Breaking the Cycle of Self-Medicating Behavior
Posted on: May 28th, 2013
So often, addiction and mental illness go hand in hand – and the process of self-medication is the culprit. Self-medication, in the context of mental health, refers to the use of nonprescription drugs or alcohol to mitigate a mental ailment such as depression or anxiety. To calm social nerves, a person has a drink before going to a party. Perhaps the individual takes a nonprescription drug in an attempt to numb the emotional pain of a difficult situation or bad memory. Occasional drug or alcohol use turns to dependency and in many cases, addiction.
Not as apparent is the loss of the individual’s coping skills, broadly defined as the ability to manage stress and overcome adversity. Any uncomfortable social situation or emotional pain becomes a reason to self-medicate, even if the relief is only temporary. A pattern emerges as drugs or alcohol replace the capacity to cope, and this behavior can go unnoticed by family members for a long time. As the cycle worsens, often the person who is self-medicating feels ashamed and will begin to hide the alcohol and drug use.
Are there signs? Certainly. Look for consistent, although perhaps subtle, use of alcohol or nonprescription drugs. Be cognizant of odd behavior, aggressive and out of place conversation, insensitivity around others and personality changes. Also, a person may begin to drink or use drugs alone, no longer needing social occasions at all.
Maureen Kritzer-Lange can help identify self-medicating behavior cycles and reestablish healthy coping skills. It’s never too late to intervene.
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