Substance use is also detrimental to our mental health. Substance use is essentially introducing certain substances to the body, whether ingesting, injecting, inhaling, or otherwise consuming. These substances can include anything from alcohol (hard liquor, beer, or wine), drugs (illegal, over-the-counter, or prescription), to tobacco or inhalants.
Notice the habit listed here isn’t just substance abuse, but substance use. That’s because any substance we introduce to the body can have an impact on us. For example, even moderate or light use of alcohol can worsen or create mental health issues. Alcohol is a depressant, and even if initially it makes a person feel less anxious or more relaxed, over time, it ends up being harmful, not helpful. Even just a little can impair your judgment and decision-making, increase impulsivity, and cause mood changes.
Drugs (even prescription or over-the-counter drugs) can worsen underlying conditions and alter the brain’s chemistry, impacting dopamine and serotonin.
Tobacco can increase anxiety, tension, and depression, while inhalants (whether vaping or abusing household chemicals) can change the way your brain communicates with other parts of your body, leading to mental health problems.
In 1 Peter 5:8, we’re urged, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”
Substance use, even if it’s not abuse, can impact our ability to be sober-minded, ultimately giving the devil a foothold and leading to mental health problems.
Related Resource: He Relapsed After 5 Years of Sobriety: Jeramy Houghton on Obedience, Pride, and Honest Surrender
“I got prideful. I was like, ‘I’m never going to drink again.’ And then all of a sudden… it looked really good.” This conversation with Jeramy Houghton is a reminder that recovery is rarely clean or linear. Jeramy shares how naming his desire out loud before acting on it changed everything, exposing unresolved family pain and leading to difficult but necessary boundaries. His story isn’t about perfection or permanence. It’s about humility, obedience, and the kind of freedom in Christ that keeps inviting deeper truth long after sobriety begins. If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction, share this podcast or follow Confessions of a Christian Alcoholic on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/AleksandrYu
