How Addiction Can Affect Mental, Physical, and Emotional Health

Think addiction only has an effect on mental health? It can have an effect on physical health and on your everyday life as well.

From disrupted sleep and appetite changes to mood swings and an inability to cope with stress, alcohol and other drugs can have an effect on how you feel and how you function.

You might turn to alcohol to wind down after a tough day or to fit in with your mates. It may help you fall asleep initially, but it tends to disrupt your sleep later in the night and leave you very tired the next day. Poor sleep will make you more irritable and less patient with everyday frustrations.

If you snap at someone and then feel guilty, you may well be tempted to have a drink to take the edge off. The relief is likely to be temporary, and drinking to deal with guilt doesn’t get to the root of the stress or other problems at all.

This blog will tell you the effects and the range of treatment options available through Cholla Behavioral Health’s addiction treatment center in Phoenix.

What Is Addiction, and How Can It Affect Overall Health?

Addiction is a complex health condition involving compulsive use of a substance or engagement in certain behaviours despite the associated harm.

(Here, compulsive means repeatedly going back to the substance or behavior even after having made up your mind to stop.)

Addiction can have an impact on brain function, physical health, and emotional well-being. When addiction involves alcohol or other drugs, clinicians may diagnose a substance use disorder (SUD), which can be mild, moderate, or severe. Addiction is not just a problem with drugs or alcohol though, gambling, for instance, can also be addictive.

Gambling disorder is a behavioural addiction and is thus grouped with the other behavioural addictions as it shares the same characteristics as the substance related disorders (i.e., it’s difficult to control the behaviour despite the negative consequences).

In substance use disorders, the impact often extends across 4 areas of health and everyday life.

1. Brain function: Repeated substance use can affect the brain systems that are involved in reward and self control.
2. Physical health: Some of these substances can also be damaging to the organs (liver, heart, lungs, etc.), particularly with long term use.
3. Emotional regulation: (the ability to regulate your emotions) is harder when you’re using substances, making it more difficult to deal with stress and frustration.
4. Everyday life: The time spent in acquiring and using the substance will inevitably impact your work, school and family commitments.

These effects will vary from person to person. There are a number of factors that explain why: the substance involved, how long someone has been using it, their general health, and the circumstances they find themselves in (e.g., stress, unstable housing, etc).

For instance, two people drinking the same amount of alcohol could end up with very different degrees of liver damage.

Individuals’ experiences will of course vary, but substance use disorders affect millions. The 2025 SAMHSA survey found that 44.6 million people aged 12 and over in the US had a substance use disorder in the past year.

Of those, approximately one in five had a severe disorder.

Yet 86.4% of those who had a substance use disorder in the past year received neither substance use treatment nor any other services for their substance use during that year.

What is the Connection between Mental, Physical, and Emotional Health, and how Addiction Affects all?

Mental, physical, and emotional health are all very much interlinked. A change in the brain or the body can have an effect on how you think, how you feel, and how you function. Addiction (whether it’s alcohol or other drugs) can impact all three of these areas, altering brain function, damaging physical health, and making it very difficult to regulate your emotions.

Repeated use of a substance can have an effect on the brain systems that are involved in reward, stress, motivation, and decision making. Some drugs of abuse, in fact, can produce larger and/or faster dopamine surges than natural rewards like food or music. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter which is involved in the reward, learning, and motivation systems. With repeated use, the brain’s reward system can change so that everyday activities are no longer rewarding and motivation becomes harder to achieve.

It can also have an effect on the brain’s stress system. When a person becomes dependent, going without the substance may cause anxiety or discomfort, which makes them more likely to use it again for relief.

The brain changes don’t happen in isolation. Poor sleep, missed meals, and ongoing stress can all take their toll on the body, make the effects of substance use harder to cope with and will have an impact on your mood and concentration. If this pressure continues, it can also have an effect on your immune function.

Addiction can be harder to manage when a person is also suffering from a mental health condition, and the two can reinforce each other. The National Institute of Mental Health notes that shared risk factors, including stress, trauma, and genetics, can lead to both substance use disorders and mental health conditions. Some people turn to substances to deal with their anxiety or depression. Substance use can also worsen existing mental health symptoms or increase the risk of developing certain mental health conditions.

Withdrawal is a case in point of how substance use, physical symptoms, and emotional distress can all feed into one another. Alcohol withdrawal can lead to insomnia and anxiety, which in turn makes it much harder to cope with the normal stresses of life. That level of discomfort can then make drinking seem like the only way to get relief, and so the cycle is stretched.

Withdrawal following heavy and prolonged drinking can be dangerous; indeed, it can be life-threatening. Anyone who may be physically dependent on alcohol should seek medical advice before attempting to stop suddenly.

As they’re all interrelated, treating one in isolation may not be sufficient. Treating insomnia alone won’t deal with the alcohol-related liver damage. Treating insomnia alone won’t address alcohol-related liver damage, just as treating depression alone may leave substance-use triggers or cravings unaddressed.

Can Addiction Contribute to Anxiety, Depression, and Other Mental Health Challenges?

Yes, addiction can lead to anxiety, depression, and other mental health problems and can exacerbate pre-existing mental health issues.

The link between mental health disorders and substance use is also evident in the national data. SAMHSA’s 2025 survey found that an estimated 18.5 million adults had both a mental illness and a substance use disorder in the past year. Some 40% of those individuals received no treatment for either condition. That treatment gap is a reason why it is so important to assess mental health in the context of substance use.

Symptoms may look different depending on the stage of use:

• During intoxication (whether on cocaine or methamphetamine), you can experience anxiety, panic, and paranoia. In addition, heavy drinking can exacerbate the feeling of sadness or low mood.
• During withdrawal, anxiety, irritability, and low mood can all worsen as the brain and body work to adjust.
• With continued use. there can be changes in the brain’s stress and reward systems which can in turn lead to ongoing anxiety or low mood (this can persist for weeks or even longer).

How Can Addiction Affect Memory, Concentration, and Decision-Making?

Addiction can have an effect on memory, concentration and decision making by altering the brain systems which underpin attention, learning and impulse control. The result can be a reduced ability to take in new information, to concentrate, to assess risk and to exercise impulse control.

How much these difficulties improve over time depends on the substance involved, how long it was used, and the person’s age. For example, a 2024 systematic review of adults with alcohol use disorder found that many cognitive functions, including some aspects of attention and memory, returned to normal levels within 6–12 months of abstinence. But not all of these abilities recovered at the same pace.

Alcohol can impact memory in other ways as well. Excessive drinking can lead to blackouts where a person is unable to recall what happened whilst drunk.

In daily life, these cognitive difficulties can affect work, school, routine responsibilities, and relationships:

• At work, difficulty concentrating will of course mean tasks take longer and result in more mistakes.
• At school, new material may take longer to learn.
• In real life, poor judgment leads to missed bills, missed appointments, and all sorts of other risky things (driving after drinking being the most obvious example).
• In relationships, difficulty controlling impulses can turn minor disagreements into bigger arguments.

What Physical Health Problems Can Addiction Cause?

Addiction can affect several body systems, increasing the risk of heart problems, liver damage, lung and digestive issues, nerve damage, infections, and injuries. It can also lead to a life-threatening overdose.

The specific risks depend on the substance, how it is used, and a person’s overall health. Overdose remains a serious concern, even as national numbers improve. CDC’s provisional estimates show that U.S. drug overdose deaths fell by nearly 14% in 2025 compared with 2024. Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado, however, each saw increases of 10% or more.

Chest pain, seizures, or slow or shallow breathing can signal a medical emergency and require immediate attention. Call emergency services rather than delaying emergency care to contact an addiction treatment center.

The effects can include:

• Heart and blood vessel problems: Cocaine and methamphetamine can raise heart rate and blood pressure, increasing the risk of a heart attack or stroke.
• Liver damage: Long-term heavy drinking can cause a range of liver problems, including fatty liver disease, alcohol-related hepatitis, and cirrhosis (permanent scarring).
• Lung and breathing problems: Smoking or inhaling certain drugs can irritate or damage the lungs. Opioids and sedatives can also slow breathing, especially at high doses.
• Nerve damage and brain injury: Long-term heavy drinking can damage nerves in the hands and feet, sometimes causing numbness or tingling. A separate risk arises during an overdose: if breathing slows or stops, the brain may be deprived of oxygen, potentially causing brain injury.
• Digestive problems: Alcohol can irritate the stomach lining and contribute to inflammation of the pancreas, while regular opioid use can cause persistent constipation.
• Infections and injuries: Sharing needles can transmit hepatitis C and HIV. Intoxication can also increase the risk of falls, burns, and car crashes.

To help identify some of these concerns, Cholla offers ECGs (heart tests), hepatitis C testing and treatment, HIV and syphilis testing, and physical exams. These services can help identify certain health issues and determine whether further care is needed.

How Can Addiction Affect Sleep, Nutrition, and Energy Levels?

Substance use can disrupt sleep, affect appetite and nutrient absorption, and leave people with less energy. Poor sleep and inadequate nutrition can leave people feeling fatigued, slow physical healing, and make it harder to stay engaged in addiction recovery.

Sleep problems don’t always end when someone stops drinking or using drugs. A 2024 editorial in Frontiers in Psychiatry notes that sleep disturbances are common during withdrawal and periods of craving, are associated with poorer treatment outcomes, and can persist into recovery.

In everyday life, these problems can affect several routines:

• Sleep: Alcohol can disrupt REM sleep, which plays a role in dreaming, memory, and emotional regulation, while stimulants can keep people awake for long stretches.
• Appetite and nutrition: Stimulants can suppress appetite, while cannabis can increase it. Heavy drinking can also lead people to skip meals and interfere with the body’s ability to absorb vitamin B1 (thiamine), which is essential for brain and nerve function.
• Dehydration: Alcohol and stimulants can contribute to dehydration, which may cause headaches, dizziness, and muscle cramps.
• Self-care: Substance use can make it harder to keep up with personal hygiene, dental care, and routine checkups. Putting off routine care can allow small health problems to get worse.
• Energy and daily responsibilities: Poor sleep and inadequate nutrition can make it harder to keep up with work, family responsibilities, and treatment appointments.

To support healthier routines during recovery, Cholla offers nutrition and wellness education. Its Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) and Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) also include gym access three to four times a week.

Can Addiction Lead to Mood Changes, Guilt, and Emotional Instability?

Yes. Addiction can lead to mood swings, irritability, and guilt. These changes may stem from a substance’s effects, the stress surrounding continued use, or withdrawal, and the pattern varies by substance and person.

For some people, restlessness, anxiety, or irritability become more apparent as the effects of the substance wear off or during withdrawal. With repeated use of a substance, the brain systems that are involved in reward and stress can be affected, making it more difficult for some people to manage their emotions. That difficulty may show up in everyday interactions, such as snapping at family, reacting strongly to criticism, or withdrawing from conversations.

Guilt can set in when the use of a substance gets in the way of your day-to-day life or when you end up doing things that you then regret. Missing a birthday, having money problems, breaking a promise, etc., can all damage relationships and leave you feeling guilty or anxious about the harm you’ve caused. Some people may turn to alcohol or other substances to dull those feelings temporarily, but the relief doesn’t resolve the problems and may reinforce the same pattern.

Those feelings can also make it harder to talk openly about substance use or ask for help. But addiction is a health condition, not a personal failing. Speaking with a qualified professional can help someone understand their substance use, explore treatment options, and take steps toward recovery.

Addiction vs. Dependence: What Is the Difference?

Physical dependence is the body’s adjustment to a substance, while addiction is a broader pattern of compulsive use that harms daily life. Dependence involves tolerance or withdrawal, but addiction also brings cravings, loss of control, and impairment.

Tolerance is when you need more of a substance to achieve the same effect, and withdrawal is when you get the ‘sick’ feeling when you stop. Both are listed by the  American Psychiatric Association as part of the drug effects section of substance use disorder (one of four symptom groups, the others being impaired control, social problems, and dangerous use). The table below shows the two across the 5 points.

Point	Physical dependence	Addiction (substance use disorder)
With prescribed medication	Common, even when taken as prescribed	Needs other signs too, such as cravings or loss of control
Diagnosis	Not a diagnosis on its own	At least 2 of 11 symptoms within 12 months
Daily life	Work and family life continue as usual	Work, school, relationships, and health decline
Treatment	A slow taper your prescriber manages	Therapy, medication, and structured outpatient care
Support at Cholla	Medication Prescribing and Management monitors any medication change	PHP, IOP, and Outpatient (OP) programs

As they overlap, a medical review at an addiction treatment centre is the only way to be sure which one applies to you. That’s particularly important with alcohol and benzodiazepines (the anxiety meds such as Xanax), where stopping them all at once after a period of heavy long-term use can result in seizures in some people.

What Treatment Options Can Help Address Addiction and Its Health Effects?

Addiction treatment may involve individual therapy, group counseling, medication when appropriate, and structured outpatient programs. Treatment needs to account for mental or physical health concerns that may occur alongside addiction, rather than focusing on substance use alone.

Early screening helps the care team identify these concerns and account for them in treatment, since untreated health problems can make recovery harder and may increase the risk of relapse.

The findings can then help shape a treatment plan around each person’s needs, including medical care, recovery support, and ongoing follow-up.

Cholla Behavioral Health’s Phoenix addiction programs include seven options, ranging from individual and group therapy to detox and outpatient care.

• Individual therapy provides one-on-one sessions with a licensed therapist and may include EMDR therapy for trauma.
• Group therapy helps people build coping skills through approaches such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT).
• Medication Prescribing and Management pairs FDA-approved medications with counseling as part of a broader treatment plan.
• Ambulatory Detox allows Cholla’s onsite medical team to manage withdrawal without a hospital stay when outpatient care is a safe option.
• The Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) provides the most structure, with 2 to 3 individual counseling sessions and 25 hours of group therapy each week.
• The Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) runs for 6 to 12 weeks, with 15 to 25 hours of therapy each week across 3 to 5 days. The program also offers flexible scheduling.
• Outpatient (OP) care provides ongoing support, with the length of care guided by your needs.

How Can You Support Recovery and Improve Overall Well-Being?

What happens between appointments matters, too. Sticking with your treatment plan, keeping a regular sleep schedule, eating at consistent times, and practicing healthier ways to handle stress can make day-to-day recovery more manageable.

People you trust can help you through difficult days. Regular follow-up appointments give you and your care team a chance to address concerns early. Setbacks can happen, but they don’t undo the work you’ve done or mean you have to face recovery alone.

• Take medications as prescribed and keep therapy sessions and check-ins on the calendar, even when things are going well.
• Try to keep a regular sleep schedule and eat meals at roughly the same times each day.
• CBT and DBT groups help you practice coping skills, such as getting through difficult emotions without acting on them and challenging negative thoughts. These skills can give you other ways to handle stress besides turning to alcohol or other substances.
• Build a support network that includes family members, peer recovery coaches, and support-group members you can call when a craving hits.
• Regular follow-up appointments can help your care team spot early signs of relapse or other difficulties. Cholla’s outpatient (OP) care can provide continued support after PHP or IOP.
• Cholla’s PHP and IOP also offer activities such as yoga, music, art, and time outdoors, giving participants more ways to manage stress.

Discover Professional Addiction Treatment Centers & Treat Your Addiction Problems!

Addiction affects your mind, body, and emotions together, so lasting recovery has to address all three.

From Ambulatory Detox and medication management to the Intensive Outpatient Program and ongoing outpatient care, Cholla Behavioral Health builds each plan around a full assessment of your health.

Its Phoenix team includes board-certified addiction medicine physicians, nurse practitioners, licensed therapists, and peer recovery coaches with lived experience.

Your recovery starts with one honest conversation, and Cholla’s team is ready to help today.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. How does addiction start?

Addiction can develop when repeated substance use affects brain systems involved in reward, stress, and self-control. The process differs from person to person, and not everyone who uses a substance develops an addiction.

People may first try substances for different reasons, including curiosity, pleasure, stress relief, pressure to perform, or a desire to fit in. Warning signs can include using more than intended, struggling to cut back, or experiencing strong cravings when you’re not using.

Q2. Is addiction a mental illness?

Yes. The DSM-5-TR, the American Psychiatric Association’s diagnostic manual, classifies substance use disorders as mental disorders. Substance use disorders can occur alongside conditions such as anxiety, depression, or bipolar disorder.

Q3. Why do some people develop an addiction?

Addiction can develop through a combination of factors, including genetics, early substance use, trauma, ongoing stress, easy access to substances, and mental health conditions. Developing an addiction isn’t a sign of weak willpower.

Q4. What are some examples of addictive drugs?

Substances that can lead to a substance use disorder include alcohol, nicotine, cannabis, opioids such as fentanyl, heroin, and oxycodone, and stimulants such as cocaine and methamphetamine. Misusing sedatives such as benzodiazepines can also increase the risk of developing a substance use disorder.

If substance use is affecting your health or daily life, Cholla can assess your needs and recommend an appropriate level of care, which may include PHP, IOP, OP, Ambulatory Detox, or Medication Prescribing and Management.