Mental wellbeing is synonymous with a person's mental health state. A person's mental wellbeing is not the same as “being happy” as this emotion can come and go depending on the circumstances. Mental wellbeing is a more stable or constant state of feeling contented, satisfied and happy. Mental wellbeing involves how well a person copes with daily living and the inevitable stressors. A person who is in a positive state of mental wellbeing (or mental health) will be able to cope with life, make the most of his potential and be a positive factor or influence not only within his family and circle of friends but in the workplace and in the community.

Is a person more likely to use and abuse illicit substance if he has a less than ideal state of wellbeing?

Studies indicate that people with problems regarding their state of mental wellbeing are more prone to addiction. There are also studies with conclusions that drug and alcohol addiction is a disease by itself as well as studies that state that addiction and mental health problems are co-occurring conditions. In this instance, a person with an untreated mental disorder will most likely make his current drug or alcohol abuse worse. It is therefore safe to assume that when drug and alcohol use/abuse increases, a spike in the user's mental health problems is observed.

Correlation of Addiction and Mental Health

Mental disorders such as anxiety and depression are closely linked to substance use and abuse. Mental disorders do not directly cause addiction or vice-versa, but drugs or alcohol are most often used to self-medicate symptoms of anxiety or depression. The fact is continuous use of illicit substances has side effects and in the end will aggravate the very symptoms that users initially wanted relieved.

Drug and alcohol abuse can significantly increase risk for mental health problems. Mental disorders are rooted in the interaction of a person's genetics, the environment someone lives in and other external factors. If drug and alcohol abuse is added to the equation, a person who is at risk to develop a mental disorder may be pushed over the edge.

Drug and alcohol addiction will exacerbate exhibited symptoms of a mental health disorder. Illicit substance abuse may also trigger new symptoms of mental disorder as drugs and alcohol have contra-indications with medications such as anti-anxiety pills, antidepressants and mood stabilizers.

A report from the National Alliance of Mental Health indicated that drug or alcohol addiction is common in persons with mental health problems. The report indicates that about 50% of persons with severe mental disorders are influenced by substance abuse. About 53% of drug addicts and 37% of alcohol addicts have at least one severe mental disorder. Roughly 29% of individuals diagnosed with a mental illness have a substance abuse disorder.

The accepted concept is that addiction is an illness and any secondary complication will be resolved once the primary disorder has been dealt with. The conventional notion is that treatment for substance addiction is separate from the treatment of mental health disorder. Thus an early form of addiction treatment systems focused exclusively on drug and alcohol abuse. This approach may work well with tobacco or nicotine addiction, but this approach is passé for the mainstream treatment of drugs and alcohol abuse.

Treatment Approach

As a result of ongoing studies and researches, it is now an accepted fact that addiction is linked to a range of other health, mental health, social, family and economic problems. When treating addiction, the concept of dual diagnosis affirmed that co-occurring problems are typical. In connection, there is now a consensus that simultaneous treatment of co-occurring problems is the way to go. It is no longer acceptable to tell a substance or process addict that his mental disorder will go away when he has recovered from addiction. An effective treatment program should be able to address a patient's host of interrelated needs for him to lead an addiction-free life, while enjoying a state of mental wellbeing