Dual Diagnosis Treatment in Prescott

Why Is Dual Diagnosis Important?

There are a lot of people who get a detox, attend rehab, and feel like they’re making progress. They successfully complete a program and resume life as usual. Then, when something happens that they struggle to cope with, they relapse. Although there are other risk factors for relapse, which we’ll discuss in detail later on, an undiagnosed mental health condition is a leading cause.

Mental health conditions are the result of a complex mixture of genetics and responses to traumatic or unusual events. Almost 1 in 5 people in the United States has experienced a mental health issue, making it more common than many people realize.

People with a dual diagnosis are more likely to struggle with their emotions and have deeply ingrained negative self-beliefs. This puts them at a higher risk for relapse if those feelings are not addressed and managed by a mental health professional.

Do Mental Health Issues Cause Addiction?

Even though there isn’t a direct causational effect between mental health issues and addiction, they are major risk factors for each other. Someone with mental health issues is more likely to turn to drugs and alcohol if a symptom of their condition is impulsivity, low self-esteem, anxiety, or depression.

Impulsivity makes it difficult for them to resist temptation or to realize that the positive effects of excessive drinking or drug use are outweighed by the negative. Plus, substance abuse can numb the difficult emotions someone with a mental health condition experiences.

Over time, addiction can take a severe toll on mental health. The brain is incredibly strong, and recovery is possible at any stage — no matter how long you’ve struggled with addiction. However, chronic addiction to drugs or alcohol can cause you to deteriorate mentally.

Treatment for dual diagnosis is essential in someone with a mental health condition. Otherwise, they’re at risk of falling into a cycle of relapse and recovery.

Relapse Risk Factors

There are a variety of other relapse risk factors. These are particularly crucial for anyone who has a dual diagnosis or worries that they might have one. Under the supervision of a trained counselor, you’ll learn to recognize when the feelings that lead to relapse occur and implement coping mechanisms around them. Learning about them is the first stage.

The seven risk factors are:

• Opportunity
• Social disconnection
• Intense emotion
• Persisting frustration
• Boredom
• Rumination
• Fantasy

What Is Dual Diagnosis Treatment?

When you start a dual diagnosis treatment program, you’re assessed by a doctor. They find out which co-occurring conditions are influencing your behavior, work out how your mental health is driving your addictive behavior, and make a plan about how to treat both alongside each other.

You’ll receive treatment for both conditions in a dual diagnosis treatment program. That doesn’t mean one therapy session split in two; it involves two separate therapy sessions to address the distinct issues.

There are multiple levels of treatment for dual diagnosis, which usually include working through the following stages:

• Psychotherapy sessions: As someone with a dual diagnosis, psychotherapy is imperative. You’ll attend a variety of different courses, including EMDR, motivational interviewing, and behavioral therapy to resolve trauma and learn new coping mechanisms.
• Outpatient rehab: Checking in each week with a therapist and support group helps you to implement what you’ve learned in intensive rehab into your real life.
• Aftercare: Aftercare is just as essential as the rehab program. Most people who enjoy a long and successful recovery attend some form of therapy on an ongoing basis to help keep them on track to achieving their goals.

How Does Dual Diagnosis Treatment Differ from Regular Treatment?

If you have a dual diagnosis, your caregivers will devise a more comprehensive care plan. It requires an extra level of commitment from you, because you’ll examine stressful thoughts, feelings, and beliefs — many of which haven’t been within your control. You might also require medication-assisted treatment or more specific types of therapy.

Together with the help of a team of addiction experts and the right diagnosis, you can regain control over your future.

What Are the Outcomes of Dual Diagnosis?

The outcome of successful treatment is that you get a more positive view of yourself and learn to focus on the present. Therapy can help you learn how to manage your feelings and implement healthy coping strategies when you’re finding a situation hard or having a bad day.