The Impact of Substance Use on Mental Health

Addictions and drug abuse have a profound impact on the brain—specifically, the reward centre. The neurotransmitter dopamine is responsible for pleasure, motivation, and reward.

Prescription medications, alcohol, and illegal drugs all circumvent this pathway. If your substance abuse problem is impacting your mental health, then our addiction rehab in Ontario may offer a solution.

What happens chemically in the brain?

For those experiencing addictions, you will note shifting priorities as these compounds rewire the brain’s chemistry and the increased need to obtain more drugs to maintain the same high.

Since the body strives to maintain homeostasis (stability and equilibrium), people need more substances to maintain the same high. As time progresses, they become preoccupied with using and obtaining these substances, generating the most damaging addiction effects. 

To those surrounding them, being an upstanding individual begins to take a back seat to inebriation. Furthermore, the effects of drug and alcohol use can generate new mental health issues (or be used as a coping mechanism) that affect the individual and those close to them.

Addressing these effects requires structured programs offered by an addiction rehab centre in Ontario, which focuses on both physical and mental health challenges.

Physical Manifestations

Regarding addiction, there is always the potential for additional health problems and consequences. Chronic abuse can be a risk factor for:

• Psychosis
• Decision-making disorders
• High blood pressure and heart disease
• Decreased immune function
• Respiratory issues
• Stomach problems
• Liver and kidney damage

How Substance Abuse Affects Mental Health

Substance abuse affects neurotransmitters in the brain. While the short-term effects may be enjoyable, when used long-term, it can seriously alter the brain, causing mental illness. However, substance abuse doesn’t always cause mental illness; sometimes, it provides a soothing effect for someone who has a pre-existing condition.

Cannabis

Cannabis is also known as bhang, bud, draw, dope, ganja, hash, grass, herb, marijuana, weed, and pot. It is a widely used drug, and younger people are more inclined to use it.

Some take cannabis because it produces feelings of happiness and relaxation. Others experience hallucinations or seeing things that are not real (drug-induced psychosis). Psychosis risks increase for those who:

• Frequently use it
• Use it over an extended time
• Smoke high-strength cannabis (skunk)

If you feel that your cannabis is affecting your health, make an appointment with a medical clinic or your physician. 

New Psychoactive Substances (NPS)

NPS (which include plant food, MDAT, dimethocaine, Eric 3, and bath salts) contain one or more chemical substances. Their effects mimic cocaine, ecstasy, and cannabis. Some drugs in this classification were known as legal highs, which is a commonly used phrase because some forms were legal before 2016.

New psychoactive drugs can generate panic sensations, confusion, or hallucinations. Hallucinations occur when people smell, see, feel, or hear things others don’t. It affects behaviour, making it erratic, and can pose a severe safety risk to those taking it. NPS also impairs judgment.

Some forms can be hazardous, causing death or severe injury. Risks will increase if consumed with other psychoactive drugs or alcohol.

Alcohol

People with existing mental health conditions may use alcohol in an attempt to self-soothe or forget. Since alcohol is legal, it makes it easier to obtain and makes mental health issues worse.

The long-term effects depend on how much you consume and with what regularity you drink. If you routinely consume too much of it, then you can mentally and physically harm your body. Drinking lowers inhibitions, causing people to do things they wouldn’t usually do. It may involve suicide or self-harm. Excessive levels can generate psychosis.

Methamphetamines and Amphetamines

These are also known as ice, crystal meth, meth, glass, whizz, billy, speed, base, tina, yaba, or christine.

When taken over the short term, they make people feel alert and awake. However, they make it challenging to sleep or relax, and can generate a drug-induced psychosis. Long-term use causes people to become depressed and anxious.

Once you refrain from taking these drugs, you may find it difficult to sleep, or you may feel depressed.

Cocaine

Also known as crack, blow, coke, chang, charlie, sniff, snow, and freebase, short-term cocaine use makes people feel talkative, confident and awake. Once the effects decrease, people feel depressed and tired.

Over the long term, cocaine affects how the person feels. It impacts relationships with family and friends. Cocaine is highly addictive, and the person may experience ongoing issues with anxiety, depression, or paranoia.

Cocaine use generates strokes, fits, and heart attacks. If mixed with other drugs, there is an increased likelihood of death or overdose.

Benzodiazepines

Benzodiazepines (a.k.a., blues, benzos, downers, vallies, roofies, diazepam, valium, Rohypnol, and Xanax) provide a tranquillizer effect and are taken for anxiety or as a muscle relaxant.

While many people take them to treat anxiety, they are also purchased illegally because of their relaxing effects. Since they are addictive, doctors only prescribe them for a short duration.

Short-term use makes people feel calmer, but depending on the type, it can also cause them to feel sleepy or confused. When consumed with alcohol or other drugs, it can have dangerous effects like affecting breathing. It increases the risks of death and overdose. Over the long term, individuals can become addicted, impacting their daily lives.

Heroin

Heroin (gear, brown, H, skag, or smack) makes people feel relaxed and happy over the short term. It eliminates pain and can cause people to feel sleepy. However, there is an increased risk that you can overdose by using heroin when compared to other drugs. 

Heroin is consumed in numerous ways, including injection, making it potentially dangerous healthwise. There is a higher risk for injection, especially if needles are shared.

Heroin is highly addictive and has severe long-term effects. People with this addiction feel that heroin becomes more crucial than other areas in their lives, making it difficult to keep jobs or relationships.

Ecstasy

Ecstasy (MDMA, E, MD, pills, molly, XTC) generates feelings of happiness, energy, and confidence, and causes people to be chatty. It sometimes causes anxiousness and triggers drug-induced psychosis or confusion. Long-term use generates memory issues, anxiety, and depression.

Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD)

LSD (blotter, acid, micro-dot, or trips) causes people to hallucinate. Sometimes experiences are enjoyable, while other times they are scary (bad trip). For pre-existing health issues, LSD makes it worse. Panicking while taking LSD is frightening, and it can trigger mental health issues that people haven’t previously experienced.

New Dawn Medical: Your Partner in Addiction Rehab Across Ontario

At New Dawn Medical, our addiction rehab in Ontario is available to assist with several substance abuse disorders and mental health issues. Our clinics offer same-day assessment and treatment, wherein treatment plans are examined and customized to fit the patient’s changing needs.
We are accepting new patients, and no referrals are required. We are here to help. To book your appointment with our addiction rehab centre in Ontario, contact us at 647-625-8799 or toll-free at 1-833-456-DAWN. You can also email us at info@newdawnmed.com or complete our online form.