mental Disorders
In addition to these three main categories, there are several other types of mental illness, many of which are commonly associated with addiction issues. Among these are:
- Personality disorders
- Eating disorders
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder
- Dissociative disorders
- Sexual and gender disorder
And it is also important to remember that the medical community, including the American Psychological Association, considers addiction itself to be a mental disorder. We refer to this condition as “substance use disorder”. You may also see it referred to as an addiction disorder or impulse control disorder.
Don’t Go It Alone
If you or someone you know is suffering from a substance use disorder, it is likely that there is also an underlying mental condition involved. But help is available at addiction treatment programs like the one at Palmetto Center, where we have a long history of treating co-occurring disorders of this kind. Make this year a year of healing from all types of mental illness. Contact us online today, or call us at 318.728.2970.
