What Is the Best Treatment for Dual Diagnosis?

What Is the Best Treatment for Dual Diagnosis?

The best treatment for dual diagnosis addresses both addiction and any co-occurring mental health disorders simultaneously. Substance use disorders often occur with an underlying mental health issue that might cause addiction. Additionally, substance and alcohol abuse can worsen pre-existing conditions. 

By getting the best dual diagnosis treatment, you can improve your chances of success in sobriety and long-term addiction recovery.

What Is a Dual Diagnosis?

A dual diagnosis means that you have both a mental health and substance use disorder. Dual diagnoses are common, as many people use drugs or alcohol to “self-medicate” underlying mental health issues, like trauma, depression, or anxiety. 

According to MedlinePlus, “About half of people who have a mental disorder will also have a substance use disorder at some point in their lives and vice versa. The interactions of the two conditions can worsen both.”

Mental health and substance use disorders frequently co-occur due to similar risk factors present in both disorders. For example, a person growing up in an abusive household with parents addicted to drugs might develop a trauma disorder and also be genetically predisposed to developing an addiction. 

In addition, drugs and alcohol can worsen mental health disorders or prevent you from developing healthy coping skills for stress. When you rely on substances to manage any adverse events in life, your brain doesn’t develop in a healthy manner. You might rely on substances or alcohol to cope with any life issues or regulate your emotions, which is called “self-medicating.”

What Is ‘Self-Medicating’?

If you have a dual diagnosis, you might be self-medicating for an underlying mental health condition. Many mental health disorders like depression or anxiety can be treated with psychiatric medication, therapy, and holistic approaches. Self-medicating is a maladaptive coping mechanism and can be replaced with healthy practices; ones that do not cause more issues than they resolve.

You might use drugs or alcohol to lessen your symptoms of a mental health disorder. However, unlike getting prescription psychiatric drugs, you do not have the guidance of a professional to properly treat symptoms. You can also develop a dependency on drugs or alcohol or get into legal issues from reckless behaviors that might occur while under the influence.

Many might self-medicate because they were not taught how to manage stress or do not know how to reach out for help. The negative stigma of mental health issues might cause feelings of shame, preventing you from getting the help you need. You might turn to substances or alcohol to mask your problems, numb emotional pain, or regulate your emotions. 

Why Do I Need to Treat Both Addiction and Mental Health?

You might wonder which disorder is essential to treat first. Those with substance use disorders often believe that they can treat one issue, and the other issue will go away. For example, you might think that if you get sober, then your depression will simply dissipate. Additionally, you might believe that treating underlying trauma means that you can still use substances recreationally.

However, since substance abuse and mental health issues are co-occurring, you don’t know which began first or how one impacts the other. You can’t just treat one or the other and expect to overcome your addiction fully. Getting sober without addressing mental health could lead to developing behavioral addictions, like gambling or excessive shopping. 

In other words, you get sober, but nothing else changes or improves in your life.

You might also not truly understand your emotions or state of mental health due to substance abuse. Once you go through detox and get sober, you might realize that drugs and alcohol were your way of coping with issues. Uncomfortable feelings and emotions can arise during sobriety, and if you don’t address these properly, you could be vulnerable to relapsing and repeating the cycle of addiction.

What Are the Therapeutic Approaches for Dual Diagnosis?

The therapeutic approaches for dual diagnosis can depend upon your needs and preferences during treatment. Some therapies work better for different mental health disorders, and some substances require unique approaches depending on your level of addiction.  

Dual diagnosis treatment might include some of the following approaches:

  • Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) to help ease both physical and psychological symptoms of withdrawal during detox. Some medications help to keep you calm during withdrawal, while others help prevent relapse from alcohol or opioid use disorder.
  • Individual therapy might use a modality like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT). Specialized treatment, like eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), can help treat co-occurring trauma disorders.
  • Group therapy allows you to learn from peers dealing with similar substance abuse or mental health issues. These sessions are facilitated by a trained clinician and give you the space to practice new coping skills with your peers.
  • Peer support groups can help you connect with others who also have a dual diagnosis. Many peer support groups are free and easily accessible throughout your entire recovery journey.
  • Family therapy helps you reconnect and heal one of your main pillars of support. Addiction and mental health issues can impact the entire family.
  • Holistic approaches can help you learn alternative ways to cope with mental health and addiction. You can use healthy habits, like breathwork, meditation, and exercise, to enhance your treatment plan.

Dual Diagnosis Treatment in Denver 

Addiction often co-occurs with an underlying mental health disorder. Treating both disorders at the same time is known as dual diagnosis treatment. The best treatment for dual diagnosis includes multiple therapies to address all areas of your health and well-being. Continuum Recovery Center of Colorado offers effective treatment for your dual diagnosis with our comprehensive outpatient services. Call us or visit our admissions page to discover your unique treatment solution today.