Do you use drugs or alcohol as a way to cope with your post-traumatic stress disorder or bipolar disorder? Or, perhaps, you started to feel depression and anxiety more readily after you started using drugs or alcohol. In these cases, you may have co-occurring disorders. If so, there’s a very real importance of dual diagnosis treatment you need to understand. At Recovery Ranch PA, we offer you a treatment that includes care for both of your needs. Doing so lowers the risk of relapse and heals individuals from the disease of addiction both mentally and physically.
What Is Dual Diagnosis Treatment?
Dual diagnosis treatment is a therapy plan aimed at treating both addiction and mental illness at the same time. Because drug and alcohol addiction and mental illness go hand-in-hand, it’s not possible to treat one without the other and see long-term benefits. Dual diagnosis treatment creates a single treatment plan to address both concerns, giving you the best path forward. Often, individuals will start to abuse substances to alleviate the discomfort or pain they’re experiencing because of an underlying mental health issue. Frequently, individuals aren’t aware they have a mental health issue like depression, anxiety disorder, or PTSD. Instead, they only realize they are in pain, and using drugs or alcohol makes that pain go away. Unfortunately, this is only temporary. Soon individuals find themselves in an addictive cycle needing to abuse substances and still suffering from their mental health issue.
What Is the Importance of Dual Diagnosis Treatment?
When a person struggles with co-occurring disorders like this, treatment for one or the other isn’t enough. You need to find the help that manages both components at the same time. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Drug and alcohol use can trigger a predisposition for mental illness in people with no symptoms of it prior.
- Many people with mental health conditions use alcohol to self-medicate.
- Drugs are often used as a way to manage psychological struggles.
- Treating drug abuse without addressing mental illness can increase relapse likelihood.
- Managing mental illness without dealing with addiction leads to relapse very often.
Another important aspect to understand is that you can’t do this on your own. If you try to stop using drugs or alcohol, you’ll still have to manage the mental health condition. And, stopping the addiction itself does not automatically make mental illness go away.
What Goes into a Dual Diagnosis Treatment Program?
When you understand the importance of dual diagnosis treatment, it’s possible to begin on a path of treatment. At Recovery Ranch PA, we’ll help you along that path with comprehensive care and support. Your treatment plan is always specialized to your needs. However, it may include:
- Inpatient drug and alcohol treatment
- Detox drug treatment for severe addiction
- Dialectical behavioral therapy
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy
- PTSD treatment programs
- Bipolar disorder treatment
- Anxiety treatment
- Depression treatment
In each situation, our goal is to create a way for you to heal. We do this by providing a comprehensive assessment of your mental health and drug and alcohol addiction. For some people, residential treatment with detox is the first step. Once you gain mental clarity after detox, we can begin working on the underlying cause of your addiction. This may include medication management to help you with mental health needs. It may include trauma care. In every case, it is a program designed to address what’s happening to you and why.
There’s Help Available at Recovery Ranch PA
Recognizing the importance of dual diagnosis treatment is just the first step in getting the help you need. At Recovery Ranch PA, we provide you with a wide range of treatment options aimed at empowering you to heal and overcome both your addiction and mental health needs. Learn more about the treatment available by calling 717.969.9126 today.
