by Sharon Jenson

Created on: September 17, 2009

The average person living life each day with little or no prior knowledge of mental illness may not have the ability to recognize mental illness in him or herself. So many mental illnesses are untreated because of the lack of awareness. Often times rather than seeking help from a family doctor, a mentally ill person may choose to seek relief through either dangerous, misused, or self-administered prescription medication which inevitably causes the mental illness to get worse over time or become more difficult to diagnose. Consequently the patient often becomes addicted to prescription or illegal drugs and will eventually have an additional illness in need of treatment.

A healthy network of family, friends, and a primary care physician can identify emotional and physical changes that indicate when a mental illness and/or an addiction may be present due to obvious clues. Once it is determined through a professional assessment, most mental illnesses can be treated. However, to determine a proper diagnosis the patient must be free of drug and alcohol use. Many patients begin to feel stronger signs of mental illness once sober. This is an important time for the patient to communicate and closely be monitored so that prescribed medications can temporarily relieve these symptoms until a longer period of sobriety is reached.

Illegal drugs can sometimes be the cause of or bring on the mental illness. Certainly many prescribed medications will not be effective if the patient once again uses illegal drugs and/or alcohol. More awareness of co-existing diagnoses are being found to be common as mental illness and/or addiction frequently exist in a rising number of once thought to be just mentally ill or just addicted patients. Although necessary treatment for both is still not equal to the services offered, many rehabilitation clinics and mental health services are slowly offering both and identifying them.

Stigma and public ridicule often prevent many patients from seeking any professional attention. To raise public awareness, openly discuss symptoms and resources, and to increase services available would tremendously alleviate what appears to be a growing problem. If a patient self medicates or cannot conjure up the courage to seek help, perhaps an informed family member, friend, teacher, or clergy member could recognize and help the individual; lowering suicide, drug addiction, depression, and many other tragic outcomes.

Signs of depression are similar to that of some drug use. They include but are not limited to a lack of interest in normal activities, frequent sleeping or insomnia, rapid weight gain or loss, nervous behavior, becoming antisocial or isolated, and a general change in physical appearance may be cause for concern. However, only a trained professional can make a proper diagnosis or determine the next steps to treatment. Immediate consultation with a family doctor is a great place to start. All of us should be concerned for those we love and care for. Communicating our concerns without alienating our loved one is a delicate but necessary way to initiate a plan of assistance. There is hope, there is treatment, there is no shame in seeking it; rather another way to maintain one's own health. For a headache we take aspirin, and we seek medical attention for disease, broken bones, and even a bad cold. Addiction or depression are no different.

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