Medical Co Morbidities

People with poor mental health and/or drug or alcohol addiction are at high risk for other medical illnesses. They also struggle to maintain a healthy lifestyle in terms of aspects like hygiene, diet, exercise, and sleep. For example, people with depression and psychosis also have a high rate of diabetes, high lipids, obesity, heart issues, and other medical conditions. Medical symptoms, if present, add more psychological stress to people already suffering from mental health symptoms or drug or alcohol addiction.

Physical symptoms such as chronic pain put individuals at risk of becoming addicted to opioids, fentanyl (prescribed or off the street), or heroin. People who abuse drugs intravenously (i.e., through hypodermic needles) are at high risk of contracting hepatitis C, HIV, and infections in the skin, heart, or other organs.

Prescription medications such as benzodiazepines, amphetamines, and derivatives, which are used in the treatment of anxiety and ADHD, are highly addictive in nature. In fact, benzodiazepines cause anxiety symptoms to worsen if taken for a long time. Prescribed amphetamine, if abused, can destabilize mood, induce psychosis, and worsen anxiety, as well as increase the risk of abusing other substances. Many medications prescribed for physical illness are responsible for worsening depression and anxiety.