When you experience mental health issues or traumatic experiences of any kind, it may leave you feeling lost and helpless. You might think there is no way out and be unaware of how to manage your conditions in a way that is both healthy and helpful.
A mindset like this can potentially lead you to begin self-medicating. This can be incredibly dangerous because you may try self-medicating with harmful substances, like drugs or alcohol, or unhealthy habits to help you cope with what you are experiencing. Doing so can prove to be detrimental to your health in various ways.
You Can Develop More Issues
Self-medicating with alternative, harmful substances and methods will not fix your original issues. Instead, they will cause you to develop more problems that may leave you feeling even worse than before you began.
For example, if you choose to self-medicate with alcohol consumption, doing so can develop into an addiction. An addiction to alcohol can lead to increased depression, anxiety, and any other mental health issues you may already have. It can also cause individuals to develop serious health issues, such as physical injuries, cancers, and a lowered immune system.
Solving the Original Issue Can Become More Difficult
Rather than helping you to process your struggles, self-medicating with drugs or alcohol serves as a harmful distraction from your struggles. While a temporary distraction may offer some relief, it can do more harm than good when you neglect to process your original issues. Harmful distractions drive you farther and farther away from finding lasting relief.
What Can I Do to Help Myself?
To manage your unresolved trauma or issues in a healthy way, reach out for help from a mental health care professional. A therapist can help give you the tools you need to process your troubling thoughts, emotions, and experiences. They can help teach you that these experiences are not scary and that they can be managed and processed in a safe, helpful way.
While self-medicating with drugs, alcohol, or unhealthy behaviors may seem appealing, doing so can actually create more problems. Harmful self-medicating behaviors can lead to addiction or exacerbate feelings of depression and anxiety. Self-medicating can also make solving the original issues even more difficult. Instead of turning to self-medicating to help you function, consider turning to The Guest House instead. Our well-trained staff members can help you process your issues in a way that does not put you in danger. We can help you find the lasting relief you deserve. Call us today at (855) 483-7800.