Treatment for Co-Occurring Addiction & Mental Health Disorders
Treating co-occurring disorders (also known as dual diagnosis treatment) is a newer development. We used to treat either mental illness or addiction first, but research has shown that the most effective treatment program is the one that treats both simultaneously. Mental illness and substance abuse often go hand-in-hand. Sometimes a mental health disorder is what leads to addiction, but an addiction can create a mental health disorder as well.
For example, someone with a mood disorder might use to self-medicate the adverse effects of their fluctuating mood, but then build a tolerance to the substance they are using to self-medicate and then the use escalates into addiction. Or perhaps, someone without a mental illness, self-medicates physical pain and builds tolerance and then their use escalates to addiction and as a result of addiction, they pick up certain personality or attachment habits which then develop into a mental health disorder.
In addition, our treatment focus is trauma-informed. What this means is that we look at our patients through the lens of what happened to them that led them to these maladaptive coping behaviors such as addiction. Most people who have an addiction aren’t even aware that they may be numbing psychological pain from an event or series of traumatic experiences as old as even childhood.
According to SAMHSA, “Individual trauma results from an event, series of events, or set of circumstances experienced by an individual as physically or emotionally harmful or life-threatening with lasting adverse effects on the individual’s functioning and mental, physical, social, emotional, or spiritual well-being”. Some traumas can be more obvious those are typically physical, verbal, or sexual violence. But when it comes to emotional neglect or abandonment in childhood, this type of trauma can be “death by a thousand cuts”. We are aware that unresolved or unprocessed trauma can result in adult patients responding to old stimuli.
Our clinical team is prepared to bring what may be in the shadows but still influencing present-day behaviors and reactions into the light and finding new ways to work through the pain. Through trauma approaches such as eye-movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), parts and memories, and somatic therapies, we provide a safe space to be able to create long-lasting positive changes for our patients.
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Symptoms of a Dual Diagnosis
It’s not always easy to differentiate the symptoms of mental illness from addiction. The symptoms of addiction are similar to those of mental illness, but that does not always mean that both conditions are present. Dual diagnosis is something that can only be confirmed by a professional, but there are some signs that you can use as an indicator.
Signs of a dual diagnosis include:
- Using drugs or alcohol to deal with stress, depression, or anxiety
- Previous history with mental health problems
- The thought of quitting brings up thoughts of suicide or self-harm
- Using substances prevents you from remembering traumatic events
- You only feel “normal” when using substances
- A history of mental illness in your family
Dual diagnosis is very common. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, nearly half of all people with a substance abuse problem suffer from a co-occurring mental disorder. Make sure your care team is providing the comprehensive care you or your loved one need.
How to Treat It
Both addiction and mental health disorders should be treated at the same time. Without addressing the underlying mental health problem, a recovering addict has a greater risk of relapse. At The Nestled Recovery Center, our providers treat the addiction, mental health disorder, and the underlying trauma beneath these.
At our 10-bed residential facility, patients have access to both psychotherapies and experiential therapies. These programs help them address the mental challenges of addiction and find new ways to enjoy life. We only have a few residential patients at a time so that everyone can receive the dedicated, personalized attention they need.
For more information about dual diagnosis treatment in Las Vegas, call (702) 299-6406 or contact us online today.
