Addiction and concurring mental health issues often lead people to dual diagnosis treatment centers in Florida. The topic of mental health and addiction is a complicated but overwhelming problem today. Physical dependence may not be the sole obstacle affecting your life. Dual diagnosis treatment centers like Intrepid Detox focus on improving mental health to free the roots of addiction. Understanding dual diagnosis, whether it’s for you or a loved one, is an essential starting point.
What is Dual Diagnosis?
A dual diagnosis happens when an individual shows signs of a coexisting substance use disorder and mental health disorder. Many people suffering from substance use disorders (SUDs) also suffer from an additional mental health or behavior disorder. These combined disorders are usually called co-occurring disorders. Dual diagnosis is also sometimes referred to as comorbid disorders or comorbidity.
Slightly less than half of people with an addiction have a co-occurring mental health disorder. Physical addiction may not be wholly responsible for an individual’s substance abuse. Underlying mental health issues often lead people to use alcohol or drugs as coping methods. Intrepid Detox offers specialized treatment for patients with co-occurring health issues.
Co-Occurring Disorders
Several disorders are linked to addiction. Co-occurring disorders combined with addiction are often part of what initially sparks substance abuse in many people. Understanding how co-occurring disorders affect your mental health is essential in the treatment process. Some common mental health disorders that co-occur with addiction include:
Anxiety and Panic Disorders
Though anxiety and panic disorders have many signs and symptoms, keep in mind that each individual experiences them differently. Most people generally experience some form of anxiety throughout life. Critical decisions, stressful activities, or issues at work or school can cause anxiousness to rise.
Individuals with an anxiety disorder typically live with anxiousness day to day, weighing heavily on their lives.
Common Symptoms of Anxiety Disorder
- A decline in school or job performance relating to their quality of work
- Subtle or drastic changes in a person’s life that are driven by fear
- Inability to relieve fear or concern
- New unhealthy coping mechanisms such as drugs, alcohol, eating, or other similar impulsive behaviors.
Bipolar Disorder
Individuals with bipolar disorder usually experience rapid shifts in their mood. Diagnosing bipolar disorder is difficult since it shares many symptoms with addiction. It’s not entirely understood why people with bipolar disorder tend to also struggle with addiction. Research shows that more than half of people with bipolar disorder have a history of substance abuse.
People with bipolar disorder usually experience one or a combination of four types of episodes. These include:
- Manic episodes: Usually lasting a week or longer, manic episodes may cause an individual to be excessively hostile or cheerful.
- Hypomanic episodes: Hypomanic episodes are the same as manic episodes, but they last for just a few days and are less severe.
- Major depressive episodes: During a major depressive episode, an individual may become uninterested in activities. These episodes usually involve severe depression for an extended period.
- Mixed episodes: Some people who have bipolar disorder may experience characteristics of different episodes simultaneously.
Depression
Research shows 1 in 10 adults suffers from depression in the United States. Depression is a common mental health disorder that develops alongside addiction. Many people use substances to self-medicate and rid themselves of symptoms. Treatment is often necessary since numbing symptoms do not target their root cause.
Common Symptoms of Depression
- Loss of interest in goals, work, or hobbies
- Highly irritable
- Overwhelming feelings of pessimism, hopelessness, and uselessness.
- Inability to concentrate
- Loss of appetite or drastic weight changes
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Many believe that OCD and addiction co-occur since OCD typically emerges in people’s late teens and early twenties. This age range is when many people start to experiment with substances. Some common signs of obsessive-compulsive disorder are:
- Fear of harming or losing control of yourself or others
- Fear of contamination to germs of dirt
- Extreme religious or moral ideas
- An overwhelming fear of not having things you might need
The obsessions and compulsions that come with OCD turn many people toward drugs or alcohol as a solution to manage their symptoms. Dual diagnosis treatment centers try to break those unhealthy habits. The key to treating OCD and addiction is to treat them at the same time.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
PTSD is classified as an anxiety disorder. It’s often caused by traumatic experiences such as sexual abuse, car accidents, or military combat. Following trauma, most individuals show signs of PTSD. To be diagnosed with PTSD, though, one must have symptoms lasting longer than five months.
PTSD and addiction are very common co-occurring disorders. Research shows that individuals with diagnosed PTSD are much more likely to suffer from addiction.
Signs and Symptoms of PTSD
Signs of PTSD may develop directly following a traumatic event. It is not uncommon, though, for symptoms to take years to develop. PTSD interferes with the brain’s process of knowing the difference between present experiences and memories. Many people experience symptoms in the form of flashbacks, which trigger symptoms like:
- Bad dreams
- Frightening and overwhelming thoughts
- Sweating
- Rapid heartbeat
Other symptoms are expressed through reactivity or mood and cognition. These symptoms may cause an individual to feel blame, guilt, anger, or negative thoughts about themself or the world.
Schizophrenia
Research shows about half of the people who have schizophrenia also suffer from addiction. Schizophrenia is a brain disorder that causes people to have difficulty distinguishing reality from imaginary.
Though sometimes paired with multiple personality disorders, MPD and schizophrenia are different. People who have schizophrenia are typically not violent and do not have multiple personalities.
Symptoms and Effects of Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia has an extensive range of symptoms. These symptoms may be emotional, cognitive, or behavioral. Common symptoms of schizophrenia include:
- Delusional thinking: Beliefs that are not based on reality. An individual with schizophrenia may constantly feel threatened. Feel that disaster is about to happen. Or even think they are someone else, a celebrity, for example.
- Hallucinations: This symptom causes one to see, smell, feel, or hear something that does not exist. Hearing voices is a common symptom of someone with severe schizophrenia.
- Trancelike or catatonic behavior: Individuals who have schizophrenia might display a lack of impulse control. Disorganized motor behaviors are also common within this symptom. For example, going in and out of a catatonic state or maintaining strange postures.
Dual Diagnosis Treatment
Patients with a dual diagnosis require specialized treatment. Intrepid Detox uses treatment strategies that take each form of co-occurring disorders into account. Addiction combined with another mental illness is a complicated battle that no one should fight alone.
Intrepid Detox focuses on each individual and works to provide them with the unique treatment they need to begin their recovery journey. Our dual diagnosis treatment program utilizes proven forms of therapy. Treating co-occurring disorders together is essential, and it all starts with a proper medical detox.
Detox
Once an individual commits to treatment, medical detox is often necessary. When treating co-occurring disorders involving addiction, detox can be dangerous. Intrepid Detox provides a detox program guided by medical professionals. These medical professionals are experts in dealing with and making withdrawal symptoms less uncomfortable and dangerous.
Dual diagnosis treatment centers utilize the detox stage as a foundational aspect of a patient’s road to recovery. Following medical detox, patients can expect to participate in many forms of therapy. Our therapists are experienced in dealing with co-occurring disorders and strive to help patients reach their goal of long-term sobriety.
Individual Therapy
Individual therapy is a valuable tool in treatment. We provide a safe environment for patients to work with therapists and sift through their complicated emotions. Our therapists work to help patients understand the causes and impacts of their behavior patterns.
Individual therapy allows patients to open up about their past experiences. At Intrepid Detox, a type of individual therapy we offer is cognitive-behavioral therapy, or CBT. CBT helps our patients focus on their feelings, behavior, and thoughts.
Group Therapy
Group therapy provides patients with support from their peers. While in individual therapy, patients work on themselves in a one-on-one environment. Group therapy allows patients to help their peers, gain exposure to different viewpoints, and build social skills.
For some, group exercises in recovery are incredibly beneficial. These therapist-led sessions let each person express their feelings and experiences. Group therapy is an excellent outlet for patients to display their new coping skills and apply them to real-world group scenarios.
Holistic Therapy
Holistic therapies help patients build self-confidence and self-awareness. These alternative therapies can involve activities like meditation, art therapy, yoga, and massage. This form of therapy is focused on the mind, body, and spirit. The ultimate goal of holistic therapy is to rid patients of unhealthy thoughts and habits.
Family Therapy
Intrepid Detox believes that substance abuse and co-occurring disorders can have a substantial impact on a family. Addiction frequently affects the entire family, not just the addict. Many unhealthy behaviors develop in children or loved ones when dealing with someone struggling with addiction.
Family therapy assists in improving communication skills and building family support for their loved ones struggling with addiction. The main goal of family therapy is to provide support for the person dealing with addiction while improving their family’s emotional health as a whole.
Get Help Today at Intrepid Detox
Intrepid Detox will not only get you on the path to recovery, but we will provide continuous support for relapse prevention. Our dual diagnosis treatment center is dedicated to breaking down habits and behaviors that are linked to addiction. We believe everyone deserves the chance to make a full recovery. If you’re looking for dual diagnosis treatment centers in Florida, look no further than Intrepid Detox. Please contact us today.