Mental Illness Statistics and the Impact on Addiction

Mental illness can lead to addiction as a way to try to cope with the symptoms of anxiety or depression. Co-occurring disorders are common, and this is why treatment for dual diagnosis has developed. When you receive treatment for dual diagnosis from The Ranch PA, you are able to get addiction treatment and support for mental illness conditions at the same time. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, and mental illness statistics, 20.2 million adults had a substance use disorder in 2014. Out of those 20.2 million, 7.9 million also had a mental health disorder. It is common to need treatment for dual diagnosis, and recovery that focuses on addiction and any other mental health diagnoses at the same time.

Treatment For Addiction With Alcohol Use Disorder

In 2017, roughly 6.5% of adults diagnosed with alcohol use disorder received treatment for the addiction. The total number of people diagnosed with alcohol use disorder in 2017 was 14.1 million people. Mental illness statistics may not show the whole picture, as many people who are diagnosed with an addiction do not seek treatment right away. While those who are in treatment may be diagnosed with a mental illness, it can be difficult to determine how many people have an addiction and secondary mental illness going on. Treatment can help:

• Determine if there is an underlying mental illness and what needs to be treated
• Provide support to withdraw from substances safely
• Educate the person receiving care about addiction and mental health needs
• Get to the root cause of the addiction and come up with a treatment plan that works

Alcohol use disorder often goes undiagnosed because many people don’t believe they have a problem with alcohol. For those who abuse alcohol, the behavior is often socially acceptable. Professionals expect that the number of people who have an addiction to alcohol is much higher than statistics currently show.

Dual Diagnosis Treatment and Recovery

Many drug and alcohol treatment programs offer help in the form of dual diagnosis care. What this means is that the individual will have a service plan that addresses their addiction and their mental health needs. While in recovery, it may be difficult to differentiate where symptoms are coming from. Withdrawal can cause anxiety and depression, as can a mental illness that is not being addressed. Once detox is complete, it is possible to continue to get support for anxiety, depression and other mental health needs throughout your care.

Finding Treatment For Long Term Success

With mental illness statistics only show a glimpse of what is going on for those in recovery, it is important to focus on your own needs for long term success. Mental illness statistics are incomplete, as many people who need treatment never seek it out. When you need help for addiction and you aren’t sure if you have a mental health diagnosis, it’s important to get started on the process. Treatment for your addiction can include:

• Medically-assisted detox to withdraw from drugs or alcohol under supervision
• Short-term rehabilitation to get a better understanding of your mental health needs
• Long term rehabilitation when you are not ready to return to the community
• Rehab Aftercare options such as working with an individual therapist to address patterns of behavior that are not useful

You can recover from an addiction, even when you have a mental illness that requires additional support.

Treatment for Addiction Now

Find the help you need to stop abusing drugs or alcohol. When mental illness makes your recovery harder, it’s time to get the dual diagnosis help you deserve. Contact The Ranch PA at 717.969.9126 and see how we can help you find your sobriety.