Painkillers such as opioids can interfere with the function of the brain. In many ways, they can impact mental health. Over time, it’s possible to become dependent on painkillers even if they’ve been prescribed to help with chronic pain. When it comes to painkillers and your mental health, knowing when and where to get help can help you begin the road to recovery. At Georgia Addiction Treatment Center, we offer you the support you need to begin to heal.
Why Are Painkillers and Mental Health Linked?
It is first important to understand how painkillers work. These drugs, such as OyxContin, Vicodin, Percocet, and Hydrocodone, can be highly addictive. That means they affect the way the brain functions. When used, these drugs stimulate receptors in the brain that deal with pain and pleasure. This triggers the release of a feel-good hormone called dopamine. That’s what creates the pleasurable high that can occur when you take painkillers. These drugs do this by binding with those receptors and, over time, changing how the brain functions. Soon, the brain is seeking out more and more of these drugs to continue to feel good.
Consuming painkillers like this can impact your mood and mental health by changing the way a person feels about various experiences and impacting what a person sees as pleasurable.
What Can Painkillers and Mental Health Disorders Do to You?
When consuming painkillers, these drugs initially feel good and help reduce any pain or discomfort present. Over time, that begins to wear down. To get the same experience, a person needs to take in more of the drug. However, it also can lead to the onset of conditions such as:
- Mood disorders
- Depression
- Trouble with decision making
- Long-term memory problems
- Withdrawing from social situations
- Changes in thought processes
It can feel painful and difficult to manage day-to-day activities over time. Even things that used to be enjoyable no longer are because they are unable to trigger the same level of excitement and pleasure as the brain does.
Help for Painkiller Addiction
Those who have a painkiller addiction need to seek out support for both the addiction and the mental health disorders they have. Treating both at the same time is called dual diagnosis treatment. It is very effective at helping a person to control negative thoughts and the behaviors they often cause. Dual diagnosis allows doctors to treat mental health disorders, such as depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder, at the same time as addiction. This comprehensive level of care is necessary. Treating one without the other might not be safe or effective.
Reach Out to Georgia Addiction Treatment Center
Our goal at Georgia Addiction Treatment Center is to provide support to enable comprehensive healing. Our team does this by providing a range of therapies, including:
- Individual therapy programs
- Group therapy programs
- Dialectical behavior therapy
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy
- Trauma therapy
Through each of these therapies, it is possible to learn to control mental health disorders effectively. This may include discussing the underlying cause of the addiction, such as past trauma. It may also mean opening up to peers who may have the same type of experiences you do.
Medications are helpful as well. They can provide a way to stabilize mental health issues while also working to combat withdrawal and cravings you may have due to the addiction detox process. What is most important is getting help. Without it, this type of addiction will worsen for many.
Painkillers and mental health disorders can create numerous risks for a person’s health and wellbeing. At Georgia Addiction Treatment Center, we can offer a wide range of services to help you overcome addiction and mental health risks. To learn more, call us at [Direct] or connect with us online today.
