According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, nearly half of the mentally ill in this country also have a substance abuse addiction. The most commonly abused drug is alcohol, followed closely by marijuana and cocaine. Prescription drug abuse is also on the rise.
Whether or not a person has a dual diagnosis, this section focuses on how to deal with substance abuse. Prevention of substance abuse is more than teaching your kids to just say "no". That approach obviously hasn't worked.
Substance abuse happens in families where there is no history of abuse but it is more commonly found in families where there is a history of mental illness and/or substance abuse. Parents need to be aware of the risk factors and talk to their children about drugs and alcohol.
Facing the fact that you do have a problem with a prescription drug like Xanax takes courage. It can be hard to overcome an addiction but with help it can be done. It is too easy to take a pill and try and mask the problems that you do not want to deal with. You cannot hide from your inner demons forever.
If you have a loved one who is trying to overcome their addiction, there are things to consider in order to not be taken advantage of. Living with a recovering addict takes patience, self-respect and tough love. It is possible to overcome addictions to illegal drugs, alcohol or prescription drugs but the addict needs to want to put the abuse in the past. You can support someone by being there for them but if they are not serious about stopping their drug/alcohol abuse it is not going to work.