When You're Managing Mood With Something Other Than Treatment — Bloomfield, CT

It starts small, usually. A drink to take the edge off after a bad day. Weed to quiet a brain that won't slow down. A pill that makes everything feel a little less heavy. And it works — at first. That's the thing nobody talks about openly: self-medication works, at least in the short term. But it also delays treatment for whatever's underneath. And over time, the thing you're using to manage your mood tends to start making your mood worse. By the time most people come in, there are two problems to address, not one. And they're tangled together in a way that makes both harder. Sindhia Shyras, APRN at Elite Health LLC in Bloomfield works with people who are dealing with exactly this — without judgment, and without pretending it's simple.

Treating the Mood Disorder Underneath

A lot of substance use is actually self-medication for an untreated mood disorder — depression, anxiety that sits right at the surface, mood cycling that no one ever named, a persistent flatness that alcohol temporarily lifts. The problem is that alcohol is a depressant, and over time, regular use lowers your natural mood baseline. Cannabis can worsen anxiety and trigger paranoia in people who are already prone to it. Stimulants can exacerbate mood instability. So the thing you're using to feel okay is the thing making it harder to feel okay. Getting a psychiatric evaluation — one that honestly looks at both the substance use and the underlying mood — is where this cycle can actually break.

What to Expect When You Come In

Sindhia isn't going to shame you for how you've been coping. She's seen this pattern many times, and she knows that most people who self-medicate are doing the best they can with what they have. What she will do is ask honest questions about your use patterns, your mood history, what comes first — and then work with you on a plan that actually addresses the root. That might mean medication for the mood disorder, which for many people reduces the pull toward self-medication significantly. It might mean supportive therapy. It almost always means a real conversation about what's been going on and why.

You Don't Have to Be "Sober First" to Get Help

There's a common misconception that you have to be completely sober before psychiatric treatment can start. That's not how it works here. Sindhia can evaluate and treat a mood disorder even if you're currently using something to manage. Some medications require safety checks — she'll be transparent about that — but she's not going to put up a gate that keeps you from getting the help you need. Getting psychiatric care often makes it easier to reduce substance use, not the other way around. In-person appointments at 1 Liberty Sq, Suite 301, New Britain. Telehealth available anywhere in Connecticut. Call 860-515-8689.

Frequently Asked Questions