Is Alcoholism a Mental Illness? New Jersey

Mood swings caused by bipolar disorder can produce a wide range of mental and physical symptoms. During the highs, a person is abnormally upbeat, has an abundance of energy and feels overly confident. On the other hand, lows come with feelings of fatigue, restlessness and loss of interest. These sudden mood changes are unpredictable and symptoms vary from person to person. Described as a manic-depressive illness, bipolar disorder involves irregular mood swings that fluctuate from extreme highs to severe lows. Roughly six million people in the U.S., ranging from adolescents to seniors, are diagnosed with bipolar. It is not uncommon for an addiction to alcohol to also come with a mental health dual-diagnosis.

• Your doctor or treatment provider may also be able to refer you to a group for people with co-occurring disorders.
• Like depression and other mental illnesses, addiction is a very real medical disorder that is rooted in brain changes—but the condition is so much more complex than that.
• Not only that, but treatment for alcoholism involves both physical and psychological components.
• Alcohol is a depressant, slowing mental and physical responses, and affecting mood, energy, coordination, concentration, and decision making.

Our program integrates numerous treatment modalities from yoga and meditation to individual and group services. 12-step programs are the path to maintaining long-term, meaningful sobriety. Recent scientific studies have confirmed that continuing alcohol use causes changes to the brain and that those changes may be permanent.

Does Alcohol Abuse Cause Stress?

Continuing to misuse alcohol even though you experience negative mental or physical health consequences. Heavy alcohol drinkers are five times more likely to engage in suicidal behavior as compared to ‘social drinkers’. The association between alcohol abuse and suicide has been established is alcoholism a mental illness for a long time. Often, these problems take a while to show up after a vet returns home, and may be initially mistaken for readjustment. Untreated co-occurring disorders can lead to major problems at home and work and in your daily life, so it’s important to seek help.

When someone does something that they find pleasurable, such as eating delicious food or hearing a song they love, dopamine is produced in the brain.

Help with Mental Illness and Alcohol Addiction

Some people in these groups, although well meaning, may mistake taking psychiatric medication as another form of addiction. If certain people, places, or activities trigger a craving for drugs or alcohol, try to avoid them. This may mean making major changes to your social life, such as finding new things to do with your old buddies—or even giving up those friends and making new connections. Once you are sober and you feel better, you might think you no longer need medication or treatment. But arbitrarily stopping medication or treatment is a common reason for relapse in people with co-occurring disorders. Always talk with your doctor before making any changes to your medication or treatment routine. You are taught healthy coping skills and strategies to minimize substance abuse, strengthen your relationships, and cope with life’s stressors, challenges, and upset.