Priority Health has been partnering with FOX 17 Morning News to highlight how mental health impacts our communities and what you can do to help— or get help.
As Mental Health Month comes to a close, we wanted to make sure we covered substance use disorder.
Substance abuse can destroy lives and families, disconnecting people from loved ones and goals; and has traceable causes attributed to everything from genetics to mental health to exposure.
Drugs interfere with the way neurons send, receive, and process signals by producing euphoria and large surges of dopamine which reinforces the connection between consumption of the drug, the resulting pleasure, and all the external cues linked to the experience.
Research shows marijuana and heroin can activate neurons because they mimic natural neurotransmitters, allowing the drugs to attach to and activate the neurons. Amphetamine or cocaine can cause the neurons to release abnormally large amounts of natural neurotransmitters or prevent the normal recycling of these brain chemicals, amplifying or disrupting the normal communication between neurons.
Treatments that truly help work on the understanding that the dependency on these substances is wired into the brain and is not a sign the person is weak, lazy, or unwilling to stop.
"Substance use disorder is a medical condition, not a moral failing."
—Dr. David Rzeszutko, Priority Health
The disorder hurts your physical self, fosters self-doubt, and isolates you from social situations, causing or exacerbating mental health issues.
This dual impact drives the dependency on the substance further, meaning both aspects must be treated for true recovery.
Therapies address trauma and mental health issues, aiming to teach the person how to avoid wire new neural paths in their brain to support healthy lifestyles.
To find help with substance abuse disorder, reach out. Your doctor can help find a program that's right for you.
If you or someone you know needs mental health help or is considering suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 or visit them online.
If you are in crisis, call 988. You are not alone.
