WHAT IS DUAL DIAGNOSIS?
No one likes to suffer and experience pain, and it’s only natural for a suffering person to seek relief from misery. A person affected by the symptoms of an untreated mental health disorder may self-medicate with addictive substances to make their symptoms easier to bear.
Meanwhile, someone who’s caught up in the brutal cycle of substance abuse can find themselves alone, separated from friends, family, and responsibility as they continue to abuse substances. Worry over their failing career, their health, and their social life can blossom into anxiety, depression, and ever more self-destructive behavior.
Both situations turn into what’s known as a dual diagnosis, the combination of a substance use disorder with a mental health disorder. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)’s 2020 annual survey found 17 million Americans had co-occurring substance use and mental disorders in 2020.
How Does The Edge Treatment Center Treat Dual Diagnosis?
A dual diagnosis isn’t always easy to determine. The symptoms of substance abuse often mimic those of mental disorders and figuring where one issue stops and another begins can be challenging. Nevertheless, addressing co-occurring conditions is necessary for a successful long-term recovery.The Edge Treatment Center is aware many people seeking recovery from drug and alcohol addiction also have co-occurring mental health issues. In recognizing this need, our licensed clinicians can tell the difference between the symptoms of substance abuse and the symptoms of mental disorders. They’re then able to create an effective, holistic treatment plan which addresses both issues at the same time.
Learning about the connections between mental health and substance use is a critical part of dual diagnosis treatment. By understanding these deep connections and how they drive each other, a person can develop better coping mechanisms as a response to addiction triggers.We also recognize dual diagnosis is more than treating substances. We help the people under our care rebuild their lives. Learning how to repair relationships damaged by addiction is key in making positive changes in a person’s life. It’s why we emphasize social connections in our treatment programs. Social support and positive relationships also help people cope with addiction cravings and avoid relapse.By addressing underlying mental health issues along with the pattern of substance abuse, we’re able to provide the best chance at a lasting recovery.
The Edge Treatment Center’s Holistic Approach To Dual Diagnosis Recovery
At The Edge Treatment Center, our staff takes a holistic approach to recovery. Our treatment focuses on a person’s mental, physical, social, and even spiritual wellbeing to help people under our care realize what life can be like without substance abuse and addiction.
Getting a person back on track to a life worth living is accomplished in a variety of ways at The Edge:
Am I At Risk Of A Dual Diagnosis?
Again, it’s not clear if substance abuse causes mental disorders, or if mental disorders cause addiction. According to the National Association on Mental Illness (NAMI), roughly one-third of people with mental illness also develop substance use disorders. For people with severe mental illness, around a half develop substance problems.
Meanwhile, NAMI also reports a third of people engaged in alcohol abuse, and over half of people with substance abuse disorders have a mental disorder as well.
Demographically speaking, NAMI says men are more likely to develop co-occurring disorders. People with other medical conditions, veterans, and those in lower-income brackets are also more likely to develop a dual diagnosis.
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