Co-Occurring and Related Disorders
Certain thoughts, behaviors, symptoms and conditions are directly related to mental illness. We often don’t examine how we might excessively use alcohol, for example, to calm our anxious minds after a long day. Or how a loved one’s refusal to enter therapy might not just be personal preference. The other components of mental illness listed below are important to consider when looking holistically at your, or another’s, mental health. Knowing these different factors — and how they can contribute to making a mental health condition more severe — can help shape treatment plans.
Please note that this list does not, and could never, include everything that connects to mental illness. But we will do our best to continue adding more information.
Anosognosia
Anosognosia is when someone is unaware of their own mental illness or when they can’t perceive their symptoms accurately. Anosognosia is relative. Self-awareness can vary over time, allowing a person to acknowledge their illness at times and making such knowledge impossible at other times. When insight shifts back and forth over time, we might think people are denying their condition out of fear or stubbornness, but variations in awareness are typical of anosognosia.
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental condition that affects a person’s ability to socialize and communicate with others. People with ASD can also present with restricted and/or repetitive patterns of behavior, interests or activities. The term “spectrum” refers to the degree in which the symptoms, behaviors and severity vary within and between individuals. Some people are mildly impaired by their symptoms, while others are severely disabled. Many individuals with autism also live with mental illness like anxiety or depression.
Self-Harm
Self-harm is usually a sign that a person is having a tough time coping with their emotions. It’s frequently “used” as a coping mechanism for unmanageable mental illness symptoms. People often keep it a secret, but the urge to self-harm isn’t uncommon, especially in adolescents and young adults. Many overcome it with treatment. Whether a person has recently started hurting themself or has been doing it for a while, there is an opportunity to improve health and reduce behaviors. Talking to a doctor or a trusted friend or family member is the first step towards understanding your behavior and finding relief.
Sleep Disorders
Many people experience problems sleeping including not getting enough sleep, not feeling rested and not sleeping well. This problem can lead to difficulties functioning during the daytime and have unpleasant effects on your work, social and family life. Problems sleeping can be secondary to a medical illness such as sleep apnea, or a mental health condition like depression. Sleep issues can be a sign of an impending condition such as bipolar disorder. In addition to affecting sleep itself, many medical and mental health conditions can be worsened by sleep-related problems. Anxiety, depression and other mental health conditions are often accompanied by sleep disorders that should also be addressed in treatment.
Smoking
Living with a mental illness can be difficult, and some people may turn to smoking as a way to cope with symptoms or handle stressful life events. People with mental illness or a substance use disorder also smoke more cigarettes. Despite only representing 25% of the U.S. adult population, they consume 40% of cigarettes sold in the U.S. — smoking two more packs per month than people without a mental health condition. People with serious mental illness represent only 6.9% of people who have smoked in the past month, but they consume 8.7% of all cigarettes sold. Although it may provide temporary relief from some symptoms, smoking is not a healthy solution for managing mental illness. Nicotine can alter mood in a way that covers up symptoms, which reinforces the increased use of tobacco in people with a mental health condition. Smoking tobacco can exacerbate existing mental and physical health challenges in the short term and lead to additional negative outcomes down the road. If you or a loved one smokes, here is what you need to know about smoking and mental illness — including information to help you quit.
Substance Use Disorders (SUD)
Substance use disorders — the repeated misuse of alcohol and/or drugs — often occur simultaneously in individuals with mental illness, usually to cope with overwhelming symptoms. The combination of these two illnesses has its own term: dual diagnosis, or co-occurring disorders. Either disorder (substance use or mental illness) can develop first. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 17 million adults experienced both mental illness and a substance use disorder in 2020.
Other Co-Occurring and Related Disorders:
Few people realize that for some people, gambling can become a devastating addiction, destroying families and relationships as well as negatively impacting careers. With more and more gambling opportunities becoming available in Maryland, it is essential for everyone to recognize the signs and symptoms of gambling problems and how to get help.
Tardive Dyskinesia, otherwise known as TD, is a neurological condition that can develop as a result of long-term use of antipsychotic medications. These medications are aimed to treat bipolar disorder, depression, or schizophrenia.
