Co-occurring disorders treatment in this mans futureThings aren’t always as they seem. When someone is suffering from an addiction, we assume they have a weak character. We presume their problems forced them to seek refuge in a bottle or syringe. Sometimes, we are correct. However, there are times when there’s more than meets the eye. When mental or psychological disorders are influencing one’s addiction, the addict is indeed a victim. To get past such a distressing set of circumstances, co-occurring disorders treatment seems to be the only way to recovery.

What Is Co-Occurring Disorders Treatment?

As a solitary illness, treating the disease of addiction is a significant task. It requires a counselor and patient to work together towards a goal. That goal is learning the truth about the patient’s addiction. If a mental disorder is evident, the course of treatment will change. The counselor has to call a timeout and adequately assess the addiction under a new microscope.

Experts refer to the existence of both an addiction and mental disorder as co-occurring disorders. Therefore, counselors refer to the treatment of both disorders at the same time as co-occurring disorders treatment or dual diagnosis treatment. Typically, a psychologist or experienced therapist will jump into the treatment process. While the counselor is chipping away at addiction issues, he or she will simultaneously treat the mental disorder.

If this sounds like a simple process, we can assure you it’s not. This kind of treatment dictates the addiction treatment staff decide on causation. Is the addiction causing the mental disorder or is the mental disorder influencing the addiction? Whatever the outcome, both issues must be addressed for effective addiction recovery.

Co-Occurring Disorders Treatment – The Process

Throughout the addiction treatment industry, experts also refer to co-occurring disorders treatment as dual diagnosis treatment and dual diagnosis treatment centers are cropping up everywhere. Patients with co-occurring disorders can get help at a top-notch addiction treatment center that also uses a dual diagnosis treatment for complete and healthy recovery. The key to the patient getting successful treatment is finding a facility with experience in co-occurring disorders treatment.

We cannot stress enough the importance of treating both disorders at the same time when causation exists. Failure to do so leaves the patient facing certain relapse. Regardless of causation, the treatment process needs to help the patient learn to manage their mental disorder without their recreational drugs.

An example seems in order. Let’s say patient A comes in with a heroin addiction. In discovery, the counselor realizes the patient uses heroin to escape an anxiety disorder. While the counselor is teaching the patient coping skills to deal with heroin addiction, he or she will also look at the patient’s anxiety disorder. The patient has made it clear they will seek refuge from anxiety. If the therapist can’t help the patient deal with anxiety, the chances are the patient will revert to old habits.

At times, the therapist might run into conflict if they believe the anxiety disorder requires medication. How do you justify giving a substance to someone with a history of abusing substances? By now, it should be clear how complicated dual diagnosis treatment could be.

Dual Diagnosis Treatment at Beaches Recovery

At our Jacksonville, Florida location, we offer dual diagnosis treatment in-house. We can provide this because we have experts who treat each co-occurring disorder. Aside from dual diagnosis treatment, we provide the following treatment options at our facility:

If you suspect you or a loved one suffers from a dual diagnosis, co-occurring disorders treatment will help. We have addiction treatment specialists with experience dealing with both issues. When you are ready to reach out for help, Beaches Recovery offers the treatment option you or your loved one needs. The first step is to pick up the phone and call us at 866.605.0532. After hard work and honest communication, there’s a great chance of lasting recovery from addiction and a mental health disorder.