With a typical salary of less than two-thirds of the state average, it is not surprising that close to a fifth of the residents of Delran NJ live below the poverty level. Financial hardship can impact on many areas of your life, including your mental wellness, increasing your risk of anxiety and depression. While an assessment by your doctor can help you access the right treatment for mental health problems, if this is out of your reach, you may look to other ways to self-medicate. Prescription and illegal drugs can boost your mood and promote feelings of relaxation, and although this is a dangerous way to cope with your symptoms, this is tempting if you can see no other option available to you.
Abusing drugs such as marijuana, opiates, stimulants and tranquilizers may initially help you to function better if they help you to manage symptoms such as low mood and suppress your worries, but over time if you develop a dependency on them, you will find that they can worsen your mental well-being and have a destructive impact on your life in other ways. Getting help with drug addiction near Delran NJ is therefore vital before your habit takes over completely. Thankfully, addiction help is within easy access, as Steps to Recovery offers a range of drug rehab programs in neighboring Pennsylvania, allowing you to benefit from treatment close to home.
Drug Addiction and Mental Health
Although poor mental health does not always trigger drug abuse, rates of drug taking are far higher among people with mental health issues. For instance, around a third of people with mental illnesses suffer from substance abuse, which rises to around half of people with more severe mental health problems such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. The relationship between mental health and drug misuse is complex though, and while self-medication is common, this is not the only link. It is known that substance misuse can worsen pre-existing mental health problems, either due to the intoxicating effects of drugs or during the withdrawal process. Additionally, even without a history of mental illness, drug abuse can contribute to poor mental health, particularly with chronic use, as is the case with cannabis and crystal meth. Abusing drugs when you have mental illness is inadvisable, as not only does this make it more difficult to manage your mental health issues, but you are also less likely to successfully quit your habit with poor mental health. However, treating mental health problems and substance abuse together increases the likelihood of a good outcome for both conditions.
Dangers of Drug Addiction
The following drugs are linked to poor mental health, particularly if you already have a pre-existing mental illness:
- Marijuana: your risk of depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia are significantly higher if you abuse cannabis, particularly if you start at a young age.
- Opiates, including heroin: with a mental health problem you are more likely to act impulsively and violently when you abuse opioid drugs, and you are also at greater risk of attempting suicide. You will additionally find it more difficult to comply with treatment for mental health issues when under the influence of opiates.
- Cocaine: depressed mood, anxiety, paranoia and psychosis are all a risk with cocaine abuse.
- Methamphetamine: hallucinations, delusions and the inability to derive pleasure from other things are common among chronic meth users.
- Amphetamines: speed can trigger anxiety, depression and psychotic episodes.
- Ecstasy: regularly abusing MDMA increases your risk of mental health problems ranging from low mood to paranoia.
- Tranquilizers such as Valium: although benzodiazepines improve anxious feelings in the short-term, chronic tranquilizer abuse makes anxiety worse.
- Sedatives: as sleeping pills depress mental functions, they can make pre-existing depression worse and trigger low mood.
- Prescription stimulants: when ADHD stimulants are abused they are more likely to cause hallucinations and paranoia.
It isn’t just the adverse effects that drug abuse has on mental health that is a concern, as drug taking can also have a negative impact on your physical well-being. The negative effects vary from one substance to another, but if you have mental health issues you are at particular risk, as you are more inclined to ignore the warning signs that something is wrong and are less likely to seek help, increasing the risk of lasting damage. Drug misuse also makes you more likely to neglect yourself, so eating a poor diet or overlooking your personal care can make you more susceptible to health problems.
Substance abuse additionally can disrupt your life in many other ways. For instance, if you are in work, it becomes more difficult to function properly, leading to a drop in your productivity and greater absence rates, and with chronic drug misuse you may reach the point where you are unable to stay in employment. This can itself have an negative impact on your finances, particularly if your drug habit is already straining them. Drug dependency can destroy relationships as well, so even if you were previously close to your partner, family and friends, you may isolate yourself from them and end up on poor terms if you ignore their concerns about your addiction. Legal trouble is even a possibility if you behave differently when you are high, with driving under the influence and violence common, or you are charged with possession of a controlled substance.
These consequences of drug abuse are all avoidable if you seek early help with an addiction. The sooner you enroll in a drug recovery program near Delran NJ, the sooner you can achieve better mental health and rebuild your life. Steps to Recovery provides specialist addiction treatment close to Delran NJ, so you don’t need to travel far to receive expert care, and within close proximity to home your loved ones can play a role in your recovery.
Drug Addiction Programs Delran NJ
Whatever substance you turned to, help to overcome your addiction is available. This means that whether you need to detox from opiates, stimulants, marijuana or prescription drugs, the support you need to do so is there. During drug withdrawal you can benefit from close monitoring, as withdrawal symptoms are not only unpleasant, but for some drugs they are potentially dangerous. For instance, during withdrawal from heroin or prescription painkillers you may experience anxiety, insomnia, aching muscles, digestive upset and profuse sweating. Medications are available to help relieve these symptoms so that your experience of detoxing from opiates is more comfortable. Alternatively, with benzodiazepine withdrawal there is a risk of palpitations and convulsions, so close monitoring and drugs to reduce the likelihood of these adverse effects are available. Completing drug withdrawal is only the first part of addiction treatment Delran NJ though.
To stay clean from drugs it is essential that you complete a specialist addiction rehab program. This offers a range of therapies designed to equip you with the coping strategies you need to beat the lure of drugs and avoid relapse. At Steps to Recovery many of our clients are able to achieve abstinence at the first attempt and this is thanks to the following features of our drug recovery programs:
- Individually tailored care. Your needs are specific to your own circumstances, so by putting together a package of care that is designed to meet your personal requirements, you are more likely to successfully kick your addiction.
- Evidence based treatment. The therapies we offer are backed by scientific studies, so are proven to help addicts during the recovery process. As well as mainstream therapies we also offer the likes of complementary therapies that have evidence for their effectiveness in addiction treatment.
- A holistic approach to care. By addressing the complete range of factors that contributed to your drug addiction, you are more likely to make a full recovery. This is why activities such as vocational rehabilitation are offered as part of our programs.
- A supportive environment. Each member of our team is dedicated to helping you to succeed on your journey to a drug free life. Whatever support you need and whenever you need it, our addiction specialists and support staff are here to offer you the assistance you require. You will also benefit from the support of your peers, as group therapy sessions and other group activities are included within our programs.
Addiction Therapy Sessions
Working with a specialist addiction counselor, you will take part in one to one CBT, which aims to address your triggers for drug misuse. By identifying the factors that led to your habit, it is then possible to change your thoughts and behaviors, so you will use alternative strategies to deal with situations where you would usually take drugs. Personal therapy sessions are also the chance to discuss your progress during drug addiction treatment, allowing any necessary adjustments to be made to your customized care plan as your progress through therapy. While these individual sessions are very valuable, you gain even more by taking part in group therapy as well. These group sessions facilitated by an addiction specialist allow you to learn more about yourself and take on board learning points from others’ experiences. By problem solving as a group not only is it an opportunity to work on your interpersonal skills, but you also benefit from the knowledge and ideas of others. Family therapy is another beneficial element during addiction recovery, especially if your destructive habits have had a negative impact on your relationship with them. These family counseling sessions are the chance for both sides to put their views across, so you can understand the effects your drug taking has had on their lives, as well as having the opportunity to make them aware of the difficulties you have been going through. With a heightened understanding on both sides you can move forward to rebuild your relationship and have their support during and beyond your addiction rehab Delran NJ.
Skills Development during Drug Rehab
Besides having the coping strategies in place to manage triggers and cravings, it is just as important that you are ready to resume your life back home. If you struggled with tasks around the home or unemployment was an issue, it is essential to address these areas while you take part in drug rehabilitation, as they may otherwise stand in your way of staying sober. As with every part of your drug addiction treatment Delran NJ, the skills development on offer is tailored to your requirements. Therefore, if you need to learn how to budget and prepare nourishing meals when money is tight, this assistance is provided. Equally, if you have been out of the jobs market for a while and do not feel confident completing applications or interviews, vocational support is also offered. With a stronger skills base in place, your transition after rehab is a lot easier and you can make a positive contribution at home.
Recreational Time during Rehab
As addiction therapy is intensive, having some time out each week is important. While you need time just to relax, providing structured leisure activities can also offer an outlet for stress release and additional benefits besides. Group activities are encouraged, as when you unwind with your peers this helps you to build good relationships, which can help during the therapy process. It also reminds you how much enjoyment you can have without the need to abuse drugs. Keeping physically active through active pursuits and weekly gym time can offer you a physical and mental boost, helping to restore your body and mind. Adopting an active lifestyle also helps you to manage drug cravings, as exercise is an excellent distraction, offers you a natural high and with a healthy body and mind you are less likely to want to give into temptation.
Charities and Groups Delran NJ
- Life Giving Word Ministries: 5008 Route 130, Delran, NJ 08075-1758
- New Jersey Education Association: 151 Castleton Road, Delran, NJ 08075-1365
Call 267.719.8528