Mental Health – The Illness of Addiction

By Mandy Kuntz

Iam a recovering alcoholic/addict and also a treatment provider that specializes in addiction/recovery at Georgia Mountain Psychological Associates, Inc. I have experienced fully the definition of being an addict and treating an addict. I commonly treat people who struggle with addiction and have underlying trauma/mental health issues that contribute to their addictive behaviors. Untreated mental health issues are the root cause of many substance use disorders today. I struggled with addiction for more than half of my life. The greatest barrier to my recovery was: I did not want to face all the issues underneath my addiction. One day I realized I was out of options, and I was hopeless. That is when my window of grace opened and at age 29, I got sober. It was the last time I overdosed, the last time I chose drugs over my family, the last time I went to jail, and the last time I went to treatment. Getting sober has not been a perfect nor smooth journey. It took a long time. Some days the only goal is to not drink or use. Today my life is way different in an awesome way! I get to do the normal human things like be a mom, take my dogs on walks, maintain a job, go to school, be committed, show up to things, and best of all the obsession to drink/use has left me. So, from one alcoholic/addict to another there is still hope, always! The word “addiction” is often connected with the following: a vice, a struggle, a disgrace, a disappointment, a mistake, or even a danger. It is not often thought about as an illness, a disease of the mind, or a coping mechanism that is used to deal with mental health issues. Addiction is actually an illness that is to be thought of along the same lines as cancer or diabetes. People don’t think about all of the mental health issues that began way before the addict became addicted. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) reviewed various reports published in the Journal of the American Medical Association and found the following: 50% of individuals with severe mental health disorders are affected by substance abuse. 37% of alcohol abusers also have at least one severe mental health illness. 53% of drug abusers also have at least one severe mental health illness. 29% of people diagnosed as mentally ill abuse either alcohol or drugs. If you have a loved one who is addicted, consider the following a list of “What to do” and “What not to do”….

DO:

Educate yourself about addiction: Without experience, you may be misinformed about what addiction is, who it affects, and how it affects them.

Address the Issue: Ignoring the issue won’t make it go away. It is difficult to confront a loved one, but this needs to happen sooner rather than later.

Set Boundaries: These are lines that cannot be crossed. Boundaries play an important role in assuring your well-being and hopefully, encouraging your loved one to seek help. Practice Self-Care!!! When a loved one is struggling with drugs or alcohol, the last thing on your mind is your own well-being. But addiction is a family disease, and whether you realize it or not, your loved one’s addiction is taking a toll on you too. Be sure to take some time to take care of yourself: exercise, eat healthy, enjoy some time outside, read a book, and do things you enjoy.

DON’T:

Don’t look down on them: It is normal to feel upset, but understand that addiction is a disease. They did not decide to become addicted.

Don’t ignore the problem: Addiction is a progressive disease, and your loved one will only get worse the more they use or drink.

Don’t try to force them to quit: Hold your boundaries, express care and concern, but accept that they will have to decide when they are ready to truly recover. Don’t enable them: Some common ways that family members enable their loved ones include giving them money, paying their bills, lying for them, bailing them out of trouble, and excusing

Mandy Kuntz is a Therapist at Georgia Mountain Psychological Associates Inc. She is finishing her Bachelor’s degree in Counseling Psychology, specializing in Addiction Recovery at Liberty University - Graduation May 2021 with goals of becoming a Certified Addiction Counselor (CAC II).

their behavior. Pay attention to your behavior and ask yourself if you are truly helping them or if you’re inadvertently enabling them to continue to use drugs and drink alcohol. Don’t give up: You might become frustrated with your loved one if they refuse to get help or if they relapse, but don’t give up on them. If you give up on them, they are likely to give up on themselves as well. Remember, battling addiction is hard but not impossible, and having a strong support system can make all the difference.

Resources for Recovery: Georgia Mountain Psychological Associates Inc.: www.gamtnpsych.org - 851 Hwy 441 South Suite 105, Clayton, Georgia 30525, 706-968-9060 Freedom Ministries Lighthouse Inc.: www.freedomministrieslighthouse.com - 7247 Old 441 S, Lakemont, Georgia 30552, 706-212-0272 Black Bear Lodge: www.blackbearrehab.com - 310 Black Bear Ridge, Sautee Nacoochee, Georgia 30571, 706-914-2327 Freedom Hill: www.freedomhillhome.com - 210 Loudermilk Lane, Demorest, Georgia 30535, 706-776-7109 Homestead Recovery Residence for Women: www.homesteadrecovery.org - 3123 Alec Mountain Road, Clarkesville, Georgia 30523, 706-754-6637 Hickey House: www.hickeyhouse.com, 706-878-1463 Alcoholics Anonymous: www.aa.org Narcotics Anonymous: www.na.org

Healthy and Well