Disability Can Lead to Addiction – Drug Education is Helpful

This is the second in a series of blogs looking at addiction issues faced by those suffering some form of disability.

In the first installment we looked at a few figures showing that those who are disabled are more likely to suffer from addiction issues. Why are the disabled at higher risk of addiction issue do you think? As reported in www.addictiontreatmentmagazine.com.

Potential Reasons For Higher Risk

Following are a couple of potential reasons that living with a disability can increase the risk for substance abuse and addiction:

The disability comes from a head injury or affects cognitive ability

As illogical as it sounds, individuals who have experienced a reduction in their ability to think clearly don’t always recognize that abusing substances is dangerous. They also may not be able to recognize the problem if they already have one. Furthermore, some individuals with traumatic brain injury, in particular, believe the use of alcohol will improve their ability to interact socially.

The disability is a mental health disorder

Disability is a word often connected to physical impairment, but psychiatric conditions can also seriously hamper a person’s ability to function. Major depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder are just a few of the mental health conditions that make it difficult for a person to live a “normal” life. As a result, the person is more vulnerable to using substances in a desperate attempt to alleviate troubling symptoms, such as insomnia or low energy, and numb painful emotions.

We will continue to look at the reasons disabled individuals are at higher risk in the next onlinedrugclass.com blog.