Dual Diagnosis

Dual Diagnosis

Causes Of Substance Abuse & Mental Health Issues

On the other hand, an individual who is battling a SUD may start to show signs of a mental illness. These mental disorders, as well as addiction, may interact with environmental and genetic influences.

Mental Health Disorders Often Seen With Substance Abuse

According to the American Medical Association, around 50% of people with severe mental disorders are affected by substance abuse. Additionally, of those diagnosed with a mental condition, about 30% use either drugs or alcohol. Some common mental health disorders that are seen along with substance abuse include:

• Anxiety: Trouble concentrating and breathing, feeling on edge, headaches, tiredness, irritable, muscle tension.
• Depression: Loss of interest in usual things, weight changes, lack of energy, feeling useless and hopeless.
• Bipolar Disorder:  Extremely irritable, feeling euphoric, increased energy, rapid speech and thoughts, impulsiveness, anger.

Possible Signs And Symptoms

Possible signs that indicated someone might have a mental illness and substance abuse problem include:

Dual Diagnosis

At Healthy Life Recovery, dual diagnosis treatment begins with addressing a patient’s drug or alcohol abuse as well as the underlying mental illness. Then, a detox process is needed to clear the body of all substances. Following a successful detox program, inpatient rehabilitation or a sober living home is typically the biggest factor in the treatment process. A safe, supportive environment helps eliminate any temptations during treatment and increases the odds for long-term recovery. 

Psychotherapy is another successful part of integrated treatment. This allows the individual to explore the idea of what causes their difficulties and how to overcome them. There are individual or group therapy options to learn coping skills that will help the person achieve recovery. In some cases, medication-assisted treatment (MAT) can be beneficial for mental health issues.

Possible therapiesinvolved in treatment include:

• Coping skills and strategies to minimize or stop substance abuse
• Basic education on mental disorder and related problems
• Learning strategies for change and decision-making 
• Identifying what provokes substance abuse
• Social skills training to strengthen relationships

Transitional care is the next step. This can include outpatient rehab, where an individual can still receive care outside of a rehabilitation center. Making the transition to outpatient rehab is extremely important in the success of recovering from addiction and mental health issues.

Dual Diagnosis Outpatient Rehab

At Healthy Life Recovery, we make sure the addiction treatment you receive addresses both conditions in order for a successful recovery. Our rehab facility in San Diego provides a safe and caring environment to overcome your problems and live a fulfilling life. Become independent and end the battle with substance abuse and mental health issues by giving us a call today.