Struggling with a serious substance use disorder is hard enough, but when you also have a mental health condition, it can be even more challenging. However, it’s very common for people with drug or alcohol addiction to also have a mental health disorder. This is known as a co-occurring condition or dual diagnosis. If you are a resident of Ohio who has been told you have a dual diagnosis, it’s important to find the best treatment facility to fit your needs.
When you suffer from dual diagnosis, it can be serious. At the same time, it’s common for many people with substance use disorders to have a dual diagnosis. Once you have found the best Ohio dual diagnosis treatment center, you can have a program created that’s tailored to your personal needs based on your situation. You will get access to attentive staff personnel who can assist you whenever you need it.
What Is a Dual Diagnosis?
If you have been told you have a dual diagnosis, it means that you have a drug or alcohol addiction and a mental illness at the same time. Many people struggling with substance use disorder often don’t realize they have a dual diagnosis. However, it’s far more common than you might think as one out of every four people who have a mental illness also have a problem with drug or alcohol addiction. Dual diagnosis is a serious issue, which means it’s paramount for it to be treated properly. Not getting the right type of treatment can result in failure to become clean and sober.
Both conditions must be addressed, or it might not be possible for the individual to achieve their goal of moving past their substance use disorder. In most cases, when you have a dual diagnosis, it can take longer to complete your drug or alcohol treatment. More intensive therapy is often needed in order to get to the root of your problems. Therapy sessions are among the best ways to gain enlightenment into your addiction and why you started abusing alcohol or drugs in the first place. While your treatment might be more extensive and take longer than that provided to people without dual diagnosis, it’s well worth the sobriety you can ultimately regain.
What Does Dual Diagnosis Treatment Include?
Treatment for a dual diagnosis involves integrating both the substance use disorder and mental health condition and addressing them together instead of separately. This is known as co-occurring treatment. These types of treatments are relatively new as dual diagnosis was misunderstood a few decades ago. Individuals suffering from mental health disorders were often forced to seek help for their drug or alcohol abuse first before they could get help for their mental illness. Over time, it became clearer that many mentally ill people who had substance use disorders could not get help for one thing without also getting help for the other condition
There are a variety of options available for dual diagnosis treatment. They include the following:
- Individual, group or family therapy sessions
- Individual sessions with your own therapist
- Psychiatric assessments
- Medication management
- Access to wellness and relaxation to manage stress
- Art and music therapy
- Programs to gain important life skills
- Job coaching to find employment and effectively apply and interview for jobs
- 12 step programs
- Employment
- Housing assistance
- Anger management courses
- Random drug and alcohol testing
- Case management for medical, legal and other problems.
Why Do People with Co-Occurring Disorders Turn to Drugs and Alcohol?
People with co-occurring disorders often turn to drugs or alcohol. There are three main reasons for this, including the following:
- Inter-connected risk factors: Certain factors can bind mental health conditions with substance use disorder. People might have genetic or environmental factors that make them more likely to abuse drugs or alcohol.
- Self-medicating use: Many people with mental health disorders cannot cope with their symptoms. As a result, they might turn to drugs or alcohol to mask them. Unfortunately, this often worsens their symptoms.
- Brain changes: Drug and alcohol abuse can change the brain when people struggle with mental health conditions. Those with conditions such as anxiety disorders, depression and schizophrenia may find that substances impact their brains.
Ready to get the help you need? Get started today by calling us at 833-820-2922.