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What is a Dual Diagnosis?
A dual diagnosis, also known as co-occurring disorders, describes a person who has a mental illness and co-occurring substance abuse problem.
Those who suffer from both a drug or alcohol addiction as well as a mental health disorder face unique challenges in their quest for sobriety. Unlike those who only deal with addiction, individuals with dual diagnosis disorders have to remain abstinent from drugs and alcohol while also treating their mental health conditions with the help of a professional. This can be difficult to achieve, but it is not impossible.
There are many support groups and resources available for dually diagnosed individuals, and with the right dual diagnosis treatment programs, long-term recovery is possible. If you or someone you know is facing this challenge, know that help is available and sobriety is possible.
AToN Center, in San Diego, is ready to step in and help treat co-occurring disorders. Our combination of holistic healing practices and evidence-based therapies treat both mental illness and substance use disorder so that all our patients start their healing off on the right path.
HOW DUAL DIAGNOSIS AFFECTS MENTAL HEALTH
Mental illness is a complex and often misunderstood condition. Many people who suffer from mental health conditions do not know that they have a problem. They have become so accustomed to living with their condition, that they may be in denial that it even exists. Others may be diagnosed by a mental health professional.
In either case, those who live with a mental illness experience at least some debilitating symptoms. Mental illness can cause problems with thinking, feeling, and behaving. It can lead to difficulties in school or work, in relationships, and in caring for oneself. Mental illnesses are common, but they are treatable.
Here are some examples of mental illness:
- Nightmares (especially common from PTSD)
- Withdrawal from important relationships (isolation)
- Hallucinations or delusions
- Extreme mood swings
- Depression
- Anxiety disorders
- Insomnia
- Psychosis
SYMPTOMS OF CO-OCCURRING DISORDERS
On top of having one of the above mental illnesses, having a co-occurring disorder means, quite literally, that two things occur together. When it comes to addiction, having a co-occurring disorder means that a substance use disorder – such as alcoholism, opiate addiction, etc. – occurs alongside the mental health issue.
Substance use disorders that can co-occur alongside mental health disorders are:
- Alcohol use disorder (alcoholism)
- Opioid uses disorder (AKA opiate use disorder)
- Meth use disorder
- Stimulant use disorder
- Sedative use disorder
- And more
However, to get a dual diagnosis, at the AToN Center, we look for the following symptoms:
1. Using a dependency on substances to cope with a mental health disorder, or vice versa. This is also known as self-medicating.
2. Either or both the substance use disorder and mental health disorder worsening over time.
It should be worth noting that on average, about half of the people who struggle with substance use disorder will, at some point, experience mental illness. This means that dual diagnoses should be a lot more common than they are actually diagnosed.
CO-OCCURRING DISORDER RISKS
Recovering addicts with an untreated co-occurring mental health disorder may have an increased risk of relapse. Suffering from a mental health condition can impact the behavioral health of a recovering individual.
If substance abuse treatment facilities only treat the physical effects of addiction, that leaves the underlying disorder able to interrupt their patient’s path to wellness. Dual diagnosis treatment centers are able to tackle both a patient’s substance abuse and mental health issues, especially because these often overlap.
Depression and addiction, for example, have several things in common, including:
- Loss of interest in activities
- Fatigue most of the time
- Feelings of hopelessness
- Reckless behavior
- Irritability
AToN Center understands that the treatment of co-occurring disorders is necessary for a successful addiction recovery. Our luxury residential treatment program in San Diego is equip with everything an individual with a dual diagnosis will need on their path to wellness.
OUR SAN DIEGO TREATMENT OPTIONS FOR DUAL DIAGNOSIS
For many people struggling with addiction, it can be difficult to determine which came first: the substance abuse or the mental health symptom. In some cases, it may be a combination of the two. This is why it is so important to make sure individuals have access to care for all aspects of their health, both mental and physical.
At AToN Center, we have found it essential to use a holistic approach in which mental health treatment is a vital part of an individualized recovery plan. Our approach addresses the whole person, not just the addiction, and we have seen firsthand how effective this can be in helping people achieve long-term sobriety.
This holistic approach will coincide with a clinical approach that we’ll use to treat both the mental health disorder and the substance abuse disorder. The evidenced-based treatments that we offer are:
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)
- Trauma-informed care
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR)
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
We’ll work to pair these with holistic treatment programs. Among these are the following:
- Yoga Therapy
- Massage Therapy
- Stress Reduction Therapy
- Stimulant usaAcupuncturee disorder
- Hypnotherapy
- And more
LUXURY ADDICTION RECOVERY IN SAN DIEGO
The AToN Center is the only inpatient treatment center in San Diego that doesn’t cut any corners when it comes to your addiction recovery process. Our drug rehab facility will provide you or a loved one with every tool they need to start their healing process.
We understand that there’s more than one way to begin the journey through recovery from drug addiction, which is why we offer many different treatment options. We always make sure to match our treatment program to the individual, and not the other way around.
Here on the sunny hills of San Diego, we welcome all of our guests to partake in holistic healing practices to mend their body, mind, and spirit. Call the AToN Center today to see if you can take a tour of our gorgeous facilities, or fill out a form and one of our specialists will reach out to see how we can help.