Schizophrenia and Addiction

As one of the most complex mental health disorders, schizophrenia is a brain disease that gets progressively worse. If you or someone you know struggles with schizophrenia and an addiction to drugs or alcohol, you’re actually battling two brain diseases, and they can both wreak havoc on your quality of life.

The everyday effects of these co-occurring conditions can cause you to experience chaos and frustration in most areas of your life. Over time, the long-term effects only work to breed more psychological dysfunction, which makes it that much harder to regain any sense of control.

An effective dual diagnosis program will help you treat the addiction you’re facing, as well as the symptoms of schizophrenia. At Detox.com, we can help you find treatment programs that are equipped to address the challenges and obstacles of your recovery journey. Call 800-996-6135(Sponsored) to speak with someone about available treatment options.

Statistics on Schizophrenia and Addiction

• An estimated 1.8% of Americans, or 3.7 million people, have been diagnosed with schizophrenia.
• Only around 60% of individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia seek treatment for their condition.
• Around 40 to 60% of people living with schizophrenia also struggle with substance use disorder (SUD).

Causes of Schizophrenia and Addiction

Schizophrenia takes many different forms and people experience this condition in unique ways. In like manner, there’s no single cause or root for schizophrenia.

Pronounced brain chemical imbalances are typically present in individuals who struggle with this condition. These imbalances can be inherited, so genetics may play a role.

Any number and type of environmental causes may also come into play, including:

• Exposure to viral infections while still in the womb
• Malnutrition during fetal development
• Early exposure to mind-altering drugs, such as LSD or methamphetamine
• Trauma-ridden home environment during childhood

As far as SUD goes, both genetic and environmental factors can play a role. You may be genetically predisposed to developing substance abuse problems. You can also learn or develop unhealthy coping behaviors, which increases the likelihood you’ll turn to drugs or alcohol to cope with daily life.

Forms of Schizophrenia and Addiction to Watch For

As diverse as schizophrenia can be, there are five identified subtypes. These differ in symptoms and can include the following:

• Paranoid: Feeling like everyone’s plotting against you, auditory hallucinations
• Disorganized: Disorganized thinking, speech, and behavior; inability to express emotion or flat affect
• Catatonic: Extreme and abnormal behavior displays ranging from intense agitation to sluggishness or not moving at all
• Undifferentiated: A combination of symptoms from all subtypes
• Residual: Applies when a person has a history of schizophrenia but experiences less severe symptoms

The combined effects of schizophrenia and addiction, when experienced together, can increase the severity of symptoms experienced for both conditions.

Underlying Links Between Schizophrenia and Addiction

Schizophrenia and addiction affect the brain’s chemical environment. Both conditions create chemical imbalances, and they thrive within the brain’s chemically imbalanced system.

In the midst of all this, growing imbalances compromise your ability to cope with everyday stress and pressure. Increasing stress levels drive alcohol and drug use because of the temporary relief these substances provide. In turn, the effects of substance abuse only make schizophrenia’s effects more severe, creating a perpetual cycle of drug abuse and emotional distress.

Detox.com can help you find the treatment you need to break this cycle of dysfunction and take steps toward living a healthy, happy life. Please feel free to call 800-996-6135(Sponsored) for more information.

Short-Term Effects of Schizophrenia and Addiction

If you suffer from both schizophrenia and addiction, you may notice these symptoms on a short-term basis:

Long-Term Effects of Schizophrenia and Addiction

Schizophrenia’s classification as a brain disease comes with a host of risk factors due to how the disease aspect of this condition tends to get worse with time. When coupled with the damaging effects of drug and alcohol addiction, the long-term effects of schizophrenia become even more dire.

Conditions that often develop as a result of schizophrenia include:

• Depression
• Anxiety disorders
• Panic attacks
• Bipolar disorder

Addiction is also considered a brain disease that becomes progressively worse, breeding dependence and compulsive drug-using behavior. In effect, the presence of these two brain diseases creates a perpetual cycle of one condition playing off the other.

Signs You or Someone You Know Struggles with Schizophrenia and Addiction

Are you concerned that you or someone you know might suffer from these co-occurring conditions? While each person’s experience will be unique, there are some behavioral patterns that tend to develop when these issues occur. Here are the main ones to look out for:

• Growing suspicions that people in your life are conspiring against you
• Turning to drugs or alcohol to make it through the day
• Making bad decisions, such as skipping work or using bill money to buy drugs
• Inability to tell the difference between voices in your head and real-life events
• Violent behaviors
• Relationship breakdown, such as separation or divorce
• Inability to stop or cut back on drug and alcohol use
• Growing feelings of sadness and despair

Once these signs start to appear, symptoms will only get worse with time.

Call now for help with finding a treatment program that could be right for you.

800-996-6135

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Treatment Options for Schizophrenia and Addiction

Treatment options for schizophrenia and addiction vary depending on the needs of the individual. A combination of medication and behavioral therapies usually works best for treating schizophrenia by itself. In the presence of addiction, an integrated treatment approach that combines treatments for schizophrenia and addiction offers the best chance of managing the symptoms of both conditions.

Ultimately, the severity of your condition will determine the intensity and length of treatment needed.

Detox Treatment

No progress can be made until substance abuse stops. Detox treatment programs provide you with the level of treatment support needed to stop substance-abusing behaviors. Treatments used may include:

• Round-the-clock monitoring and medical supervision
• Medication therapies
• Psychotherapy
• Group therapy
• Support group work

Inpatient Treatment

Inpatient programs specialize in treating cases where serious medical and/or psychological problems have developed during the course of substance abuse. If you’re struggling with a serious medical condition or other mental health problems as a result of schizophrenia and addiction, an inpatient program can help you gain a firm footing in the recovery process.

Outpatient Treatment

Once you’ve started to develop a recovery-focused lifestyle, outpatient treatment offers the level of support needed to keep you engaged and growing in recovery. These programs treat schizophrenia and addiction using a range of interventions designed to help you develop a healthy mindset and coping skills for managing daily life pressures.

Interventions commonly used include:

• Cognitive-behavioral therapies
• Community engagement activities
• Social skills training
• Motivational therapies
• 12 Step support groups
• Drug education and counseling

Medication Therapies

Medication therapies play an important role in treating schizophrenia and, in some cases, addiction. Certain types of addiction, such as opiate and alcohol can be treated with medications like methadone and Suboxone, both of which help provide relief from long-term withdrawal effects.

Medication therapies used to treat schizophrenia provide relief from the more distressing symptoms, such as delusions, hallucinations and mental confusion. A few of these medications include:

• Clozaril
• Zyprexa
• Seroquel
• Risperdal
• Abilify
• Clozaril
• Latuda

When to Consider Getting Help

After so many weeks or months of substance abuse, symptoms of schizophrenia and addiction start to mirror one another as the two conditions become more intertwined. Even the less obvious symptoms of schizophrenia, such as a lack of emotion or remaining immobile for long periods, should be taken just as seriously as the more distressing symptoms (hallucinations, paranoia).

Considering how drugs and alcohol only make things worse, if a pattern of substance abuse exists, it’s time to consider getting help.

Contact for More Information

Schizophrenia and addiction can be a deadly combination that requires dedicated treatment to overcome. Over time, these conditions will wear away at your physical, mental and emotional well-being.

If you suspect you or someone you know may be battling the effects of schizophrenia and addiction, please don’t hesitate to call for help 800-996-6135(Sponsored) .