Essay On Substance Abuse and Mental Health

Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one’s death. The person who committed may be suffering from depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, anxiety disorders, and substance abuse. We know that other reasons may be due to stress due to work, due to a relationship and even bullying. It is a problem that can affect any of us and even a friend or family member without realizing it. Suicide is a global problem that affects 0.5% of the world’s population per year, which is equivalent to 12 people per 100,000 inhabitants, being higher than the mortality caused by wars and homicides. And it is more alarming knowing that year by year increases the mortality caused by this terrible act.

It’s important to analyze each reason of commit suicide to understand how people can change a reality that is taking a lot of lives and how it affects the society, especially people who have close friends that are suffering these problems or finally lost their lives.

Depression is a serious and common illness that affects people physically and mentally in our way of feeling and thinking. It is estimated to affect more than 300 million people in the world. Depression is the leading global cause of disability and the second biggest cause of suicides. It is a silent enemy; you can be anywhere without notice. Socially the causes are also numerous, among them, the death of a family member, friend or pet causes more grief than usual and leads to depression. It is caused by many factors that not only have to do with the social environment, for example, but some people also inherit genes that increase their chances of becoming depressed. But not all people who have or have had a depressed close relative will develop depression. Depression seems to be the “spiritual evil” characteristic of the development of humanity, it is found, in different ways, in the poorest families and opulent families, too. It is vital to stay strong in the circumstances and be in contact with a close friend and family, tell how you feel, which is a liberating experience for many; And besides that, talk to a professional.

The abuse of substances such as alcohol and other drugs is one of the main causes of suicide along with depression. Today many young people immerse themselves in this world without knowing the consequences that can cause their consumption. Some in the future usually try substances occasionally without generating any kind of problem, but unfortunately, others create a greater dependence on them and end up taking their lives in the blink of an eye. Dependence on this type of substance is caused due to economic, social problems especially related to the family, and genetic. When a person has both alcohol or other drug abuse problems and mental illness such as depression, bipolar disorder or anxiety disorder, both diseases have their symptoms that can affect the ability in which the person works, the way he handles the difficulties of life and eats is related to others. When mental illness is not treated, the problem of addiction becomes worse. And when alcohol and other drug abuse increases, mental health problems also increase. The main signs of alcohol use and drug abuse may include fatigue, sleep problems, personality changes, rapid mood swings, irritability, self-esteem, lack of judgment, depression, stop communicating with the family. frequent absences, faults and discipline problems. If with good education about drug use by parents and family help in both young and old, they could help prevent this serious problem in the future.

Before talking about other mental illnesses, it is important to define and clarify the differences between bipolarity disorder and anxiety disorder, since they have some common symptoms.

Bipolar disorder is a serious disease of the brain. Like other diseases, it can be attributed to family genes, which, in the same way, not necessarily having a family member who suffered from a bipolar disorder means that their descendants also suffer from it. People with bipolar disorder have unusual changes in mood. Sometimes they feel very happy and are much more energetic and active than usual. This is called a manic episode. Other times, people with bipolar disorder feel very sad, have low energy and are much less active than normal. This is known as a depressive episode. The ups and downs of bipolar disorder are not the same as the normal ups and downs we all have. Changes in mood are more extreme and are accompanied by changes in sleep, energy level and the ability to think clearly. Although there are treatments for people who suffer from it to have a healthy and successful life, from support groups, medications, professionals and friends and family willing to help, bipolarity is incurable and remains a mental illness with continuous study and monitoring.

On the other hand, Personality disorders are a group of mental conditions in which a person has a prolonged pattern of behaviors, emotions, and thoughts that is very different from the expectations of their culture. A person with a personality disorder has problems perceiving and relating to situations and people. This causes significant problems and limitations in relationships, social activities, work, and school. In some cases, patients may not realize that they have personality disorders because the way they think and behave seems natural to patients. And they may blame others for the problems they have. Personality disorders usually begin in adolescence or early adulthood. All this can lead to social isolation, abusive use of drugs or alcohol, and even suicide. Certain personality traits may be transmitted from parents to children through inherited genes. Also, the surroundings in which you grow up, the events that took place and the relationships with family and other people could be a cause. There are many types of personality disorders. Some types become less obvious in the course of middle age. The only way to treat this disease is through medications and therapies with specialists in the field.

Finally, it is necessary to define anxiety disorders, which do not have much relation as bipolarity and personality disorders have, and schizophrenia.

First, a mental disorder that is characterized by producing feelings of worry, anxiety or fear very strong. People with a generalized anxiety disorder are extremely worried or very nervous about daily problems, and even when there is little or no reason to worry. It is not easy for people with generalized anxiety disorder to control their anxiety and stay focused on daily activities. Having this disorder can cause both physical and mental complications, for example, sleeping problems, migraine, heart problems, fatigue, difficulty performing tasks and developing depression, which makes it a mental illness of many studies and continuous follow-up. There are also numerous cases of suicides related to anxiety disorder. To culminate, it can be treated by medication, avoiding the consumption of alcoholic beverages and visiting a specialist frequently.

To end the main causes of suicide worldwide, it is also important to talk about schizophrenia. This is a serious disorder that lasts a lifetime and affects the way a person thinks, feels and behaves. People who suffer from it can hear voices that are not there. They may think that other people want to harm them. Sometimes it makes no sense when they talk. This disorder makes it difficult for them to keep a job or take care of themselves. Symptoms include psychotic symptoms that distort a person’s thinking; these include hallucinations, delusions, difficulty organizing strange thoughts and movements. Negative symptoms that make it difficult to show emotions and have normal behavior; a person may seem depressed and withdrawn. and, finally, cognitive symptoms that affect the thinking process; these include problems using information, decision making, and paying attention. It is possible for the patient to develop violent episodes and alcohol-related problems, even accompanied by depression. Besides, to treat it, it’s important the continuous visit of specialists, since, in most cases, the patient is usually completely isolated from society, and more if he does not receive his correct medication. Despite presenting this mental illness, there are cases such as that of John Nash, a renowned mathematician, who despite the difficulties managed to have a normal and more than a successful life.

To finish the essay, it should be noted that science continues to study these diseases because, even though there are some reasons why they occur, they do not have an exact cause that causes them more than differences in the structure of the brain and social and environmental factors. Meanwhile, it is important to have knowledge about these problems so as not to discriminate through ignorance, but rather, to act through love and understanding, knowing that many patients, however hard and difficult their lives, they can lead a normal life like that of any person, and even stand out, as in many cases; The important thing is to receive the support of the state, of the institutions related to the matter, and of the people who interact daily with patients, so that they can lead the normal lives that they would have wanted to have one day.

Works Cited

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