Mental vs. Behavioral Disorders from Substance Abuse: A Comparison

This essay explores the detrimental effects of substance abuse, focusing on the comparison of mental and behavioral health disorders that often arise as a consequence. It contrasts depression (a mental health disorder) with anxiety (a behavioral health disorder), highlighting their causes, symptoms, and impacts on an individual's life. The paper further discusses preventive measures, such as practicing yoga, seeking professional counseling, and engaging in constructive activities, emphasizing the importance of early intervention and empathetic care from providers in mental asylums, counseling clinics, and rehabilitation centers. It advocates for a comprehensive approach involving mass awareness campaigns and specialized training for providers to address the stigma surrounding mental and behavioral health issues and to ensure effective treatment and support for those affected. The essay also includes a table comparing mental and behavioral health disorders.

Running head: HARMS OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE
Harms of Substance Abuse
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1HARMS OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE
It is often assumed by the individual who is under severe emotional stress and agony that
by taking recourse to narcotics in form of drugs and alcohol all problems shall be solved. They
fall back upon such substances to incur the feeling of temporary obliviousness from such worldly
tensions. Studies have however proved that intake of such substances do more harm than any
good (Maercker et al., 2013). Such indulgences for momentary pleasures has the potential to
jeopardize ones entire life by causing severe mental and behavioural disorders. This is going to
be the subject matter of the discussion in the current paper. The following section shall be
comparing one chosen mental and behavioural health disorder. An illustration of preventive
methods and the role of providers to tackle such patients shall also be included in the itinerary of
analysis.
It is a misconception that consuming drugs and alcohol can help one escape from
the ordeals of life by virtually transporting an individual to a different world altogether. Rather,
drugs and alcohol aggravates the issue of depression. Rendering the sensory capacities with
numbness and insulation by consuming any form of narcotic is not at all healthy. Such
substances directly target the central nervous and interferes artificially with the natural
functioning of a vital involuntary physical process (Whiteford et al., 2013). It is a mythical
representation that narcotics enables an individual to deal with surmounting earthly worries. On
the contrary, it induces more problems by affecting the brain. It makes one more vulnerable by
robbing the capacities to reason with a sane mind. When the influence of the narcotic withers
away, the individual once again returns back to the same state of depression once again, albeit
with a reduced capacity to deal with the challenges. This propels the individual to repeatedly
seek the help of narcotics until it becomes a habit, and a dire necessity which is described as a
state of addiction. Addiction to narcotics initially begins with a sense of misbelief that for

2HARMS OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE
seeking mental peace one requires that thing, and eventually it becomes both physical and mental
necessity. Such individuals have reportedly exhibited suicidal predispositions, lack of mental
stability and determination, as far as mental issues are concerned with regard to substance abuse.
From the aspect of physical issues, the individual’s rate of metabolism and the health of liver
also depreciates (Reed et al., 2016). From the behavioural aspect, patients into substance abuse
exhibits anxiety of exceptionally high degree. That is a result of the mental instability and
vulnerability. Human actions are a direct result of the thought process, naturally, if that
capability to think with a healthy mind is absent, then it is impractical to expect that outward
expression of actions and gestures shall be desirable. An individual with anxiety is considered to
be having a rude behaviour. Constant irritability and panic-stricken attitude is a major outcome
of individuals diagnosed with anxiety related disorders (Chesney, Goodwin & Fazel, 2014). Such
persons tend to alienate the people around them as a result of the negative aura they create about
themselves by their undesirable way of dealing with human beings. Depression drives people to
substance abuse as a remedial measure, and ironically it is the substance abuse itself which
returns back anxiety as a behavioural health disorder, along with other mental and physical
health disorders which have already been discussed (Ogloff et al., 2015). In the next section, a
table shall be provided to explain the mental and behavioural health disorders in a comparative
way.
Mental health Disorder Behavioural Health Disorder
- It is an internal issue which is
concerned with the machinations
of the mind.
- It is an external issue which is
concerned with the kind of actions
an individual exhibits.
- Finds expression in form of
depression.
- Finds expression in form of
anxiety.
- Instigates the desire to consume
drugs and alcohol, to deal with it.
- Is a result of consumption of drugs
and alcohol.
- Has a negative effect on health. - Has a negative effect on an

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individual’s reputation.
- It serves as both the cause and the
effect, at the same time.
- It is essentially an effect.
However, it could be the cause in
some exceptional instances as
well.
Having discussed about the issues of mental and behavioural health disorders from the
perspective of its definition and what it accounts for, the discussion shall now proceed towards
the preventive mechanisms that can be employed. The precondition to avoiding such disorders is
to have a healthy mind which should be free from all negativities and stress. Practicing Yoga or
any other form of meditative exercise can be of immense help. Spiritual activities can also bring
back people to mainstream life from the clutches of depression. The nascent signs of faltering
mental health should be taken seriously, and referred to a certified medical practitioner who
specializes in psychological or psychiatric matters for counselling and relevant therapies. Self-
medication in this aspect shall be of no help. An excruciatingly high percentage of people are
resorting to it under the impression that they are trying to help themselves out. The task of
prescribing medicines is of the doctor who has better knowledge about the correct dosages
(Charlson et al., 2016). Above all, an individual is expected to keep himself or herself pre-
occupied with some constructive and creative work.
The preventive measures are not something which is away from the ambit of common
knowledge or awareness, yet people tend to go astray. It should be acknowledged that
circumstances must have propelled them in such directions. Such cases should be treated
sensitively and with a deep sense of empathy on part of the providers, such as doctors and nurses
at mental asylums, counselling clinics or rehabilitation centres (Degenhardt et al., 2017). The
living conditions of patients in asylums and rehabilitations are more often than not very violent

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and apathy laden. Instances have taken place when patients suffering from mental have been
given shock-therapy when they were not supposed to. That could be fatal as well (Beronio et al.,
2014). The vital reason behind the implementation of bad treatment techniques is the taboo that
has been woven around mental and behavioural health problems. A thorough mass awareness
campaign to take such ailments as seriously as physical health issues are taken is the first step
towards effectively curing such patients. Special trainings to develop patience and be empathetic
to the providers helping out people suffering from mental and behavioural disorders is equally
important.
Thus, it becomes clear that behavioural and mental issues are of utmost importance which
can have several harmful effects if not treated properly at the correct time. Such ailments require
both cooperative and collaborative efforts to deal with efficiently, given the fact that modern
lifestyle has made it like an epidemic. However with precautionary steps and correct treatment
achieving optimum results in possible.

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