An alcohol use disorder is a condition listed in the Diagnostic Alcoholics Anonymous and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). As a condition in this manual, an alcohol use disorder is often considered to be a mental health condition. Beyond the fact that alcohol use disorder is included in this manual, it’s important to consider that chronic alcohol misuse causes lasting changes in the brain, which can make it difficult to reduce drinking.

Pre-Existing Mental Disorders and Alcoholism

This means receiving care for both alcohol addiction and mental health issues simultaneously from professionals who are experienced with dual diagnosis. Treatments like counseling, group therapy, medication management, https://ecosoberhouse.com/ and family education are combined. The goal is to develop coping strategies for both staying sober and managing symptoms in a coordinated way. In particular, for patients with more severe mental health comorbidities, it is important that the care team include specialists with the appropriate expertise to design personalized and multimodal treatment plans. Those dealing with other mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, PTSD, or bipolar disorder also have a higher likelihood of developing an addiction.

Remaining Flexible with Diagnosis and Follow Up

This can be done at either a local medical facility, a dedicated detox center, or a treatment center that also offers detox. As more and more time and attention is being given to both mental health and the way substance abuse affects mental health, we have gotten more and more studies on the way that alcohol affects the brain. Those studies have shown that over time, alcohol can lead to significant changes in the overall makeup of the brain as well as brain functionality. It was written based on peer-reviewed medical research, reviewed by medical and/or clinical experts, and provides objective information on the disease and treatment of addiction (substance use disorders).

Differentiating Alcohol-Related Symptoms from Syndromic Mental Disorders

Our experts are experienced in dual diagnosis, and we’re here to help you develop coping strategies, achieve sobriety, and manage your mental health effectively. Reach out to us today to initiate your journey toward a more promising tomorrow. Footprints to Recovery offers a full continuum of addiction and mental health treatment programs that include individual therapy, group therapy, and family therapy using the techniques above and others.

• The American Psychiatric Association identified substance use disorders as primary mental health conditions in 1980.
• I might be experiencing some depression, feeling down, isolated, and lonely, and turn to substances to mute some of those feelings.
• Specifically, those responding positively to 2-3 questions may exhibit a mild AUD, while 4-5 positive responses may suggest a moderate AUD.
• A number of experts have recommended revision of the guidelines toward lower amounts, as more studies have linked even moderate alcohol consumption to health risks.
• Thankfully, AUD — as well as the co-occurring disorders that might come with it — are no exception.
• For example, because the brain can’t produce the same “high” as alcohol naturally, a person may experience depressive symptoms when they don’t feel as much pleasure from normal activities as they did before using alcohol chronically.

It is important that someone who struggles with alcoholism and one or more other mental disorders receives care that takes into account the presence of all their conditions. In addition to the conditions listed above, there have also been reported rates of alcohol abuse in people with schizophrenia, borderline personality disorder, and other personality disorders. While heavy alcohol use may cause symptoms of anxiety in people without an anxiety disorder, the experience may not entirely be the same. Those who do not have an anxiety disorder independent of their is alcoholism a mental illness alcohol use, for instance, will likely experience lessened symptoms sometime after they have stopped drinking.