If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction and a mental health disorder, you may be wondering if dual diagnosis treatment is the right option. This type of treatment is designed to address both the addiction and the mental health disorder, and it can be an incredibly effective way to recover from addiction. Red Oak Recovery® offers dual diagnosis treatment in North Carolina, which can help you or your loved one recover from addiction and mental health disorders. Call us at 866.457.7590 and discover the benefits of dual diagnosis treatment.
What Is Dual Diagnosis?
A dual diagnosis, also known as co-occurring disorders, is a term used to describe when someone suffers from both a mental health disorder and an addiction. If left untreated, one disorder can worsen the other.
What is a dual diagnosis, and how do the two disorders interact? It’s not uncommon for someone with a mental health disorder to turn to drugs or alcohol to cope with their symptoms because substance use can temporarily relieve the symptoms of mental illness. However, using substances to cope with a mental health disorder can quickly lead to or worsen the addiction.
Why Dual Diagnosis Treatment Is Important
If you or someone you love is struggling with a dual diagnosis, it’s essential to seek treatment as soon as possible. Addiction is a progressive disease, which means it will only worsen over time, and if left untreated, it can be fatal.
Benefits of Dual Diagnosis Treatment
There are many benefits of dual diagnosis treatment, including:
1. Increased Success in Recovery
When both the addiction and the mental health disorder are treated, there is a greater chance of success in recovery. This is because both the root cause of the addiction and the mental health disorder symptoms are being addressed.
2. Improved Mental Health
Mental health is often hidden from others, but the suffering of people with a dual diagnosis is no less real. Getting dual diagnosis treatment, rather than just individual mental health or substance use disorder treatment, will enable you to break negative patterns and learn positive coping skills in therapy which will improve your mental health.
3. Improved Physical Health
It is common knowledge that substance use disorder harms your physical health, whether from overdose or from the long-term effects of the toxins the body is exposed to. But psychiatric disorders can also affect your physical health just as much as substance use can. Anxiety and mood disorders can leave the afflicted person tired, lost, and unable to concentrate on improving their physical health. Dual diagnosis treatment concentrates on the physical needs as much as the mental, making sure you are getting the nutrition, rest, and exercise you need to get on the path to recovery.
4. Improved Quality of Life
The quality of life of a patient who receives a dual diagnosis disorder is often improved simply by knowing more about their condition. By understanding more about their body and mind, and how substance use and psychiatric disorders interact, patients often feel more in control of their life and ready to take on challenges ahead.
5. Increased Motivation to Recover
When someone is motivated to recover from both the addiction and the mental health disorder, they are more likely to succeed in recovery. They are more likely to stick with treatment and make the necessary changes to recover.
What to Expect from Dual Diagnosis Treatment
During treatment, you or your loved one will work with a team of mental health professionals and addiction specialists. First, you’ll learn what your dual diagnosis is. Then, we’ll develop a plan to address both the addiction and the mental health disorder. Treatment generally includes:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy
- Dialectical behavior therapy
- Family therapy
- Wilderness therapy
- Adventure therapy
Experience the Benefits of Dual Diagnosis Treatment at Red Oak Recovery®
Are you or someone you love struggling with addiction and a mental health disorder? If so, dual diagnosis treatment may be the right option. Red Oak Recovery® offers dual diagnosis treatment in North Carolina. Contact us today at 866.457.7590 to learn more about our dual diagnosis treatment program.
