The Consequences of Self-Medicating
There have been around 700,000 drug overdose deaths in the USA since the year 2000. Many of these deaths occurred because people were self-medicating with drugs or alcohol.
So what exactly is self-medicating, and why is it so dangerous? This article tells you everything you need to know about this dangerous form of drug use.
What is Self-Medication?
Self-medicating is when you have a mental illness, and you try to address it by using drugs to cope. For example, if you suffer from anxiety, you might self-medicate with alcohol. If you suffer from depression, you may smoke cannabis to try and boost your mood.
Generally, self-medication works well in the short term. This makes people believe it's a long-term solution. The reality is that self-medication rarely works in the long term. If you really want to get better from mental illness, you should avoid using substances to cope.
Self-Medication Doesn't Address the Real Issues
The main issue with self-medication is that it doesn't address the real issues. If you have a mental illness, you'll need to address it properly with mental health counseling.
In most cases, drug use will actually make your mental health issues worse over time. Drugs or alcohol might work in the short term. In the long term, you'll probably become much more depressed and anxious.
All you're doing by self-medicating is adding another mental health issue to your preexisting one.
It Can Lead to Drug Addiction
One of the biggest dangers of self-medication is that it will likely lead to drug addiction. If you feel like drugs alleviate your mental health problems, you're more likely to use them frequently.
This means you're significantly more likely to get addicted than the average person. When you use drugs to self-medicate, the addiction can really creep up on you. By the time you realize you're addicted, it's too late to go back.
This is such a huge issue that the majority of drug addicts are actually self-medicating for some kind of mental health issue.
It Can Be Dangerous
The final reason that you should avoid self-medicating is that it can be dangerous. Whenever you misuse drugs and alcohol, you're taking a lot of risks. For example, you might be vulnerable to overdose.
When you first start self-medicating, you'll likely have a good experience. The more you use drugs, the more you'll need to get that same experience. Eventually, you might be using dangerous doses to get the effects you want.
Get Help and Avoid Self-Medicating
If you really want to get help for your mental health issues, you need to avoid self-medicating. While it might work in the short term, you're likely to become an addict in the long term.
The best way to address your mental health issues is to talk to a professional psychologist or psychiatrist. If you've recently recovered from addiction due to self-medicating, you should commemorate the occasion with a sobriety chip. Contact us today to purchase one.