Comprehensive Dual Diagnosis Rehab From Harmony Junction Recovery
According to SAMHSA’s 2021 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, approximately 9.2 million adults in the United States have a co-occurring disorder.
Dual diagnosis refers to people with mental health disorders and substance disorders that co-occur alongside each other. It’s also sometimes called comorbid disorder and co-occurring disorder.
Your mental health is just as important as your physical health. However, because the symptoms of mental health disorders are often invisible, this aspect of well-being is often ignored. That can create serious problems in your everyday life and make it very difficult to achieve your goals.
These illnesses can be incredibly complex and almost impossible to treat without professional assistance. That’s why you should rely on Harmony Junction Recovery to help you turn the corner on your dual diagnosis. We provide several integrated treatment options for dual diagnosis to help you find a healthier you.
What is A Dual Diagnosis?
A dual diagnosis is for people with co-occurring disorders (substance use disorders and mental health conditions). These situations often start with a mental illness that develops into a related substance abuse issue.
What Is An Example Of A Dual Diagnosis In Mental Health?
For example, maybe you struggle with depression. If so, you might have turned to a substance like alcohol or opioids to self-medicate it. As you turned to your substance of choice more and more often, you might have developed a dependency on it. This creates a scenario where you have both clinical depression and substance dependency.
Co-occurring disorders are challenging to treat because each of your diagnoses can feed the other. For example, the more you abuse substances, the more depressed you may become. Similarly, the more depressed you are, the more you may turn to substances.
This is why it’s crucial to choose a treatment plan that addresses both of your diagnoses concurrently. Doing so will help you reduce your substance dependency while improving your mental health. This kind of treatment is what you’ll find at Harmony Junction Recovery.
What Does Dual Diagnosis Treatment Mean, Exactly?
Dual diagnosis treatment is a general term, and you’re probably interested in specifics. So, what exactly would you be signing up for if you decide to pursue mental health treatment?
The short answer is therapy. In treatment, you would work individually with someone who has spent their life learning how to help people overcome the types of problems that you’ve been experiencing. They will help you identify the root causes of your issues and overcome them through targeted action.
Some mental health treatment plans start and stop with 1-on-1 therapy. Others may involve different kinds of support as well. For example, a psychiatrist may prescribe various medications if they feel you would benefit. You might also be invited to participate in group therapy sessions.
All that being said, your mental health treatment plan will be designed to help you specifically. So, if there’s a form of care that you’re uncomfortable with, no one will force you to do it. The foundation of mental health treatment is meeting you where you’re at now and guiding you toward where you want to go.
Harmony Junction Offers a Wide Variety of Dual Diagnosis Treatment Options
At Harmony Junction, we offer comprehensive mental health treatment for various conditions. This includes:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Bipolar disorder
- PTSD
- Psychosis
- Other mental health challenges
1 in 5 adult Americans have a mental health condition, and around 43.8 million experience mental illness annually.
If you haven’t been formally diagnosed with a mental health condition just yet, we can still help. Our highly trained specialists can evaluate what you’re experiencing and provide a personalized diagnosis to begin receiving the support you need to heal as quickly as possible.
Who Needs Dual Diagnosis?
We all go through challenging times in life. So, how do you know if your issues rise to the level of needing professional support? Here are a few factors to consider.
First, you can ask yourself how long you’ve been experiencing the problems that you’re facing. If it’s been a year or longer and you’re not getting any better, that can be a sign that you need help moving forward.
It’s also worth saying that if you’re at all on the fence about needing dual diagnosis treatment, it’s better to go ahead and get it. Over half of adults with a mental illness do not receive treatment, totaling over 28 million individuals.
A therapist can help anyone develop a healthier, happier state of mind. Even if you don’t have mental health issues that require long-term care, you would still likely be able to benefit from spending a few sessions with a therapist.
What are the Symptoms of Dual Diagnosis?
The symptoms of dual diagnosis are based on your specific health concerns and can be varied. For example, clinical depression is commonly diagnosed in individuals who have co-occurring disorders. The symptoms of it are:
- Disinterest in previously enjoyable activities
- Feelings of worthlessness or guilt
- Significant changes in weight and sleep patterns
- Racing thoughts
- Increased irritability
- Personality changes
- Suicidal thoughts
These symptoms are independent of the symptoms you may experience from substance abuse. Those may include signs like:
- An inability to use less or less often
- Usage that adversely affects your personal relationships
- An inability to meet deadlines and other obligations
- Empty promises to quit using
- A denial of the problem
These are just a few symptoms that can point to a co-occurring disorder. If you’re still unsure whether you have one, you may want to contact Harmony Junction Recovery, located in Southern California. Our physicians can provide you with a complete diagnosis to have certainty about the issues you must address.
What Are The Four Main Steps Of Dual Diagnosis Treatment?
Evaluation
One of our specialists will thoroughly evaluate your mental health to begin your journey. This allows them to provide a proper diagnosis and determine additional problems, such as a substance use disorder.
Treatment Plan
Once your diagnosis is given, your doctors will create a tailored treatment plan to address your needs. You’ll be given options for customization, like taking part in specific holistic therapies and being prescribed medication.
Inpatient or Outpatient Program
With everything in place, you’ll participate in the treatment program, following your treatment plan and not giving up. During this time, you’ll take part in different activities and therapies to develop coping skills and overcome the barriers of mental illness.
Continuum of Care
At the end of your treatment, you’ll transition to the Aftercare program to help you integrate into daily living. With your newfound life skills and personal growth, you can continue to be present in your days while continuing recovery through therapy, support groups, and medication if needed.
Therapy outside of a treatment program is prevalent and beneficial. In 2021, around 41.7 million adults in the United States received treatment or counseling for their mental health.
What Medications Are Used For Dual Diagnosis?
Dual diagnosis focuses on treating the mental condition and substance abuse disorder of each patient. Because of this, medication commonly plays a role in recovery. Certain medications can treat the symptoms of depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder, while others suppress cravings to prevent a relapse of substance use.
Your doctor will work closely with your treatment plan to determine which medications can be used to treat symptoms of your conditions without compromising your recovery.
The most commonly used medication in the treatment of a dual diagnosis include:
- Antidepressants
- Antipsychotics
- Anticonvulsants
- Sleep aids
- Naltrexone
- Buprenorphine
- Methadone
Does Insurance Cover Dual Diagnosis?
If you think that mental health treatment is best for you, the next question you may have is how you’re going to pay for it. The good news is that most insurance plans offer coverage for mental health treatment.
You may need to pay a copay with each counseling appointment or meet a deductible before your coverage kicks in. But if you have insurance, you likely won’t have to pay for the cost of mental health treatment entirely out of pocket.
You can reach out to a mental health specialist at Harmony Junction today. They’ll verify your insurance for you so that you know exactly how much coverage you should expect if you seek treatment with one of our skilled practitioners. No charges, no fees. Just the information you need to make a more informed decision.
Treating Dual Diagnosis After Rehab
While rehab is an excellent place to start your recovery, it isn’t the final step. Instead, you must work diligently to transition to independent living and a successful recovery. Harmony Junction Recovery can also help you with this part of your recovery process.
We typically recommend that patients who finish our residential rehab return to our dual diagnosis treatment center for weekend stays. This provides the opportunity to receive support and care as you continue working towards your long-term goals.
You may also be interested in staying at a halfway house. These offer a helpful blend of freedom and structure, which is perfect for recovering addicts who are integrating back into daily life but still need the accountability of others.
You’ll also want to continue working towards your goals by visiting therapy and 12-step programs after rehab. Therapy offers the chance to explore the root causes of your substance dependency and mental health concerns with a professional. It can help you make fundamental changes in how you think about and respond to the world.
12-step programs give you the chance to learn from other recovering addicts. Many of your peers will have already gone through what you’re going through and will be able to provide you with advice from personal experience. These programs also help patients develop a sense of community, benefiting their recovery.
Finally, as you recover from a dual diagnosis, drug testing is often essential. Frequent tests can serve as a measuring stick for your progress and help your doctors treat you more effectively.
The best post-treatment plan will depend on your specific health needs. You won’t have to make that determination on your own. Instead, our physicians will help you come up with a plan for post-rehab care that’s built specifically for your needs.
Long-Term Recovery Through Dual-Diagnosis Rehab at Harmony Junction Recovery in Southern California
A dual diagnosis is challenging to fix on your own. The two health issues often feed into one another, creating a vicious cycle that seems impossible to break. Fortunately, you don’t have to go through this alone.
Instead, reach out to Harmony Junction Recovery today. We provide comprehensive dual-diagnosis rehab to help you turn the corner toward a healthier you. Why wait another day to get started? Instead, call us at (855) 906-4088 today.
We look forward to hearing from you.
