About half of all people who experience addiction to drugs or alcohol also deal with a dual diagnosis. Having mental illness alongside a heroin, alcohol, meth or cocaine addiction complicates anyone’s life. Discovery Place offers one of the only nonprofit dual diagnosis treatment centers in Tennessee. Our men’s only facility helps men in two ways. First, we teach them to become sober. Second, we help them manage their mental health. In fact, when both of these areas are in control, life becomes much more manageable.
What is Dual Diagnosis Disorder?
A person with a dual diagnosis disorder has an addiction to drugs or alcohol and a mental illness. It may be just one or several diagnosable mental illnesses. These can include things like depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and more. While each condition is serious on its own, when combined, they make life even more difficult.
Addiction and mental illness often feed off each other. A person struggling with a substance use disorder can end up increasing their mental illness symptoms. In addition, they often end up turning to drugs or alcohol to help ease the symptoms of poor mental health. For example, someone with depression may drink alcohol to improve their moods.
To add, someone dealing with anxiety may take opioids to feel calmer. When these two conditions complicate each other, professional help becomes necessary. Dual diagnosis treatment centers in Tennessee can provide a way out of the darkness.
Signs and Symptoms of Dual Diagnosis Disorder
It can be hard to recognize when a person has a dual diagnosis. Not everyone exhibits the same signs and symptoms.
Nevertheless, common ones include:
- Feeling depressed
- Anxiety or feeling panicky
- Mood swings
- Difficulty concentrating
- Trouble making decisions
- Suicidal thoughts or actions
- Change in sleep patterns
- Physical symptoms, such as headaches or digestive issues, with no obvious cause
- Weight gain or loss
- Loss of interest in relationships or activities
- Isolating
- Past or present diagnosis of one or more mental health disorders
If a person recognizes two or more of these symptoms, they may need specialized care. Dual diagnosis treatment centers in Tennessee provide individualized care that makes a real difference.
Most Common Dual Diagnosis Disorders
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) reports that in 2020, 17 million American adults had a dual diagnosis. Dual diagnosis can cover several different kinds of mental illnesses. Furthermore, it can include more than just one type per person.
The most common types of dual diagnosis include:
- Anxiety
- Panic disorders
- Depression
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Bipolar disorder
- Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
- Schizophrenia
- Eating disorders
Mental health challenges can occur with any type of addiction. These addictions include alcohol, cocaine, heroin, opioids, prescription drugs, meth, hallucinogens, and more. A person might initially start with one substance preference but go on to abuse another type. As well, they might have one type of mental illness, such as depression, that co-occurs with another one. A trained medical professional can provide an assessment to find out if a dual diagnosis exists.
Benefits of Dual Diagnosis Treatment Centers in Tennessee
Dual diagnosis treatment generally starts with a detox program. This allows the person to get through the withdrawal process. After this, they are sober and able to address the next steps in treatment. Many people choose a residential program, which involves living at a facility. As a result, they can work on their sobriety and mental health without distractions.
Clinicians will provide the support needed to stay sober while also understanding the possible causes of the addiction. Alongside addiction care, a person receives treatment for their mental health challenges. This type of help can also be provided in outpatient programs. Those involve attending treatment during the day and going back home at night.
Medications can factor into treatment for both addiction and mental illness. An assessment can help set the stage for any needed meds. They can help with improving mental health. As well, they can ease withdrawal symptoms and substance cravings. Some medication needs are temporary. Others prove beneficial when used in the long term.
Contact Us
When a person deals with an addiction, life becomes difficult. It’s even more challenging when they also struggle with a dual diagnosis. Contact us today and let us tell you how we can help you regain your mental and physical health.
