Almost 50% of people with a substance use disorder are also suffering from a mental health issue and may require rehab for dual diagnosis to treat all co-occurring disorders as a means of eventually experiencing complete recovery. Individuals battling on two fronts will require a mental health treatment plan in a dual diagnosis treatment capable of addressing both disorders. If you are struggling with depression, anxiety, or another mental health concern and have turned to drugs or alcohol to cope, don’t hesitate to find an alumni program that can care for you and effectively treat your co-occurring disorders.
What Are Co-occurring Disorders?
A person with co-occurring disorders has an alcohol and/or drug use disorder and at least one significant and co-occurring mental health issue that will need to be treated simultaneously to foster a complete recovery. It is common for these conditions to occur together and be treated through rehab for dual diagnosis. It is so common that half of those suffering from a mental disorder have struggled with at one point in their life, or are currently battling, an addiction to drugs or alcohol. Long-term dual diagnosis treatment is a proven method of concurrently addressing the co-occurring disorders you are facing.
The Benefits of Rehab for Dual Diagnosis
Mental health issues and a drug or alcohol addiction each have their own unique set of causes and effects which may be impacting your life at home, the workplace, and how you handle relationships and act in social situations. Unfortunately, many of these co-occurring disorders work in concert to amplify the negativity you are experiencing in your daily life. Without professional addiction treatment therapies, the substance abuse problem will likely worsen. Additionally, as substance use intensifies, your underlying mental health struggles usually get more dangerous. Long-term dual diagnosis treatment will work to uncover underlying mental health issues, past trauma, and current negative emotions through compassionate care from medical professionals.
Co-Occurring Disorders Are More Common Than You Think
The mental health problems commonly co-occurring with an addiction to drugs and alcohol include:
- Depression
- Bipolar disorder
- Anxiety
A dual diagnosis treatment and addiction treatment programs are capable of helping the millions of individuals that are impacted every day because substance abuse is intrinsically tied to mental health. The number of people suffering and in need of dual diagnosis treatment is actually quite staggering:
- Approximately half of all U.S. adults suffering from severe mental health disorders are also affected by substance use disorder
- Over one-third of those addicted to alcohol, and more than half of the people who abuse drugs regularly, have at least one mental illness that requires dual diagnosis in order to enjoy a full recovery.
- Approximately 30-percent of all adults who have been diagnosed as mentally ill also have an alcohol or drug abuse issue. Sober houses are one place to help these individuals safely transition from dual diagnosis treatment back into their home environment.
It takes a lot of physical and mental energy to battle your body’s dependence on drugs and your mind’s unrelenting negativity. You may think that life is unfair and your future is bleak, at best. Rehab for dual diagnosis may be one method of getting the help you need and deserve.
What Happens During Long Term Dual Diagnosis Treatment
A long-term dual diagnosis treatment program will dig deep into your past experiences to uncover any trauma you may have suffered and understand your complete personal history to get at the root of your mental health and addiction co-occurring disorders. The signs and symptoms of these issues can vary from person to person, depending on the specific mental health issue and addictive substance disorder. Still, long-term dual diagnosis treatment by a professional staff in a safe, comfortable facility might make all the difference in your present and for your future.
There are numerous commonalities in the way depression, anxiety, and drug addiction can look, including:
- A reliance on drugs or alcohol to cope with trauma or intense emotions
- Using drugs or alcohol to manage physical pain
- Drinking alcohol thereby causing a deeper depression
- Feeling depressed or anxious even when sober
- Drinking alcohol because of anxiety
- A family history of mental health disorders and/or substance abuse
- Relapsing because mental health issues were not addressed through dual diagnosis treatment
With mental health treatment, there is hope. Get the help you deserve today.
