Every individual’s journey to recovery is unique. At East Coast Recovery, our dual diagnosis treatment program addresses both substance abuse and co-occurring mental health disorders. If you or a loved one is seeking comprehensive care, our team is ready to help. We look forward to supporting your path to recovery.
Dual diagnosis is hard to identify because its symptoms often go unnoticed. The combination of substance abuse and mental health disorders makes it difficult to pinpoint the exact cause. Short-term effects of drug or alcohol use can hide underlying mental health issues. These substances become essential for the person’s daily functioning, leading them to addiction.
Millions of people worldwide suffer from co-occurring disorders, which can be hard to detect. Recognizing the signs can help identify this condition. Signs include mood swings, emotional control issues, social withdrawal, hallucinations, delusions, and paranoia.
East Coast Recovery Center in Cohasset, MA, offers treatment for dual diagnosis. Our program addresses both substance addiction and underlying mental health issues. By targeting the root causes of these problems, each patient receives the best addiction treatment for a lasting recovery.
Our approach involves personalized treatment plans. We combine trauma-informed care, various therapies, and support systems to create each person’s plan. This holistic strategy helps individuals achieve stability and long-term recovery. We empower people to lead healthy lives free from addiction and mental health challenges.
Excessive use of drugs and alcohol increases the risk of mental health issues, contributing to co-occurring disorders. The stigma and shame associated with addiction can make mental health worse. This creates a vicious cycle of dependence.
When mental disorders grow out of control, substance abuse tends to increase. This pushes individuals further into addiction and mental health problems. Other factors that contribute to dual diagnosis are biological, physical, psychological, and environmental. These are seen as the leading causes of concurrent mental health disorders and substance addiction.
Traumatic events, chronic stress, and post-traumatic stress can lead to dual diagnosis. People exposed to violence, death, or other trauma might turn to substance abuse to cope. Those struggling with PTSD or anxiety may self-medicate instead of seeking professional help. This greatly increases the risk of developing a co-occurring disorder.
Physical health issues, like chronic diseases, and financial problems can lead to co-occurring disorders. Substance abuse is often used as a coping method for these stressors. Economic hardships and job loss can lead to mental disorders and addiction. This can result in dual diagnosis if proper support and counseling are not provided.
A person’s genetic makeup can influence how they handle substance abuse and mental health issues. Genetic factors can predispose someone to develop an addiction or mental health disorder. In some cases, this can lead to a dual diagnosis, where both are present. Either the mental health disorder or addiction could develop first, and if left untreated could lead to a co-occurring disorder.
Mental health issues drive individuals to use drugs or alcohol to escape their pain. People with psychological disorders often turn to substance abuse for relief. This is known as self-medication. The temporary high provided by drugs can quickly cause this to become an addiction.
People showing signs of dual diagnosis should seek help from a substance abuse treatment center like East Coast Recovery. Treatment options for co-occurring disorders include:
An Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) is for mild substance addiction and mental health issues. It is a form of outpatient treatment and is highly flexible. People with co-occurring disorders visit the treatment center to receive care from trained clinicians. After treatment, they then return home.
Partial Hospitalization Programs (PHP) are also known as Day Treatment. It is a step in recovery that can follow inpatient treatment or a residential program. PHP offers a structured support system with continued addiction and mental health treatment. Patients attend the program during the day and return home each evening, balancing treatment with daily life.
Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) combines medications with counseling to treat substance use disorders. This approach helps to manage withdrawal symptoms and cravings. MAT has been proven to support a more stable recovery process.
Individual therapy involves one-on-one sessions with a professional therapist. Group therapy brings peers together to share experiences, encourage, and support each other. Techniques like Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) help patients understand and manage addiction triggers. This promotes long-term recovery and healing.
Dual diagnosis treatment helps address both mental health and substance use disorders. Some of the key benefits include:
Co-occurring disorders vary for each person. Common mental health disorders include anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, PTSD, OCD, and more. Each disorder calls for different treatment methods to address the underlying condition.
A personality disorder is a mental illness where a person has a fixed and unhealthy way of thinking, behaving, and functioning. People with personality disorders may use substances to cope with their symptoms.
PTSD is a mental disorder caused by experiencing or witnessing traumatic events. Symptoms include nightmares, flashbacks, anxiety, and uncontrollable thoughts. People with PTSD often turn to drugs or alcohol to manage these symptoms, increasing the risk of co-occurring disorders.
Depression involves persistent sadness, constant worry, and loss of interest in daily activities. Those with depression may turn to substance abuse to escape their feelings, which can lead to a co-occurring disorder.
ADHD is characterized by hyperactivity, attention difficulties, and impulsiveness. Individuals with ADHD may use substances to control their symptoms, which can lead to dual diagnosis.
At East Coast Recovery Center, we understand the unique struggles of dual-diagnosis patients. They face enormous struggles with both substance abuse and symptoms of psychological disorders. Our treatment programs are designed to help break the cycle of mental illness and addiction.
Each of our patients receives a personalized treatment plan, focusing on their obstacles to recovery. We use trauma-informed care, considering past traumas in every step of the treatment process. We also emphasize family involvement, helping loved ones understand the recovery process. At East Point, our mission is to find the most effective treatment strategy for each patient.
If you or a loved one is struggling, help is just a phone call away. Contact our specialists at (617) 390-8349 to learn more about our programs and get the support you need.
The most common dual diagnosis is depression combined with alcohol addiction.
Dual diagnosis treatment addresses both mental health disorders and substance use disorders simultaneously.
An alternate term for dual diagnosis is co-occurring disorders.
The process of dual diagnosis involves assessing both mental health and substance use disorders. This is followed by creating a treatment plan that addresses both conditions.
