Dual Diagnosis Treatment
Are you or someone you love dealing with the negative effects of mental health disorders and addiction? We provide a number of medical and therapeutic treatments to help you manage your addiction and mental-wellbeing. Book a free telephone assessment with one of our counsellors today to see how we can help you recover.
The Connection Between Substance Abuse and Mental Health
As soon as you have both an addiction problem as well as a mental health problem like depression or anxiety, it is called a co-occurring disorder or dual diagnosis. Tackling an addiction is quite challenging, and it can be even tougher when you are also fighting issues related to your mental health.
In dual diagnosis, both the mental health as well as the substance addiction have their own inimitable symptoms that will get within the way of your ability to function normally at work or school, uphold a stable home life, overcoming the challenges of life as well as connecting with others. What makes this more complicated, the dual diagnosis also tend to affect one another. The minute a mental health problem goes untreated, the substance addiction problem usually gets worse. For instance, when alcohol addiction increases, mental health dilemmas typically surge as well.
Dual diagnosis happens more often and is more common than many realise.
Which occurred first: Substance abuse or the Mental Health Problem?
Substance abuse and mental health ailments such as depression and anxiety are meticulously connected, even though one does not essentially directly form a basis for the other. Overusing substances for instance cannabis or methamphetamine can cause continued psychotic episodes, whereas alcohol can worsen symptoms related to depression and anxiety.
Alcohol and Drugs are often Used to Self-medicate the Warning Signs of Mental Health Issues
Individuals frequently misuse alcohol or drugs to numb the indicators of an underlying mental disorder, to manage with problematic emotional reactions, or to momentarily alter their mood. Sadly, self-medicating with drugs or alcohol has certain side effects and ultimately, ever so often, deteriorates the symptoms they originally helped to relieve.
Substance Abuse can Intensify the Underlying Danger for Mental Health Problems
While mental health difficulties are triggered by a complex interchange of genetics, the environment as well as numerous other factors, it is tough to determine whether misusing substances always directly causes them. Nevertheless, if you are in danger of suffering from a mental health problem, misusing alcohol or drugs may cause an irreparable emotional breakdown. For instance, there is some indication that those who abuse opioid painkillers are at larger risk of suffering from depression while excessive cannabis use has been associated with an increased risk of anxiety.
Alcohol and Drug Abuse Can Worsen Mental Health Related Problems
Substance abuse may abruptly intensify symptoms related to a mental ailment or even cause different symptoms. Abuse of alcohol or drugs may also interrelate with medicines for instance antidepressants, anxiety medications, and mood stabilisers. This can render them less effective at dealing with symptoms and postponing your recovery.
Recognising a dual diagnosis
It may be tough to recognise a dual diagnosis. It takes a while to flesh out what could be a mental health issue and what may well be a drug or alcohol problem.
The warning signs and indications likewise differ depending on both the mental health issue in addition to the type of substance which is abused. Regardless of whether it is alcohol, recreational drugs, or prescribed medicines. For instance, the indicating factors of depression and cannabis abuse could look very different from the signs of schizophrenia and alcohol abuse. However, there are some general warning signs that you may suffer from a dual diagnosis:
Ask Yourself the Following
- Do you use alcohol or drugs to manage with unkind reminiscences or a negative emotional state, to regulate pain or the severity of your moods, to face a status quo that upsets you, or to remain attentive to tasks?
- Have you observed an association between your substance use and your mental health? For example, do you get unhappy as soon as you start drinking? Do you drink as soon as you are feeling anxious or overwhelmed by unkind memories?
- Has someone in your family dealt with any mental health issues or alcohol or drug abuse?
- Do you feel miserable, nervous, or out of balance despite being sober?
- Have you ever been assessed for any addiction or a possible mental health problem?
- Has the substance abuse treatment perhaps failed as a result of difficulties from your mental health issue or the other way around?
Treating a dual diagnosis
The best treatment for co-occurring disorders is an integrated approach, where both the substance abuse problem and the mental disorder are treated simultaneously. Whether your mental health or substance abuse problem came first, long-term recovery depends on getting treatment for both disorders by the same treatment provider or team. Depending on your specific issues:
Treatment for your mental health problem may include medication, individual or group counselling, self-help measures, lifestyle changes, and peer support.
Treatment for your substance abuse may include detoxification, managing of withdrawal symptoms, behavioural therapy, and support groups to help maintain your sobriety.
The Providence Projects can provide dual diagnosis treatment for both depression and/or anxiety, speak to our trained addiction specialists today to learn more.
Why Choose Us?
The Providence Projects are an experienced addiction treatment centre with over 25 years of experience. We believe that recovery should be focused around the individual and their individual needs. Treatment for both addiction and depression/anxiety includes the following:
- Treatment addresses both the substance abuse problem and your mental health problem.
- You share in the decision-making process and are actively involved in setting goals and developing strategies for change.
- Treatment includes educational workshops about your disorder and related problems.
- You are taught healthy coping skills and strategies to minimise substance abuse, strengthen your relationships, and cope with life’s stressors, challenges, and upset.
Here at the Providence Projects, we provide a holistic approach to treating both addiction and depression/anxiety in 4 simple steps.
assessment
admissions
detox (if required)
rehab programme
Start your recovery today!
Helping a loved one with a dual diagnosis
Helping someone with both a substance abuse and a mental health problem can be a roller coaster. Resistance to treatment is common and the road to recovery can be long.
The best way to help someone is to accept what you can and cannot do. You cannot force someone to remain sober, nor can you make someone take their medication or keep appointments. What you can do is make positive choices for yourself, encourage your loved one to get help, and offer your support while making sure you don’t lose yourself in the process.
Alternatively, give our friendly team a call to discuss your current situation so we can offer you support and guidance during this difficult time.
