Physically, areas of the brain are altered through the addiction cycle. The prefrontal cortex is altered drastically as well as the limbic system. The effects on these physical systems in our body can cause a variety of psychological changes that may become additional challenges to manage or overcome during the addiction recovery process.
Different substances can produce different extents of psychological changes; however, these effects can be caused by any form of addiction.
Impaired Judgment
The ability to make decisions and correctly judge the situations you are in is greatly affected by addiction. Because your body’s reward circuit encourages engaging in behaviors that release dopamine, you will often feel motivated to continue participating in activities that involve the use of the addictive substance. When your body is rewarding this behavior, you may view your decision as a benefit even when it leads you to get into or encourages you to stay in a dangerous situation.
This alteration in decision-making is one of the hardest obstacles in overcoming addiction.
Hallucinations
Hallucinations are perceptions of experiencing something that is not happening. They are particularly a concern with the use of hallucinogenic drugs.
While hallucinations often occur while the drug is being used, some individuals experience hallucinations after quitting the use of the substance. This can be particularly worrisome if the effects are long-term. It may be a sign that a psychological disorder has formed and is beginning to present itself.
Paranoia
Paranoia is extremely common for individuals who struggle with the use of methamphetamines. This is also common with the use of marijuana and cocaine.
Paranoia is often one of the first symptoms to arise in psychosis. Substance-induced psychosis is common with the abuse of certain drugs. When you are consistently using any of these substances, alterations to your physical brain create feelings of fear and can cause you to fall into a consistent state of paranoia.
Anxiety
Anxiety may have similar characteristics to paranoia, but it is not the same. Anxiety is the way your body reacts to stress. For individuals with anxiety disorders, this reaction may be extreme. The abuse of substances can often lead to feelings of anxiety, especially after use. Promoting this feeling and not taking care of your emotional needs can cause you to develop an anxiety disorder.
Managing anxiety along with a substance use disorder can cause heightened levels of frustration and low levels of self-esteem. Anxiety tends to cause individuals to feel as if they are not good enough. This feeling during recovery can be challenging to overcome and may strengthen the desire for the problematic substance.
Depression
The after-effects of any substance often involve a variety of negative emotions. When you are using a substance, a large amount of the chemicals in your body that help you feel good are released. After the substance wears off, your body does not release the desired amount of these chemicals. This causes many individuals to feel high levels of depressive thoughts when coming off a substance.
Depression can occur at any time in your life. If you do not take care of your emotional needs and continue to reach a highly negative state regularly, you may be putting yourself at risk of developing depression. This can cause you to feel a need for the substance to escape the symptoms of your depression, which complicates the recovery process.
Other Psychological Effects
The above psychological changes that may occur with addiction are some of the most common. However, there are numerous alterations that addiction can make to our minds which can cause a variety of negative psychological behaviors. The following are also possible side effects of substance abuse of any kind:
- Lack of concentration
- Loss of interests
- Flashbacks
- Impaired memory
- Confusion
- Irritability
- Violence
These psychological changes do not always occur, but individuals in addiction recovery often can relate to one or more of these aspects. Some individuals report feeling an overall loss of reality and struggle to adjust their minds back to normal life.
Managing These Effects
When working through addiction recovery, you will likely find it important to be aware of the psychological changes you are working to overcome. Observe aspects of your thought patterns and behaviors that have changed since you began using substances. Understanding psychological traits that have changed from the use of a substance can help you isolate those behaviors and work to counteract them.
Working to overcome psychological reactions and dealing with a potential psychological disorder alongside substance use disorder can be extremely frustrating. The psychological side effects can alter your mindset and hinder you from recovery. Addressing these mental blockages and working create a balance in your life can help you overcome this addiction and stay mentally grounded. Your treatment team is here to help you overcome the psychological effects of substance use disorder to help you achieve your recovery goals.
As addiction causes a range of physical damages to your body, it can also cause many psychological issues to arise. The physical damage in your brain accounts for many of these psychological changes. The abuse of substances can affect your ability to make decisions and exercise sound judgment. They can also cause hallucinations, paranoia, anxiety, depression, and a variety of other mental effects. Turning to the substance to escape these negative side effects only reinforces your dependence on the substance and makes it harder to quit. Working to cope with these psychological alterations and learning to manage them healthily can help you overcome the addiction and move forward in your recovery process. Some of these psychological alterations may be long-term and cause future problems after recovery if not addressed immediately. To learn more about the psychological changes you may experience with addiction, reach out to Dream Recovery at (949) 732-1960.
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