Dual diagnosis refers to an individual who presents with both a substance use disorder and a mental health disorder. Getting the proper treatment for dual diagnosis is important for long-term success. Part of treatment for mental health issues may be taking psychotropic medications. Psychotropic medications are medicines that treat depression, psychosis, anxiety, and other mental health concerns.

Psychotropic medications work wonders for the treatment of depression, anxiety, PTSD, and other mental health issues. Psychotropics only work well when they are taken without drugs or alcohol present in the body. Drug and alcohol use can impair the medication’s ability to properly work. Substance use can also cause side effects and negative interactions with psychotropic medications.

You may end up feeling more depressed or anxious. Drug and alcohol use when taking psychotropics can exacerbate your psychiatric symptoms. Some illegal drugs like LSD and cocaine actually impair the serotonin levels in your brain. This reaction is counter productive if you are taking certain medications that are working to increase serotonin production. Drug and alcohol use overall, reduces the efficacy of the prescribed medications that you are taking to treat a mental health condition.

If you take MMAOI’s, you could have dangerous side effects if you drink alcohol.

Taking drugs and alcohol with psychotropics can increase your risk for side effects. MMAOI’s are monoamine oxidase inhibitors which are used in the treatment of depression. MMAOI’s and alcohol use can cause a dangerous increase in blood pressure. Drinking alcohol and taking these types of anti-depressants can lead to serious health problems or even death.

You can become drowsy or impaired if you combine substances with psychotropics. Some psychotropic medications like antidepressants, sleep aids, and anxiety medicines can cause drowsiness by themselves. When taken with alcohol, opiates, or other depressants, this risk is magnified and cause car accidents, problems at work, and serious health problems.

You will not get the full benefits of psychotropics if you use drugs and alcohol while taking these medicines. Mental health diagnoses are treatable with therapy and medications. When you are dependent on drugs and alcohol, you may forget to take your medicine or you may lose motivation to continue addressing your mental health issues. Drugs and alcohol make you more susceptible to side effects, and you will not achieve the optimal results of your medication.

Drug and alcohol use impairs any progress that you are working towards in your mental health treatment. The side effects could produce serious medical consequences. In order to get the full benefit of psychotropic medications, you should be abstinent from drugs and alcohol.

The Kimberly Center offers the best in partial care programming for the treatment of addictions and co-occurring disorders. Providing a variety of treatment services with love and compassion, our clinical team serves to help clients heal mind, body, and spirit. Call us today for information: 855-4-KCENTER