What problems might active substance abuse present for a person who has an anxiety disorder?

ocean view beach
#1. August 8th, 2009, at 3:10 AM.

they’d increase the anxiety and paranoia.

adventure packages
#2. August 10th, 2009, at 9:39 PM.

Well, these drugs can intesify anxiety. Until the person gets off of drugs, you’ll never be sure exactly what is causing the anxiety. Alot of ppl who smoke pot get paranoid!

#3. August 12th, 2009, at 2:34 AM.

Chronic substance abuse can be associated with symptoms of serious mental illness such as schizophrenia. But it can be difficult to determine if the drug abuse is causing symptoms of schizophrenia, or if the schizophrenia is prompting the drug abuse. Some research suggests a link between use of a specific drug, such as marijuana, and development of schizophrenia in individuals who have an underlying predisposition to the disease.

People with schizophrenia are at greater risk of substance abuse. The reason for this isn’t clear. But they may use alcohol or drugs to try to relieve or decrease symptoms of the illness. Unfortunately, substance abuse can actually increase symptoms and complicate treatment.

health care billing
#4. August 12th, 2009, at 11:14 PM.

Well I know that if I drink, the next day my anxiety is through the roof! It’s awful, I feel guilty for no reason, I shake, I think everyone hates me or they’re mad at me. I think God is going to strike me down. It really stinks. So I limit myself to a little bit of wine on the weekends. Seems to work.

sailboat for sale
#5. August 14th, 2009, at 6:07 AM.

Some sustances can actually cause a psychotic state (substance induced psychosis). There is a diagnosis called “cocaine induced psychosis” which does exhibit features of schizophrenia. I had a patient that swore that God sent animals into his body from the sky through a bullet wound into his back and expelled the dead animals through his nose. He also stated insects would flow form the tips of his fingers when he would rub his hands together. After taking him to the ER, it turned out these hallucinations were cocaine induced and the symptoms went away shortly after detox.

Any chemical that works on your brain can affect or exacerbate a dual mental diagnosis so much that before a person can be diagnosed with a mental disorder, he/she must be detoxed first to make sure the symptoms present are not as a result of drug use. This is not always the case though. Sometimes illicit drug use can alleviate some symptoms. Those who use cocaine for example have reported a decrease in ADHD symptoms. Others have been known to use drugs to “self-medicate” symptoms they may be experiencing. If a client uses a stimulant such as cocaine and has anxiety, it may increase the level of anxiety, but you may not have the same effect if that same person uses marijuana or any other type of depressant.