How Does Self-Medicating With Substances Lead To Addiction?

Individuals struggling with trauma, stress, a mental health condition, or any number of distressing circumstances may turn to self-medicating with substances as a way to cope. Though common, this coping method can be extremely dangerous. For some, it opens a door leading to substance use disorder (SUD) and other harmful behaviors. So, what can people do? How can they better manage their trauma, stress, or mental health conditions without turning to substance use? Knowing one's options and available resources is one of the first steps in answering these questions. 

Of course, before anyone can open their eyes to the resources and tools available to them, they must recognize the problem. Mental health conditions and other risk factors often go unnoticed. People must acknowledge their struggles to heal and recover from them. West Coast Recovery Centers can help you or a loved one do that through addiction treatment and mental health recovery programs offered at our San Diego facility. 

What Is Self-Medication?

Self-medication is when someone uses or misuses a medication or substance without consulting a doctor. Though some self-medicate to treat a medical condition without medical consultation, our focus today is self-medication to treat one's emotional state. That includes drinking, misusing prescription drugs, or using illegal substances to cope with complex emotions about trauma, stress, a mental health condition, or other issues. 

The issue of self-medication, especially self-medicating with substances, has been a growing concern for many decades. An article from Health Services Research indicates that “timely screening and treatment of mental health problems” can help prevent the development of SUD among people struggling with mental health conditions. However, many fail to seek treatment, despite the world's efforts to reduce the stigmatization surrounding conversations regarding mental health and addiction.

Do Certain Risk Factors Increase One's Likelihood of Self-Medicating?

Unfortunately, factors can sometimes put individuals at an increased risk or likelihood of self-medicating with substances. That includes risk factors such as: 

• A previous history of substance or a family history of addiction 
• Access to substances, whether that be alcohol, prescriptions, or illegal drugs 
• Early exposure to traumatic and distressing situations or events 
• Pre-existing mental health conditions that are either unnoticed or untreated

Along with the risk factors, reasons to begin self-medicating with substances vary from one person to the next. 

Why Do People Start Self-Medicating With Substances?

As mentioned, people begin self-medicating for all kinds of reasons. That includes managing physical and emotional issues. One of the most common reasons for self-medicating with substances is managing chronic pain. Whether a person is trying to cope with back problems, a past injury, or post-surgery pain, missing prescription medication can happen. When a person runs out of the prescription, they may try obtaining more, resort to doctor shopping, and even steal pain medication from others. Unfortunately, when they've exhausted all these options, a person may also start using illegal drugs. 

Managing emotional distress is another common reason people self-medicate. That may include emotional distress caused by trauma, mental health conditions, and even work stress. Stress and trauma, the presence of a mental health condition, or even mild symptoms of anxiety and depression are powerful factors. If unmanaged, people will try to manage these issues any way they know how. Without proper coping techniques, a support system, and mental health treatment, a person may only know how to cope with substances. 

The Dangers of Self-Medicating With Substances

Self-medicating is never a good idea. It can cause endless unintended consequences. Some of the dangers of self-medicating with substances include: 

• Incorrect self-diagnosis, which can lead to unnecessary drug use or adverse reactions 
• Altered dosages, which can cause further complications with a person's mental and physical health 
• Worsened state of a condition because of drug or alcohol use and prescription medication abuse 
• The potential of masking symptoms of an underlying condition or mental health disorder 
• Increased risk of becoming dependent on substances and experiencing an increased risk of overdose

How Does Self-Medicating With Substances Lead To SUD?

Substance use never comes without risk. Dependency is one of these many risks. Moreover, when someone abuses drugs and alcohol to cope with something, it significantly increases the risk of dependency. That's because self-medication might: 

• Worsen an underlying mental health condition 
• Prevent people from learning healthy coping skills 
• Cause people to use more of a substance due to a developing tolerance 

What Should People Do Instead of Self-Medicating?

The best thing a person can do instead of self-medicating is to see a medical professional. They can help rule out certain causes of physical or emotional distress, come up with a treatment plan, run tests, and refer to the necessary specialists or mental health professionals. Further, instead of self-medicating with substances, individuals should: 

• Practice self-care 
• Prioritize enough quality sleep 
• Spend time outdoors 
• Focus on improving nutrition 
• Exercise in any way that's fun and safe for you and your body 
• Talk to someone or consider joining a support group 
• Find a new hobby or new activity that you enjoy 
• Practice mindfulness by trying yoga, meditating, or journaling 

The reality of achieving optimal well-being is that it takes a lot of time, hard work, and persistence. It's understandable why some people may want to self-medicate, but it will only worsen whatever problems you're experiencing. Instead, experiment with these tips and tricks, consult your doctor, speak to a medical professional, and reach out to West Coast Recovery Centers if you or someone you love is self-medicating with substances. Further, if you or a loved one is already struggling with dependency on substances, contact us to learn more about our addiction treatment program today. 

Life is hard. People experience all kinds of trauma, stress, and hardships that can quickly push us to the edge. When you throw in complications with one's mental or physical health, it can make getting through the day that much more challenging. Unfortunately, it's not uncommon for some of us to turn to substance use to cope with these hardships. People often start self-medicating with substances to manage chronic pain, emotional distress, or the symptoms of a mental health condition. Yet, this can quickly lead to dependency and cause further complications with pre-existing conditions. Call West Coast Recovery Centers at (760) 492-6509 for more information about self-medication, addiction treatment, or improving your mental health today.