Perhaps the only thing more challenging to overcome than substance use disorder are mental health conditions. Unfortunately, it’s very common for both of these conditions, addiction, and mental issues, to happen simultaneously. When these conditions overlap, treatment professionals refer to it as a co-occurring disorder. Often, individuals are unaware they have an underlying mental health issue prompting their substance abuse. Likewise, when individuals abuse drugs or alcohol, they greatly increase their risk of developing a depressive or anxiety disorder. To heal and recover, they need to have both conditions treated simultaneously in a dual diagnosis treatment program.
What Is Dual Diagnosis Treatment?
Dual diagnosis treatment is often used interchangeably with co-occurring disorder treatment. It describes a situation where an individual is abusing drugs or alcohol while at the same time having a mental health condition. Some common mental health issues include depression, anxiety, and PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder).
It is a challenging condition because it can be very difficult to determine which occurred first, the substance abuse or mental health issue. However, dual diagnosis treatment looks beyond this question focusing instead on how to best address each in the present so a client can heal and recover.
When dealing with dual diagnosis, the addiction and mental health issue form a symbiotic relationship. This means that to heal from either, both need to be treated at the same time. If only one aspect is addressed, individuals will likely relapse, and their condition will worsen. Some other common mental health issues associated with addiction include:
- ADHD
- Bipolar disorder
- Eating disorders, like bulimia and anorexia nervosa
- Borderline personality disorder
While symptoms will vary from individual to individual depending on the substance abused and mental health conditions being confronted, there are some common symptoms of co-occurring disorders. For example, individuals should be on the lookout for:
- Changes in behavior, sleep, or appetite
- Drastic mood changes that are often unpredictable
- Frequent obsession with the substance
- Severe anxiety or depression
- Neglecting responsibilities at home or work
- Denial or refusing to address the problems
With the proper dual diagnosis treatment, individuals with co-occurring disorders can recover and regain control of their life.
How We Treat Co-Occurring Disorders
After a thorough assessment of both a client’s substance abuse and their mental health, our team of experts establishes what disorder individuals face and the appropriate program. We work alongside our clients to address addiction and set up mental health treatment to target their specific needs.
Our approach may incorporate medication-assisted treatment or a holistic approach. No matter what, individuals in dual diagnosis treatment get the specialized attention they need to meet their unique issues. As our counselor and therapists progress with treatment, we work with clients to adjust their treatment for the best results. Our therapeutic services allow clients to learn how to develop healthy coping mechanisms and resist self-medicating. Individuals learn to recognize their triggers and how best to avoid, neutralize, or overcome them. This lays the foundation for relapse prevention, improving an individual’s conflict resolution skills, communication ability, and how to go about repairing relationships, both professional and personal.
Sunlight Medical Services
We understand that every client who comes to us at Sunlight Medical Services has the power to take control of their life back from substance use disorder or overcome and heal from mental health issues. We offer a variety of addiction treatment programs such as:
We also provide extensive mental health treatment in the form of:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy program
- Dialectical behavior therapy program
- Group counseling
- Individual counseling
These programs help patients recover and get back to living their best life. So contact us today at 855.920.1104 to learn more.
