There’s a key hurdle people can face when thinking about getting addiction or mental health treatment in Greenwich: what others will think. It’s no secret that some people have preconceived ideas about what a person who has a substance use disorder or mental illness is like, and the social stigma attached to these conditions can prevent people from even acknowledging that they need help.
If you’re living with mental health concerns, addiction, or co-occurring conditions, getting help is paramount. Understanding that the stigma attached to these illnesses is based on misconceptions can help you take that first step toward your recovery.
Misconceptions About Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders
There are many misconceptions regarding people who have mental health conditions or addictions. Perhaps the most pervasive one is that these illnesses are somehow choices. Often, people assume that you can stop feeling sad or that, if you want it badly enough, you can summon enough willpower to avoid drinking or using drugs. The reality is that breaking free of these conditions is not nearly so simple.
The Reality of Mental Illness
Mental health concerns like depression occur for a variety of reasons, including brain chemical imbalances, certain brain area size fluctuations, and many other factors.¹ As with any other condition of the body, a person doesn’t choose to have a mental health condition.
There may also be misconceptions about how effective medications are on their own. Treating mental health conditions doesn’t happen overnight, even with medication. Instead, healing typically requires combining medications with individual therapy sessions. There’s no magic button you can press to feel better.
The Science Behind Addiction
Perhaps the most serious misconceptions relate to substance use disorders, however. The stigma can be significant, and it’s the result of many people not understanding the impact that drugs and alcohol can have on the brain. Simply stopping is not an option because your body and brain don’t know how to function correctly without the substance.
These substances affect the brain’s reward center, which is the part of the brain that encourages behaviors that help you survive, such as eating, having sex, and socializing. Addiction over-activates this reward center, called the mesolimbic dopamine pathway, and reinforces the desire to take the substance again.²
At the same time, drugs and alcohol can also impact the prefrontal cortex, which is in charge of emotional regulation, self-control, problem-solving, and many other essential functions. Addiction hijacks this part of the brain, encouraging compulsive substance-seeking.
Moreover, addiction can also impact the amygdala, which regulates stress responses and anxiety. The more drugs or alcohol you use, the more sensitive this part of the brain becomes. If you try to stop taking the substance, the amygdala may cause severe anxiety and unease. It’s one of the reasons withdrawal can be so difficult.³
Why the Stigma Around Mental Health and Addiction Is So Harmful
The pervasive misconceptions out there about mental illness and addiction can lead people to avoid acknowledging they may have a problem. They can try to bury the truth from themselves, which only makes things worse.
Even if someone understands that they may have a mental health condition, reaching out to mental health services can be made much more difficult if everyone who surrounds the person thinks that mental health challenges are a sign of weakness. The fear of disappointing loved ones can be enough to stop them from asking for help.
One serious repercussion of not getting assistance for a mental health condition is the chance of developing a co-occurring substance use disorder. This is a common problem. People who suffer from anxiety disorders, for example, may find the symptoms so overpowering that they’ll have a drink or use drugs to ease them. This can quickly escalate to a full-blown addiction.
It’s possible for the opposite to happen, too. Untreated substance use disorders can impact brain chemicals and cause an imbalance that leads to co-occurring mental health concerns.
Addiction and Mental Health Treatment in Greenwich: The Importance of Getting Professional Help
If you live with an addiction or mental health condition, the most crucial thing you can do is to participate in a treatment program. These programs can help you address the underlying cause of the condition, making it easier to begin your recovery and prevent relapses.
A treatment plan might involve individual and group therapy sessions that typically use behavioral therapies to address the root cause of the problem. A common option is cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), which is effective for the treatment of both mental health issues and addictions. CBT shows you how your negative thinking patterns impact your mood and lead to self-destructive behaviors.
By learning to recognize these unhelpful patterns, you can benefit from having the tools you need to better manage difficult emotions and stress. If you have co-occurring conditions, individual therapy sessions can also treat both issues together using CBT and other modalities so that one condition doesn’t trigger the other.
Yet another advantage of choosing a treatment program is that you learn you’re not alone with a mental health concern or addiction. Group therapy sessions show you that many others are dealing with similar problems. Additionally, you can start building a support system so that you’ll have people you can contact later if you find yourself struggling.
Beginning Your Recovery in Greenwich, CT
Taking that first step and asking for help can require courage, especially when faced with the stigma that still surrounds addiction and mental health. At the Connecticut Center for Recovery, we know just how strong and capable you are, and we are committed to guiding you on your journey toward healing.
Located in Greenwich, our center offers effective, evidence-based outpatient programs that allow you to keep up with your daily life while still receiving the help you deserve. We offer individual and group therapy sessions and holistic treatments that encourage you to reconnect with yourself. We provide comprehensive care to help you feel your best. Contact us to learn more about our services today.
Sources:
[1] https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/what-causes-depression
[2] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8192597/
[3] https://nida.nih.gov/publications/drugs-brains-behavior-science-addiction/drugs-brain
Alexis earned both a B.S. in Psychology and a B.S. in Family and Child Sciences from Florida State University and an M.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of San Diego. She holds licenses in Marriage and Family Therapy in Florida, Connecticut, and Massachusetts and is also a member of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT).
Alexis works with families, couples, children, and groups and also has a sub-specialty in addiction and recovery. She utilizes an integrated, systemic approach to counseling; empowering people to define what is not working for them in their lives and to discover the possibilities for making life work. In doing this, clients are guided towards identifying their strengths, accessing their resources, tapping into their potential for success, and taking action toward achieving their desired goals.
Alexis also has extensive experience in the administration of behavioral health organizations. She has developed, built, and supervised several facilities encompassing all levels of care while leading them through state licensing and The Joint Commission accreditation process.
