It’s not very often that people suffer from only one mental disorder. Experts suggest that once the brain develops any disorder, it’s easy for it to form another. Since addiction is a psychological disorder, it’s easy for people to develop other conditions alongside it. One such example is cognitive disorders.
What Are Cognitive Disorders?
Cognitive disorders (CDs) refer to an entire category of mental health conditions. In general, they’re subtle to start with but eventually impede on people’s quality of life. To get a better understanding of these disorders, people need to know which disorders fit into this category.
Types of CDs
All of the disorders that fit into this category are neurocognitive disorders. Some of them come from substance abuse, including substance-induced cognitive impairment. Other disorders that fit into this category include:
- Developmental disorders
- Dementia
- Amnesia
- Motor skills disorders
- Alzheimer’s disease
Unfortunately, doctors don’t know what causes cognitive disorders in most people. However, some of them say that CDs occur because of a hormonal imbalance. Others say that they’re the result of genetics that parents pass down to their children. With that said, poor nutrition and a lack of cognitive stimulation during childhood can also lead to cognitive conditions.
Treating CDs
Treating CDs depends heavily on the types of disorders that people have. For example, Alzheimer’s disease isn’t curable. However, doctors can use specific techniques to slow down the progression of this disorder. In other cases, doctors can use therapies to help people overcome cognitive disorders.
For example, cognitive behavioral therapy often helps people with mild forms of CDs. Sometimes, the treatment has to address a trauma that led to the development of the CD in the first place.
Signs of CDs
To get help for someone who suffers from CDs, people need to know what to look for. Some common signs include confusion, memory loss, and poor motor coordination. Others suffer from more objective problems such as impaired judgment. It’s often hard to spot signs of impaired judgment since this symptom is subjective.
Learn More About Overcoming Addiction and Underlying Disorders
At Steps to Recovery, we go out of our way to provide reliable addiction therapy services. Using programs such as dual diagnosis treatment, we can help you overcome addiction and cognitive disorders. Providing individual treatment plans sets us apart from other rehab centers in the area. Some of the services that we use include:
- Family counseling
- Group and individual therapies
- Trauma therapy
- Intensive outpatient rehab
- Coping skills education
- Holistic therapy
Don’t try to treat your addiction without addressing underlying disorders. Learn more about the link between cognitive disorders and addiction. Reach out to us at 267.719.8528 to learn more about our Pennsylvania addiction recovery services.
