A dual diagnosis treatment program addresses the needs of co-occurring disorders. Mental health issues like depression and substance use disorder or addiction frequently happen together. To seek recovery for either, though, requires getting simultaneous treatment for both. Since not all rehab facilities provide dual diagnosis treatment, you need to know why this service is critical for recovery if you have co-occurring disorders. Harmony Hills is here to help you learn about which treatment program is best for you.
Who Needs a Dual Diagnosis Treatment Program?
Dual diagnosis treatment is best for those who show symptoms of a mental health disorder and experience an addiction to drugs or alcohol. Anyone with a substance use disorder should receive an evaluation for mental illnesses to determine if they should find a basic rehab facility or one that provides treatment for dual diagnosis.
Mental health problems tend to accompany addictions, and addictions can sprout from mental disorders. Some substance use disorders have mental illnesses as risk factors. Using drugs or alcohol in the presence of a mental disorder can make the psychiatric problem worse. But, those who have both diagnosed and subclinical levels of mental illness may use substances improperly as a way to self-medicate.
Though medication works in many ways for those who have psychiatric illnesses, the drugs used must treat the imbalance in brain chemistry for a particular problem. Therefore, using illegal or legal substances to treat yourself without guidance from a doctor may worsen the problem instead of helping it. Many substances impact areas of the brain that also have connections to mental health conditions. When taking drugs or alcohol, the brain experiences physical changes that make addiction more likely. These changes can also worsen existing mental disorders or make subclinical problems reach a level to require a diagnosis.
Instead of self-medicating to help a mental problem, you can get treatment for both through a dual diagnosis program at a mental health treatment center.
What Happens During a Dual Diagnosis Treatment Program?
During a dual diagnosis program, the treatment includes methods that help you to fight the addiction and to find mental health. The specific treatment aspects of the program will differ, depending on the type of mental illness you experience and the substances you struggled with using.
For example, if you experienced an opioid addiction and depression, you may need medication-assisted treatment during detox to physically recover from stopping the drugs. Plus, you may need antidepressants or similar medications to help balance your brain’s chemistry. Medication helps to correct the physical changes that happen in your brain. When you take the right medicine, you will have a better chance of success with recovery.
After a detox center program, you may undergo behavioral therapy. Individual counseling can help you to learn about how you react to stresses and find ways of healthier coping. Support groups may give you tips for living life in recovery. Moreover, they help you to not feel alone during the process.
Why Care of Co-Occurring Issues at the Same Time Is Vital to Recovery
Caring for both co-occurring issues at once is the key to recovery. If a facility fails to help you with your psychiatric disorder, you may experience an addiction relapse after leaving. If you don’t get help with the addiction, you may find that your mental health worsens from the drug use.
Getting care for both is vital to ensuring that your recovery is complete.
Harmony Hills Offers Treatment Programs for Dual Diagnosis in FL
Whether you have an existing mental illness or experience symptoms without a formal diagnosis, Harmony Hills can help. By focusing on scientific treatment methods, we can help those with co-occurring disorders to find relief. Phone us to find out more by calling 855.494.0357. You can connect with someone who will tell you about our various levels of care, including:
- Residential treatment services
- Partial hospitalization program (PHP)
- Intensive outpatient program (IOP)
With our facility’s experts and comprehensive mental health treatment therapies, you can get the help that you need to recover from the conditions that you currently suffer from.
