Mental Health And Addiction - By: Synthia Esther

By Synthia Esther

Research indicates half of all alcoholics and drug addicts are suffering from mental health problems, including depression, and are self-medicating to mask the symptoms. 

The problem of dual diagnosis is so acute that many doctors and hospitals are given official guidance to help them identify people abusing drugs or alcohol who are also mentally ill. Mental health problems are particularly common among homeless peoples and the prison population. 

Seventy-nine percent of men on remand who use drugs also suffer from mental health disorders. According to the Royal College of Psychiatrists, approximately half of those who use drug and alcohol services have some form of mental health problem, commonly depression or personality disorder (The Independent, Revealed: 50 percent of alcoholics and drug addicts are mentally ill, October 8, 2006, By Marie Woolf and Sophie Goodchild).

From the Department of Health and Human Service, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Office of Applied Studies: Serious Mental Illness and Its Co-Occurrence with Substance Use Disorders, 2002, Joan Epstein, Peggy Barker, Michael Vorburger, Christine Murtha: Adults with alcohol dependence or abuse were more likely to have serious mental illness than adults who had used alcohol but did not have dependence or abuse.

 Although this report focuses on the population with the most severe mental problems, there is also interest in the larger population with any mental disorder and the co-occurrence of substance use disorders among its members.

According to a U.S. General's Report, co-occurring disorder have been estimated to affect from 7 million to 10 million adult Americans in any year (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services-DHHS, 1999, see also SAMSHA National Advisory Council, 1998).

 An estimated 41 to 65 percent of persons with a lifetime substance use disorder have a lifetime history of at least one mental disorder, and about 51 percent of those with one or more lifetime mental disorders also have a history of at least one substance use disorder (.U.S. DHHS, 1999). 

Studies in both clinical samples (Ross, Glaser, & Germanson, 1988; Rounsaville et al., 1991; Wolf et al., 1988) and general population studies (Boyd et al., 1984; Helzer & Pryzbeck, 1988, Kessler et al., 1994; Regier et al., 1990), show that co-morbidity is highly prevalent among individuals with mental disorders.

From Psychiatric News, May 5, 2006, Volume 41, Number 9, page 37, 2006-American Psychiatric Association; “Research Advances Aid Treatment Of Co-morbid Substance Disorders,” 

Psychiatrist frequently encounter alcohol and other substance use disorders in patients with serious mental illnesses. “All too often, heavy drinking interferes with a patient's response to treatment,” said Mark L. Willenbring, M.D., a psychiatrist and the director of treatment and recovery research at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). The good new, according to Willenbring, is that research has shown promising results with strategies to treat and manage alcohol use disorders that can be intragrated into a variety of clinical settings. From a report published by The Journal of the American Medical Association:

• Thirty-seven percent of alcohol abusers and fifty-three percent of drug abusers also have a least one serious mental illness.
• Of all people diagnosed as mentally ill, 29 percent abuse either alcohol or drugs.
• The following psychiatric problems are common to occur in dual diagnosis – i.e., in tandem with alcohol or drug dependency:
• Depressive disorders, such as depression and bi-polar disorder.
• Anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and phobias.
• Other psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia and personality disorders.

WHICH DEVELPS FIRST – SUBANTANCE ABUSE OR THE EMOTIONAL PROBLEM?

From the research I have done, it depends. Often the psychiatric problem develops first. In an attempt to feel calmer, more energetic, peppy, or cheerful, a person with emotional symptoms may drink or use drugs; doctors often call this self-medication. Frequent self-medication may eventually lead to physical or psychological dependency on alcohol or drugs. If it does, the person suffers from not just one problem, but two.

WITH MENTAL ILLNESS SO PROVALENT AMONG THE ADDICTED, HOW CAN AA 12 STEP PROGRAMS HELP A MENTALLY ILL ADDICT, GUIDE AND MENTOR ANOTHER MENTALLY ILL ADDICT?

While the 12 step program offers kindred support, most medical experts agree it should not replace addicts attempts to receive personal and professional therapy, counseling, and medication for mental health issues. Mental illness is problematic requiring medical attention, care, support and most often medication proscribed by a doctor.

 As a born again believer in Jesus Christ, I am of the opinion that addiction problems need to be handled with the realization of the effects it has on the tripartite nature of man, body, soul and spirit.

 According to Biblical reference (Hebrews 4: 12-16), the word of God penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Therefore the word of God, which is living and active, is of primary importance to renewing an addicts disabling thought patterns (Hebrews 4:12-13).

By Synthia Esther

• Troubled up-bringing, lack of nurture, attention, and demonstrated love
• Feelings of isolation, emotionally detached from parents and family
• Unstable parental role modeling: "Parents actions contradict their words"
• As a child you experienced a disdaining lack of love when not measuring up to parental expectations of perfectionism
• You learned to develop "The Mask Of Perfection" or became "The Golden Child" in order to feel any semblance of self worth, while inwardly experiencing an emotional hell on earth
• Compartmentalization of emotions and relationships
• At first displaying a very charming often charismatic personality, with a willingness to please. Always striving to be the best, above all the rest
• Learned to not acknowledge needs, experiencing on-going hidden pain and depression, living behind the mask
• Avoidance of rejection and abandonment
• Inner rage due to lack of nurturing, affirmation, and early childhood abandonment-(emotionally and/or physically), detachment-bonding issues
• Fear of trusting others
• Manipulative, controlling, and deceptive motives and actions
• Intense desire to control people, situations, and circumstances
• Intense emotional struggle to control self
• Chaotic life, mistaking intensity for intimacy in relationships
• Often have transient jobs, or weekly out of town/state/country responsibilities
• Believe attraction, attachment, sex, and attention makes you whole
• Insatiable appetite and desire in addictive coping patterns of sex, love, attachment, needs, as well as other addictions such as drugs or alcohol
• Disregulation of personal values, lifestyle, and choices
• Using sex, relationships, and power games of sexual seduction and conquest to relieve pain, alter mood, achieve personal comfort, attention, affirmation, satisfaction, and/or feelings of self worthwhile
• Driven, desperate, contriving, conniving, chaotic, frantic, and even vulnerable personality traits, whatever is needed to keep the relationship with another intact and cycling
• Defines wants, desires, and personal conquests, to be needs
• Defines chaotic lifestyle and emotional cycling as normal
• Lives a secret double-life
• Boundary confusion of sexual attraction with love
• Intolerance of being alone, attempts to replace lost relationships with new ones as soon as possible
• Attempts to attract the opposite sex are on going, and constant, always striving and seeking admiration, attention, and approval by any means possible
• Escalating tolerance and behavior concerning sex (what was once considered repulsive, gradually becomes normal), often graduating from soft core pornography to rape, incest, bestiality, and serial killing
• Attracted to the opposite sex like bees are to honey, or flies to manure, with radar sensitivity-despite being married or attached
• Flirtatious and appeasing attitude (at first), once relationship is committed, sex addict becomes "bored", restless, desiring others while holding on with all strength to the one he/she's already committed to (when asked what he/she would do if you did the same...his/her reply is usually something to the effect, "Over my dead body")
• Lack of conviction or conscience concerning using others for personal needs, desires, or addictive habits

"If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth" - 1st John 1:6. "Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter" - Issiah 5:20. "So, because you are lukewarm - neither hot nor cold - I am about to spit you out of my mouth" - Revelation 3:16.

To gain wisdom and free educational resources form a spiritual, biblical perspective about Great Sex God's Way, visit our ministry outreach website:  www.sexgodsway.com.

               ______________________

SYNTHIA ESTHER MINISTRIES ALSO PROVIDES FREE BIBLBICAL RESOURCES REGARDING RELIGION OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY INDUCTIONS AND CURRENT EVOLUTIONARY POWER OF THE AIR CONSTRUCTED AI ALGORITHEM ANTICHRIST INFLUENCESES:

Synthia Esther was the first Christian outreach to shout the true wake-up alarm concerning the diabolical, demonic,11:11 fake awakening deception (www.sacredpursuit.org) .   If you desire to learn more about such science and technological insights in relationship to biblical tend times prophecies, please visit: www.techchronicity.com - Science and Technology induced Oneness Antichrists Doctrines and the New World Order.  

Additional Free Synthia Esther Ministries resources include, but are not limited to:  

 WWW.SYNTHIAESTHER.COM - WWW.SYNTHIAESTHER.ORG,WWW.SYNTHIAESTHER.NET,  WWW.SACREDPURSUIT.COM, WWW.SACREDPURSUIT.ORG, WWW.SEXHISWAY.COM, WWW.XXXHISWAY.COM, WWW.TECHCHRONICITY.COM, -  AS WELL AS MANY OTHER FREE ONLINE RESOURCES.

Reaching the world for Jesus Christ since 2007!
 

By Synthia Esther

 I use to give Ryan,  who was a sex and porn addict, the analogy of having fed his sexual lusting demonic pet pig so much, his belly was dragging the floor when he tried to walk. Of course the pig analogy could pertain to any addiction. Rather than killing his fat and heavy pet pig, Ryan picked him up and carried him along. Carrying the addicted, fat pet pig along, drags you down with him.

This is how the pet pig addiction process begins; the addict feeds his baby pet pig but he continues to cry for more food, hating to hear his baby pet pig crying and emotionally feel his pain, the addict feeds him on demand. Slowly, but surely, his pet pig grows bigger and bigger until he is so large he can barely breath, and his belly drags the floor. Unable to carry his addicted pet pig around with him anymore, the addict often has to stay home to baby sit him.

Eventually the only time the addict wants to go out is when he becomes a predator in search of his pet pigs favorite food. Now the addicts life is so consumed with feeding and caring for his home bound adult and addicted pet pig that he has little time to do anything else. The addict tries to put his pet pig on a diet but that just makes his addicted pet, pig-out consuming even more food. The only way the addict can keep his addicted pet pig happy is to keep him full and fed.

Why use the pet pig as an analogy for an addict and his addiction? When Jesus cast the demons out of the possessed man in Mark 5:6-20 He asked their name to which they responded, "My name is Legion, for we are many." The demons then begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area. There was a large herd of pigs feeding on the nearby hillside (pigs like their feedings), and the demons begged Jesus to send them among the pigs. Jesus then gave them permission to do so and the herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.

The man who use to be possessed by them was sitting dressed and in his right mind. 

Before he was delivered by Jesus Christ of his demons the Bible says in Mark 5:3-5, this man lived in the tombs. No one could bind him any more, not even with a chain (4) For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. (5) Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones. Modern day 21st century cutters and self mutilators were not the first to find the demonic allure of self induced injury comforting and appealing (reference story, Pass The Razors, Please: www.synthiaesther.com .

As the addict continues to feed and baby his pet pig addiction, more food is required to satisfy his lustful longings. Eventually your cute little piglet turns into a furious and threating Hogzilla! The only way to rid yourself of your ever consuming, demonic and addicted pet pigs is to quit feeding them! By your actions and with your words, denounce their power to control your heart, mind, body and soul. As Christians we have the spiritual authority to cast them out and send them to the pit, in the name of Jesus. The longer you pamper your pigs desire for food, the bigger and more dominate they will become.

When the legion of demons begged Jesus to send them into the herd of pigs on the nearby hillside, I think they were surprised as Hell, (no pun intended), to end up choking and drowning in a sea of water. They also hate the water, which is represented as the Holy Spirit throughout the Bible. Demons prefer dry places; Mathew 12:43 "When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it." David said in Psalm 68:6, ...the rebellious live in a sun scorched land.

I often wondered when I was a child why Jesus didn't send the demons to the pit of Hell where they belong. When I was a child, I thought like a child. Now an adult, I realize there is always a deeper meaning to the examples God uses throughout the Bible. Jesus showed us in this account that demons will torment you to such a degree as to cause death.

If Jesus delivered me from a legion of demons and I saw all those dead pigs floating on a lake of water, I would be in perfect peace and joy. I would know without a doubt that those demons would never be able to torment me again! The demons may go else where but they would avoid the person whom Jesus personally delivered. Demonic entities do not want to do battle with the Son of God "Jesus Christ".

When the evil spirits (demons), which numbered about two thousand entered the pigs, it drove the pigs crazy, causing them to rush down the steep bank and into the lake. Pigs do not have the mental reasoning power of man, and the Bible clearly states in Mark 5:15, that the man who was exorcised of his tormenting demons by the healing power of Jesus, was sitting down, clothed and in his right mind.

Demonic possession can vex a persons spirit so profusely they become depressed, often committing suicide. The Holy Spirit living within a persons heart, mind and soul, creates an opposite spirit of peace and joy. The pigs, now possessed with a legion of demons felt an evil spirit that was so opposed to the life God created within them, they went crazy. The pigs suffered a literal death as a result. Death is always Satan's plan (when he's through with us), as we can no longer exercise our freewill choice in life.

Jesus speaks in John 7:37-38, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him" (John 7:37-38). He also tells us in John 4:14, ..."but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." The true measure of a person is in direct relation to the object of their attention and desire. Is your life consumed with endless personal pleasure and activity? 

Do you call your self righteous behavior of having one foot in the worlds pleasure, and one foot in God's Holy sanctuary being balanced? Or are you seeking to grow in the Holy Spirit, being filled up with living water only Jesus Christ and his word can give? The answer to these questions can be summed up by observing three areas of a person's life. How they spend their time, energy, and money.

Jesus Christ tells us, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness" (Matthew 5:6). Is your life dead to Christ, devoid and dry in the desert of your personal wilderness? Or do you thirst for Christs living water, driving oppressive and harassing spirits away? There is no neutral ground. 

Rev. 3:16 "So, because you are lukewarm - neither hot nor cold - I am about to spit you out of my mouth."

 A song I sang as a child in Sunday school sums up my sentiments and beliefs of what the Holy Spirit means to me; "I've got a river of life flowing out through me. It makes the lame to walk and the blind to see, it opens prison doors setting captives free. I have a river of life following out of me." A river of living water for those who accept Christ and his Holy Spirit into their life, as opposed to a life susceptible to demonic influence, control and death. I choose life. What's your choice?

SYNTHIA ESTHER MINISTRIES ALSO PROVIDES FREE BIBLBICAL RESOURCES REGARDING RELIGION OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY INDUCTIONS AND CURRENT EVOLUTIONARY POWER OF THE AIR CONSTRUCTED AI ALGORITHEM ANTICHRIST INFLUENCESES:

Synthia Esther was the first Christian outreach to shout the true wake-up alarm concerning the diabolical, demonic,11:11 fake awakening deception (www.sacredpursuit.org) .   If you desire to learn more about such science and technological insights in relationship to biblical tend times prophecies, please visit: www.techchronicity.com - Science and Technology induced Oneness Antichrists Doctrines and the New World Order.  

Additional Free Synthia Esther Ministries resources include, but are not limited to:  

 WWW.SYNTHIAESTHER.COM - WWW.SYNTHIAESTHER.ORG,WWW.SYNTHIAESTHER.NET,  WWW.SACREDPURSUIT.COM, WWW.SACREDPURSUIT.ORG, WWW.SEXHISWAY.COM, WWW.XXXHISWAY.COM, WWW.TECHCHRONICITY.COM, -  AS WELL AS MANY OTHER FREE ONLINE RESOURCES.

Reaching the world for Jesus Christ since 2007!