The terms behavioral health and mental health are often used interchangeably but are, in fact, two slightly different terms. For starters, behavioral health is an umbrella term that also includes mental health. However, not all behavioral disorders can be described as mental health issues.
So, what exactly is behavioral health?
In its simplest terms, behavioral health involves assessing the effect of one’s behavior on their physical and mental well-being.
Here are some of the most common behavioral health issues.
Substance Abuse
Also known as drug addiction, substance abuse is one of the most common behavioral health issues in the US. What usually starts as the recreational use of a drug may turn into substance abuse whereby a person is unable to control the use of said drug.
Substance abuse has both mental and physical repercussions on a person including cognitive issues, abnormal movements, nausea, and serious damage to other parts of the physical body.
Moreover, substance abuse often causes mental health problems such as anxiety and depression. At some point, the two disorders become so overlapped that it can be hard to figure out what led to the other.
Gambling Addiction
Gambling addiction is also known as a gambling disorder or compulsive gambling. It’s basically when someone is caught up in a compulsive, toxic cycle of gambling repeatedly. This can be problematic in many ways, causing significant distress.
It’s fairly similar to when someone has a drinking addiction. Gambling gives them a high and they crave it the same way. Moreover, gamblers often get into money and legal problems which lead to behavioral issues like lying, being secretive, getting agitated easily, and so on.
Eating Disorders
28.8 million Americans have eating disorders including anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating, and others. They refer to unusual and often unpredictable eating patterns that are accompanied by equally unsettling emotions.
Eating disorders are usually associated with accompanying conditions such as anxiety disorders or OCD. Overall, these behavioral health issues can directly affect a patient physically, mentally, and even socially.
All of these behavioral health concerns can be addressed by behavioral health services, including talk therapy, lifestyle coaching, medication management, or rehab.
If you or a loved one is going through any of these behavioral health problems, it’s crucial to get help. If you’re not comfortable with the idea of visiting a psychiatrist at their physical office, you can opt for our telehealth behavioral health services in Dallas, TX.
You can also call us to learn more about our other mental health services in Dallas.