EPISODE #37: Mental Health and Self Medicating… Why do so many of us do this alone?
Today's episode is focused on how many people struggle with life's challenges and mental illness alone, and so often their method involves self medicating with substances.
Addictions often result from untreated trauma or mental illness. In fact, I've been in this helping profession for a very long time, and I've never seen addiction without an underlying mental health issue that has been left unattended.
Let's keep the conversation going around what can be very helpful and do what we can to prevent our loved ones from 'going it alone' and taking longer to recover than maybe they would have if help was sought after sooner.
We're including a powerful song in here by Katy Topham who speaks to this issue in a beautiful and compassionate way. I believe that this song will play a role in bringing these conversations back to our kitchen tables.
I encourage you to have a listen.
RESOURCES TO LEARN MORE:
Psychology Today | Self-Help Techniques are Not Effective for Drug Addiction
Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) | Understanding and finding help for substance use and addictions
Psychology Today | Find a Therapist