Tobacco / Drug Use

Healthier Living Includes Avoiding Tobacco and Drugs
Smoking Impacts Health!  Persons living with mental illness are about twice as likely to smoke as other persons. [National Alliance of Mental Illness, NAMI]  Breaking free from nicotine dependence saves money and decreases the likelihood of developing disease and/or disability for yourself and those you smoke around.  For more information on quitting, visit:  http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/cessation/quitting/

Alcohol with Other Drugs Do Not Mix!  Mental illness and substance abuse often co-exist.  For example, young people with major depressive episodes are twice as likely to take 1st drink or use drugs the 1st time as those who do not experience a depressive episode. Mixing alcohol and illicit drugs with prescribed medications can interfere with improvements in mental health.  It can also have unpredictable and potentially dangerous side effects.

Five Things You Can Do To Enhance Your Recovery Odds

1. Don't use-no matter what!

2. Choose a treatment program that offers a rich menu of continuing care services and actively utilize these supports.

3. Find a recovery support group and stay actively involved. (Make meetings a priority, get a sponsor, build a sober social network, and appy recovery program principles to problems of daily living.) Involve your family members in recovery support groups and activities.

4. If you do not have a living environment supportive of recovery, investigate the growing network of recovery homes.

5. Become an expert on your own recovery and take responsibility for it.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/cessation/quitting/
National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Alcohol Alert, as retrieved from http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/aa27.htm

 





 
 
  
  

 
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