Schizophrenia is a mental health disorder that causes psychotic symptoms such as hallucinations, delusions, rapid mood changes and irregular thought, speech and behavior patterns. If you’re among the 1% of Americans with schizophrenia, you know how badly the condition can disrupt your personal relationships and social life.
Schizophrenia is closely associated with several other physical and mental conditions, including substance abuse. Substance abuse is the misuse or overuse of legal or illegal substances such as alcohol, weed, prescription drugs, cocaine and heroin.
People with schizophrenia may abuse some drugs to reduce the severity of their symptoms. However, factors such as genetics and age can lead to substance abuse even before initial schizophrenia symptoms appear.
This article explores the complex relationship between schizophrenia and addiction, including factors contributing to these conditions. It also discusses available treatment options for schizophrenia and drug use and where to go for help for schizophrenia and drug addiction.
Prevalence of Schizophrenia and Addiction
People with schizophrenia exhibit a higher rate of dependency on alcohol and other drugs than the general population. A study on substance use patterns in those with schizophrenia found that around 50% have a dependency on alcohol, tobacco and/or illegal drugs.
Schizophrenia is also among the top causes of disability and a leading cause of death at a younger-than-average age. About 5% of people with schizophrenia die by suicide. Many more die from co-occurring health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, liver disease and substance abuse.
This higher prevalence of substance abuse and related health conditions may be attributed to an attempt to self-medicate schizophrenia symptoms or deal with mood changes. However, those with mental health disorders may also be more vulnerable to stress or more likely to experience social isolation, which can increase the risk of substance use.
Common Substances Abused by People With Schizophrenia
Individuals with schizophrenia may abuse substances such as:
- Alcohol
- Amphetamines
- Cannabis
- Cocaine
- Hallucinogens
- Opiates
All these substances can worsen schizophrenia symptoms and make it more difficult for a person to accept and progress through treatment.
The Link Between Schizophrenia and Substance Abuse
Genetics and the age at which you start abusing drugs play a significant role in the initial occurrence of schizophrenia symptoms.
Around 80% of schizophrenia cases are believed to be genetic, which means you’re more likely to develop symptoms if you have one or more relatives with the condition. A shared genetic risk may also cause some people who’ve inherited the genes for schizophrenia to also have genes that increase their risk for addiction. If someone with this predisposition uses drugs as a teen due to social factors like peer pressure, they may find it difficult to stop due to their genetic composition.
Environmental and developmental factors, such as trauma experienced while growing up, can also contribute to substance abuse problems. Early substance abuse is a significant indicator of future behavioral and mental conditions, including schizophrenia.
Genetic and environmental factors can combine and intensify schizophrenia drug use. Drugs such as Molly (ecstasy), cocaine, heroin and acid (LSD) can cause psychotic symptoms like visual and auditory hallucinations. Taking large quantities of drugs like marijuana and alcohol can also induce hallucinations, while withdrawal from other drugs can cause psychotic symptoms. Consequently, abusing drugs can activate the genes for schizophrenia, and further drug use due to increasing dependence can lead to consistent or worsening schizophrenia symptoms.
Why People With Schizophrenia Often Abuse Substances
Many treatment methods for schizophrenia and substance abuse rely on the self-medication hypothesis, which suggests that people with schizophrenia abuse drugs to manage their symptoms.
Stimulants like nicotine can improve schizophrenia-related cognitive deficiencies, such as difficulties in thinking, concentrating, understanding and speaking. Using depressants like alcohol reduces activity in the brain and central nervous system, making someone potentially less aware of their schizophrenia symptoms.
Antipsychotic drugs such as quetiapine are also highly abused. Someone with co-occurring substance abuse and schizophrenia may use quetiapine to enhance the effects of opioids like heroin.
Self-medication may provide temporary relief, but it can also worsen symptoms and increase the person’s long-term risks for mental and physical health.
What Is Dual Diagnosis?
Dual diagnosis, or co-occurring disorders, refers to having a diagnosis of both a mental health disorder, such as schizophrenia, and a substance use disorder at the same time. Someone with two mental health disorders might also be considered to have a dual diagnosis.
For someone with schizophrenia, dual diagnosis often means managing psychotic symptoms while struggling with addiction to alcohol or drugs. Because these conditions interact and worsen each other, treatment must address both issues together.
Challenges in Dual Diagnosis Treatment
According to the World Health Organization, less than a third of people with schizophrenia receive appropriate mental health care. These numbers are often due to the economic burden of schizophrenia.
The fact that most people experience psychotic symptoms in young adulthood, coupled with the disruptive nature of such symptoms, means many people with schizophrenia are likely to be poor, unemployed and unhoused. They may have challenges accessing avenues for accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment.
However, even people who can afford treatment face challenges in getting dual diagnosis treatment. Treating co-occurring addiction and schizophrenia requires a systematic approach that addresses both conditions simultaneously. Many treatment facilities focus on treating either schizophrenia or substance use disorder alone, which leads to poor outcomes and higher chances of relapse.
Integrated Treatment for Addiction and Schizophrenia
Despite these barriers to treating co-occurring schizophrenia and drug use, you can find quality dual diagnosis treatment at facilities such as Restore Mental Health. Our integrated treatment approach involves evaluating your physical and mental health to determine the right program for your schizophrenia and drug addiction.
We collect your medical, family and psychiatric history to create an individualized care plan. We follow the plan as you undergo detox, providing appropriate medications for managing your psychotic withdrawal symptoms.
After detox, you’ll engage in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to uncover and alter the negative thoughts contributing to drug addiction. The treatment also teaches coping mechanisms for schizophrenia symptoms, such as emotions and moods that lead to anger, excitability and compulsivity. Managing these symptoms allows you to compose yourself and seek help before they intensify and cause lasting damage.
Group therapy is also a valuable intervention for schizophrenia and drug use. Co-occurring addiction and schizophrenia lead to social isolation, especially if you lose your job or become unhoused. Group therapy lets you form connections with people who can relate to your struggles and develop a support system you can rely on even after finishing treatment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can People With Schizophrenia Recover From Addiction?
While schizophrenia can’t be “cured,” it’s possible to manage symptoms. Similarly, a person may always need to take steps to maintain their sobriety, but they can get — and successfully stay — clean and sober with the appropriate treatment and support.
Does Substance Abuse Make Schizophrenia Harder to Diagnose?
Actively using substances like drugs and alcohol can make it harder for someone to be diagnosed with schizophrenia. Those in active addiction may not realize they need treatment or want to seek help. Drug use can also lead to behavior that mimics or masks schizophrenia symptoms, which can delay getting an accurate diagnosis.
Can Getting Clean Make Schizophrenia Worse?
Getting clean is an important part of recovery, but some people avoid treatment because they’re concerned it will make their symptoms worse. Abrupt withdrawal from drugs and alcohol can temporarily worsen some symptoms, so it’s important to go through the recovery process under medical supervision and as part of a long-term treatment plan.
What’s the Best Way to Support a Loved One With Schizophrenia?
The best way you can support someone you love who’s dealing with schizophrenia, substance abuse or both is to encourage them to seek treatment from a qualified mental health professional. Be prepared for setbacks and relapses, and remember that this is a long-term journey that requires plenty of compassion and patience.
Can Lifestyle Changes Address Schizophrenia and Substance Use?
Lifestyle changes alone can’t treat schizophrenia or serious substance abuse. However, healthy habits like getting enough sleep and quality nutrition can be an important part of a comprehensive treatment plan.
Get Help Today
Restore Mental Health offers an aftercare program for all clients who finish outpatient treatment. The program reinforces the coping skills you learned during treatment and lets you maintain social connections with people you meet in our community.
Enrolling in Restore’s dual diagnosis treatment program is one of the best decisions you can make for your journey with addiction and schizophrenia. Contact us to learn about payment options that make it easy for you to afford quality treatment for addiction and schizophrenia.
