The Risk Factors Of Substance Use Disorder Among Adolescents

Co-occurring disorders come with multiple symptoms that influence the individual’s ability to stop using substances. Individuals may turn to illegal substances to receive relief from their mental health symptoms and will depend on these to bring normalcy to their life. For example, a depressed person may smoke marijuana to numb pain or a person experiencing social anxiety may drink to feel comfortable in social

There is also research, which reveals that around 75% of those in programs for substance use disorder, also require treatment for co-occurring mental health disorder. Furthermore, individuals reporting mental health problems report a higher alcohol consumption rate at higher risk levels. Not only does this show a high rate of mental health and substance use co-inhabiting in massive numbers of patients, but also indicates that there is a need for not just treating substance use disorder but also treating mental health disorders as well. The co-occurrence of mental health and substance use is known commonly as Dual Diagnosis. It is estimated that dual diagnosis effects between 30% and 90% of those in substance use treatment (Crome, etc.

Addiction to drugs and alcohol has taken epidemic scale in the recent decades, the number of people affected by this disease has been increasing steadily and the age of drug and alcohol use initiation has sadly been decreasing, children as young as 12 years old are reported as addicts. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) estimated that 22.5 million Americans aged 12 and older self-reported needing treatment for alcohol or illicit drug use in 2014. Drug abuse and mental health disorders are commonly seen as coexisting conditions. They are among the top conditions that cause disability and carry a high burden in society.

Adolescence, usually defined as individuals between the ages of 12 and 20, is a period of transition, brain development and challenges1, 2, 3. Adolescence is the peak time to engage in risk taking behaviors2. Substance use is a common occurrence among adolescents. The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse has identified adolescent substance use as one of the United States’ top public health concerns4. In fact, an individual’s chance of becoming a cigarette smoker drastically declines if smoking is not initiated by the time the individual is 18 years old. Alcohol and Marijuana are the most commonly used substances among adolescents1,2,3. The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Study, the Center for Antisocial Drug Dependence, Monitoring the

Compton, W.M., Conway, K.P., Stinson, F.S., Colliver, J.D., & Grant, B.F... (2012) Prevalence correlates, and comorbidity :Comorbidity addiction and other mental illness. National Institute on Drug Abuse.Choice Reviews Online. 20-24.

Substance/Medication-Induced Anxiety Disorder is one of many substance-induced disorders that mimics a medical or psychological disorder. The main features of substance/medication-induced anxiety disorder are symptoms of panic or anxiety. Panic or anxiety can occur in due being intoxication with substances such as alcohol, caffeine, and cannabis. Also panic or anxiety can occur in due to the withdrawal from alcohol, opioids, and sedatives. Psychological disorders such as depression and bipolar disorder, are high in comorbidity with substance use disorders. many individuals with mood disorders turn to substance use to relieve their depressive moods or numb their feelings. It is said that depression is a gateway to substance use.

Drug addiction and mental illness are two topics that are becoming more popular for discussion in American households. As stated from DrugAbuse.com, “mental illness is common amongst a population suffering from substance abuse and addiction. The relationship is so strong that many people believe the drugs play a causative role in the development of the mental illness. In most instances, this is not the case. In the United States, approximately 8.9 million people have both a mental health and a substance abuse issue”. This overwhelming amount of the United States population is often give as a dual diagnosis making persons suffering

A “Substance Use Disorder” is new to the DSM-5. Previously, the terms “abuse” and “dependence” where used instead. In general, the DSM-5 considers a Substance Use Disorder to be recurrent drug use that causes impairment and continued use despite substance use related problems. The DSM-5 also focuses on how substance use causes a change in brain functioning. The change is primarily responsible for intense drug cravings, as well as repeated relapses. Finally, the DSM-5 divides the criteria for Substance Use Disorder into four groupings: impaired control (Criteria 1-4), social impairment (Criteria 5-7), risky use (Criteria 8 and 9), and pharmacological criteria (Criteria

Substance abuse and mental illness are connected in a few ways. Regularly, a man experiences dysfunctional behaviors, for example, sadness and post- traumatic anxiety issue (PTSD) utilizing alcohol or drugs to self-sedate. At times utilizing the drug itself prompts psychological instability, as may happen with the delayed utilization of stimulating drugs. At last, dependence on drugs and alcohol themselves are viewed as dysfunctional behaviors in their own right. The connection between substance abuse and mental illness is frequent to the point that individuals who are getting treatment for drug dependence are normally accepted to have basic emotional well-being issues. The casualties of nervousness issue frequently turn to depressants, for example, alcohol and prescription narcotics to diminish stress and help in relaxation. So also, individuals who have chronic depression once in a while depend intensely on stimulants and drugs that adjust state of mind to dormancy self-cure and defend you from unhappiness. The combination of substance abuse and mental illness often makes it impossible for the victim to function normally in daily life. The effects of substance abuse often include difficulty maintaining personal

Substance abuse disorders is easily defined when an “individual continues to use the substance despite experiencing negative consequences from their use. These negative consequences can include health problems; difficulties in their family, work, and social life; and financial and legal problems. They are said to be dependent on the substance when,” in addition to theses negative consequences, they build tolerance and experience withdrawal if they stop using the drug” (Martin, 2007, p. 265). Substance abuse dates back to the early Americans colonies with beer that was brought over by the pilgrims and more popularly the ratification of the Constitution to prohibit the use of alcohol

Substance abuse complicates almost every aspect of care for the person with a mental disorder. When drugs enter the brain, they can interrupt the work and actually change how the brain performs its jobs; these changes are what lead to compulsive drug use. Drug abuse plays a major role when concerning mental health. It is very difficult for these individuals to engage in treatment. Diagnosis for a treatment is difficult because it takes time to disengage the interacting effects of substance abuse and the mental illness. It may also be difficult for substance abusers to be accommodated at home and it may not be tolerated in the community of residents of rehabilitation programs. The author states, that they end up losing their support systems

Many young adults who go into a substance abuse treatment program, will discover that they have some type of an underlying mental health issue. There are several reasons for someone to have a type of mental health issue before they start using or while they are using. Sometimes they already have been diagnosed thus the reason they use substances to replace the prescribed medications, because they don’t like the way prescription medications make them feel. Other times some of these issues develop during the time that the individual has been using substances, in response to an environmental issue, and the person does not know. Sometimes the issue is a lack of growth and development, which occurs due to substances interfering with the young person’s ability to acquire the life skills, the same as persons who do not use substances have learned. In that case, the individual will not know whatever issue exists, or how it will affect them when they stop using.

Drug use can cause many devastating effects later on in life. Mental problems can develop from drug use, most specifically

Recent research further suggests that depression is predictive of substance abuse outcomes. In a study done by Sihlova (2008), suggested early onset of depressive disorders predicted multiple substance use outcomes, including frequent alcohol use, and frequent daily smoking from a sample of 1545 adolescent twins assessed at baseline age 14, and then again at age 17.5.

Persons who suffer from untreated and/or undiagnosed mental illness are prone to turn to substance abuse in their attempts to self-medicate. Due to the mood-altering effects of substances, those who may experience anxiety, depression, and psychotic symptoms, tend to find temporary relief from such symptoms in their drug usage, however the adverse effects