a woman knows she needs co-occurring disorder treatmentIt’s important to experience the right treatment programs during addiction detox and rehab. Entering the wrong programs or leaving an essential program out of your recovery experience could cause you to relapse. Dual diagnosis treatment, also known as co-occurring disorders treatment, is an essential part of the recovery journey for those who struggle with mental health concerns alongside substance use issues. Due to the fact that the treatment is so helpful to some patients, it’s important to look at the program as an option, even if you’re not sure you need it.

What Are Co-Occurring Disorders?

Dual diagnosis or co-occurring disorders are the terms used when patients struggle with both substance abuse and a mental health concern at the same time. Any mental health concern can be included in the diagnosis, such as:

  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Bipolar disorder
  • Schizophrenia
  • Obsessive-compulsive disorder
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder

It’s possible for a mental illness to be present before substance abuse starts. Some people use addictive substances in order to self-medicate through a mental disorder, which can easily turn into a substance addiction. There are others, though, that may not know they had a mental illness beforehand and simply used the addictive substances to help them feel better.

Continuous substance abuse can also cause serious chemical and structural changes in the brain. Those brain changes can cause a mental illness to develop over time. Some of these changes are temporary while others are permanent. The permanence of these mental illnesses depends on the person, the substance they are abusing, and how long they’ve been abusing it. Dual diagnosis therapy treatment is the best way to separate and treat both the mental disorder and the substance abuse disorder.

Do I Need Dual Diagnosis Therapy Treatment?

Figuring out if you’re struggling with substance abuse and/or mental illness can be tricky. Many of the signs of substance abuse overlap with symptoms of common mental disorders. Some of these overlapping signs include:

  • Depression
  • Euphoria
  • Mood swings
  • Hallucinations
  • Paranoia
  • Social Isolation
  • Anger Issues

If you have a mental illness, you can’t go without co-occurring disorders treatment. Leaving mental health treatment out of your addiction recovery means you’ll be leaving part of your condition untreated. This makes relapse far more likely, even if you go through the rest of your addiction recovery plan.

Unless you were diagnosed with a mental illness before your substance abuse started, you likely won’t know if dual diagnosis treatment is right for you before you start addiction recovery. Luckily, trained psychologists and psychiatrists are available at Serenity House Detox & Recovery. Their understanding of substance abuse and mental illness can make it easier for them to identify if your symptoms have developed from a substance abuse or if there’s another co-existing condition you’re struggling with.

Begin Recovery with Our Co-Occurring Disorders Treatment

Getting a mental health concern diagnosed early in the addiction recovery process is crucial. It’s possible to have psychological disorders diagnosed during detox, which is the first step in the addiction recovery process. It’s just a matter of finding a detox center that offers high-quality detox therapies and personalized care. Serenity House Detox & Recovery can be the detox center that you need.

At Serenity House Detox & Recovery, we specialize in providing individualized, holistic care to all of our clients. Because we provide comprehensive Florida detox programs and client-focused treatment, we’ll be able to help you through any difficulties that arise during detox. That includes identifying any mental illnesses that might hinder your addiction recovery if left untreated.

You don’t have to keep struggling with substance abuse. Even if a mental illness is contributing to your issues, help is always possible. Don’t wait. Call Serenity House Detox & Recovery at 866-294-5306 and start your recovery today.