If you have struggled with addiction before, you likely know that it’s a challenging condition to manage. Even with the best support from friends, family members, and other sources of support, many people who struggle with addiction find that their cravings become unmanageable after some time.
Fortunately, there are now more treatment options available than ever before. For those who struggle with dual diagnosis or co-occurring disorders (i.e., two conditions that appear together at the same time), dual diagnosis rehabilitation can be a great step forward in the right direction.
In this article, we’ll discuss why a dual diagnosis treatment center can be so effective in treating addiction along with providing information on what it entails and why it’s important to get help if you think you might have these conditions in addition to your substance use disorder.
Table of Contents
What Is Dual Diagnosis?
If you’re not familiar with what dual diagnosis treatment entails, it’s a type of care that understands an individual can suffer from more than one mental health condition at the same time.
This type of treatment is designed for those who might meet standards and thresholds for one or more mental illnesses and also struggle with substance abuse or addiction at the same time. The combination of both diagnoses means that patients receive treatment for both conditions simultaneously.
Importance of Dual Diagnosis Treatment
Recovery Support
Depending on your diagnosis, you may need additional support, such as therapy, specialized medications, and other types of care that go beyond what addiction recovery programs provide. This is especially true if you have a condition like anxiety or depression, which can make it more challenging to engage in addiction recovery programs.
Treating the Core Issue(s)
When you’re receiving dual diagnosis treatment, you’re more likely to receive care tailored to your mental health needs. This means that you may be able to receive specialized support, therapies, and medications that are focused on addressing the core issues that lead to your mental health conditions.
This is important because it means you may receive the support you need to treat your conditions and avoid relapse in the future.
Receive Counselling and Therapy
When you are receiving dual diagnosis treatment, you have access to therapies that are tailored to your conditions, such as:
- Individual therapy: One-on-one sessions with a mental health professional that can help you identify challenges and work towards overcoming them with support from your treatment team.
- Group therapy: Sessions that involve a small group of individuals who are receiving care for their conditions. These groups can be helpful for those who struggle with social anxiety or other conditions that make it challenging to interact with others.
- Family therapy: Sessions that involve your support system, such as your friends and family members who have been impacted by your addiction or mental health conditions.
Wrapping It Up
Hopefully, this article has helped you to understand why dual diagnosis treatment is so effective in treating addiction. This type of care is designed for those who struggle with more than one condition at the same time, such as a mental health condition and a substance use disorder.
In many cases, receiving care for both conditions simultaneously can help you avoid relapse and manage your overall health better. It also means that you have access to more tailored care that may be more effective than addiction recovery programs alone.
