Addiction often is a symptom of an underlying medical condition

NORWALK — It is my professional opinion that a person does not just develop an addiction to drugs and or alcohol. In my professional experience, the addiction is a symptom to an underlying mental health condition. It seems that in our society identifying as an alcoholic or addict has less of a negative reaction than of an individual with a mental health diagnosis such as bipolar disorder or depression.We have an epidemic in our community, our state and our country. According to information provided by Ohio Mental Health Addiction Services, in 2016 4,050 Ohio residents died from an unintentional drug overdose. Fentanyl and related drugs were involved in 58.2 percent (2,357) of all unintentional drug overdose deaths in 2016. Alcohol use disorder is the leading type of substance use disorder in Ohio. On average 629,000 Ohioans aged 12 and older had an alcohol disorder within the past year. Mental health and addiction disorders are more common than diabetes or heart disease. They are just as treatable. Providing education, increasing awareness, discussing treatment and offering community supports can benefit individuals, families and the entire community.There is that old saying it takes a village to raise a child. There is truth to that. No one should be alone, and no one should face addiction or mental health alone. What I see happening is that the stigma of mental health prevents people from reaching out and asking for help. The stigma prevents parents from taking the steps necessary to get their child the help they truly need. When a child chooses to use drugs and or alcohol more than one time that is not experimenting. It is important to ask the question why? "Experimenting" what? All behaviors have a motive, and a person's choice to seek out and or use is motivated by something. It is important that we start taking the time to learn, or understand the reason why, the "why" to a person choosing to use drugs and or alcohol. Recovery requires an entire community. We as a community need to create a culture where people feel comfortable asking for help and receiving help without judgment.If an individual is not correctly diagnosed, and or treated for dual diagnosis, which is when a person experiences co-occurring disorders such as mental health illness and substance use disorder, there is a risk of relapse, emotional struggles regardless of effort put forth in a 12-step program. It would be similar to putting a band aid on a bullet wound — a short-term solution to an extensive injury. The band aid is not going to treat the bullet wound. Focusing only on the addiction is recognizing only the symptoms to the underlying issue. If we as a society really want to start addressing the drug epidemic in our community, we need to start looking at the whole person.The National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) reports "there is a definite connection between mental illness and the use of addictive substances" and states that mental health disorder patients are responsible for the consumption of 38 percent of alcohol, 44 percent of cocaine, and 40 percent of cigarettes. The NBER also reports that people who have been diagnosed with a mental health disorder within their lifetime are responsible for 69 percent of alcohol use, 84 percent of cocaine, and 68 percent of cigarettes. Clearly there is a connection.What comes first the chicken or the egg? It is common for symptoms of one disorder to trigger symptoms of another. Very often drugs can create problems that trigger mental health symptoms, and mental health symptoms can create problems that trigger self-medication. Depression is a common effect of certain drugs and alcohol; as the substance wears off a person can start to feel more depressed. When a person is under the influence, they may engage in more risky behaviors. The person may make choices that result in legal problems which increase an individual's anxiety.As individuals, let's start to take the time to listen more. As a family, let's not minimize change in behaviors. As a community, let's start to support each other and encourage treatment of the whole person not just focus on one specific behavior. Change is possible, we just need to change our perspective and how we view addiction.Rachel Velishek is a licensed professional clinical counselor with Fisher-Titus Behavioral Health, Fisher-Titus Medical Park 2, Suite C, 282 Benedict Ave., Norwalk. Her office can be reached at 419-668-0311. For more information on Fisher-Titus Behavioral Health, visit fishertitus.org/behavioral-health.