Mental illness and addiction may look different from person to person, but they can be equally destructive to a person’s well-being. Some barely experience symptoms, while others live the reality of both disorders, desperately trying to find a way to calm their mind.
Co-morbidities between addiction and mental health issues are far less uncommon than you might think, with about 1/3 of adults in the United States with a mental illness also experiencing a substance abuse disorder.
Even more unsettling, the numbers are even more striking among American young adults. 60% of young adults enrolled in substance abuse treatment programs are also known to be struggling with a diagnosed mental illness.
Understanding the role your diagnosis plays in your individualized treatment plan can help you create one that works, keeps you motivated, and mitigates your symptoms as they arise.
Before we get into what dual diagnosis treatment in Florida can do for you and your recovery, let’s break down what dual diagnosis actually is.
What Is A Dual Diagnosis?
Dual Diagnosis is exactly how it sounds — a double diagnosis that those with both a mental health condition and substance abuse disorder commonly receive.
Around 20.4 million Americans received a dual diagnosis in 2023, with that population rapidly growing as the years pass and living conditions (especially for those with mental illnesses and co-occurring substance abuse disorders) get harder and harder to navigate.
It’s not true to say that these conditions cause each other indefinitely, but that when combined, they can and do negatively impact a person’s life, all the way down to everyday activities like going to work or cooking dinner.
Quickly, you can go from having a few unnerving thoughts or addictive tendencies throughout the day to isolating yourself from your friends, family, or job, all without a clear decision being made.
Dual diagnosis is powerful because it enlightens those dark, dissociative corners that those struggling with addiction or mental health episodes frequently find themselves in. While it’s not a cure, dual diagnosis is the clarity sufferers need to move forward.
A few common dual diagnosis combinations we see as a Florida-based mental health and addiction recovery facility include:
- Depression & Substance Abuse
- Anxiety & Addiction
- Trauma/PTSD & Substance Abuse
- Bipolar Disorder & Addiction
Because a person experiencing the reality of using even when it’s inconvenient is likely already mentally impaired, adding on mental illness makes things feel unbearable. This is why a Florida dual diagnosis program focused on the unique needs of each candidate is not only needed, but required for recovery to happen.
Two Sides of The Same Coin
Mental health and addiction have a bidirectional relationship, meaning they directly influence each other, but there’s nuance. They don’t always cause each other, and factors like genetics, trauma, and environment can each influence the way they show up.
And not all addiction cases end in mental illness, or vice versa, making it that much more difficult for some people in active use to understand the cause of their disorder. While you may not know which one came first, a dual diagnosis expert can help narrow down what the primary cause of each might be.
For individuals in recovery or those suffering from mental illness, the choices they make may not always feel personal. Facilities frequently offer dual diagnosis care because it touches both ends of the illness spectrum and naturally addresses each current, past, or developing symptom as they arise.
The focus is completely on what that person needs help managing, and at the same time. You might be an ideal candidate for integrated treatment for co-occurring disorders at a Dual Diagnosis Center in Florida if you are currently:
- Know You Have a Mental Illness and Have Tried Drugs or Alcohol To Cope
- Experiencing Mental Health Symptoms Alongside Substance Abuse
- Have A Diagnosed Mental Illness & Developed A Substance Abuse Problem
- Struggling to Maintain Friendships, Jobs, or Schoolwork
Additionally, there is a subset of people who have already been dually diagnosed and still have not sought out treatment.
They continue to struggle with their daily, weekly, or monthly triggers, layering on the uncomfortable physical and mental symptoms that underlie their disorder(s).
This is where natural overlap can quietly happen.
Comorbidity in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment
Unlike dual diagnosis, comorbidities are more general. They don’t have to be diagnosis-specific, and many living with substance abuse disorders don’t realize they’re experiencing comorbid symptoms until they meet with a professional.
Comorbidities in mental health and addiction are thought of as the precursor to dual diagnosis, the small instances where the presence of either or both conditions can be seen or felt. Think of it through the following scenario:
- After experiencing a traumatic event, a person experiences deep depression that forces them to isolate; they spend time alone and inside, numbing the emotional pain with alcohol.
- Before they realize it, they’ve been drinking more than usual. Then, it starts interfering with their daily activities.
- They can’t make it to work without drinking, smoking, or resorting to opioids. Their family notices their decline and tries to get them to seek help. They refuse, refuting the idea they’ve developed an illness after experiencing such a traumatic event.
Even without an official diagnosis, this person would be exhibiting signs of a comorbidity: depression and substance abuse. The best way to handle these signs before they become serious?
Speak to a professional upfront about your symptoms, whether or not you acknowledge their presence in your life.
Stop & Look
If you believe you may be experiencing the early stages of two comorbid conditions, stop and look at your daily routines. Are you struggling to get through events, tasks, or conversations without feeling the need to numb yourself?
Have you resorted to seeking out silence or isolation because the anxious thoughts just won’t stop? These early indicators of a developing comorbid condition may be the difference between early resolution and a long-awaited dual diagnosis recovery:
Persistent Anxiety → May Indicate A Need For Self-Medication
Active Substance Abuse → May Suggest A New or Long-Standing Mental Health Condition
Mental Illness Amid Substance Abuse Recovery → May Indicate Issues Lean More Mental Health Related
Difficulty Functioning (School, Work, At Home) → May Reflect Drug, Alcohol, or Mental Illness Related Impairment
Why Co-Occurring Disorders Can Be Dangerous For Some Individuals & Not Others
Not all comorbid conditions are dangerous. Sometimes they’re just something a person has to live with, not a life-altering issue that takes professional intervention to get a handle on.
The factors that differentiate a serious mental illness (SMI) and substance abuse disorder and a regular mental illness paired with a substance abuse disorder are almost always:
- Environment
- Severity of Disorder(s)
- Duration of Diagnosis
- Trauma
- Medication Interactions / History
Each of these is highly variable and has a unique impact on each individual living with them. As far as diagnosis goes, the earlier the better. If the person can get diagnosed early on, their treatment is more likely to be successful the first time around.
Those living with their symptoms for longer are more likely to become accustomed to them, and less likely to seek out treatment.
Even so, Individuals struggling to overcome the real-time effects of two overpowering disorders (no matter the combination) may be more susceptible to experiencing increased risks, not limited to:
Suicidal Thoughts & Ideation
Most of the patterns people with substance abuse disorders exhibit, especially during times of layered triggers or extreme sadness, are rooted in self-harm. Overusing any kind of depressant or stimulant is a way to calm the mind, in turn impairing judgement.
When there’s room for intrusive thoughts to run free, sufferers tend to experience heightened suicidal ideation or thoughts.
Compounding Symptoms
Like addictive tendencies, symptoms surrounding these sensitive conditions can easily compound. It’s not that the person experiencing them is actively choosing to layer them on (although sometimes this IS the case), but that the nature of addiction lends itself to layering.
Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. Habitual sufferers (lifelong users, those diagnosed with mental health disorders early on) are twice as likely to experience multiple symptoms at once.
If you’re a long-term addict looking for a way to halt the progression of your symptoms, consider professional substance abuse and mental health treatment at Milton Recovery’s specialized recovery center in Palm Beach.
Treatment Complications
The reason it can be progressively difficult for people battling substance abuse to recover is that recovery, and in turn treatment, is never as smooth as desired. There are many common bumps down the road: relapse, unexpected medication issues, and withdrawal symptoms.
For most dual diagnosis treatment programs, one of the first steps is detox. This helps create a clean slate for both the person seeking treatment and their treatment team to work with.
Is Dual Diagnosis Recovery Possible?
The truth is that recovery from a dual diagnosis is possible, but it’s never finished. Recovering from any life-altering condition, whether self-sustained or not, is a lifelong process and commitment, one that some just can’t complete.
Either their trauma, physical pain, or reliance on harmful substances gets in the way of their chances to fully reacclimate themselves into their old lives — never giving them a chance to see a healed one.
It takes a combination of specialized treatment, a willing participant, and the vulnerability to take a direct look at your behaviors to even dream of recovering. If an addict or person living with a mental health issue commits to the process, chances are, they’ll see instant changes in their morale.
In turn, giving them a more hopeful outlook on life, something they can sustain both mentally and physically. While professional treatment follows a standardized process with room for personalization, recovery looks different for everybody.
The Different Faces of Recovery
- Clinical Recovery: The clinical approach is all about gaining the skills to look at your past without judgment and move forward with powerful ways to combat roadblocks as they arise. Medication is a go-to option for this approach.
- Functional Recovery: Treatment centers such as us at Milton Recovery aim to offer patients full-body or functional recovery options. This includes proven therapy styles such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) in combination with talk therapy or learning strong coping mechanisms.
- Social Recovery: Social interaction is an irrefutable piece of recovery. The more you talk, the more you grow. Milton patients attend group therapy as a way to connect with others through and about their struggles, resulting in a strong social bond.
- Long-Term Maintenance Recovery: Long-term recovery can only happen with strong relapse prevention skills. While relapse is a part of the process, it can be mitigated to a simple misstep rather than a reason to stop recovering.
Understand & Manage Your Dual Diagnosis With Integrated Help from Milton Recovery Center
Understandably, you might feel stunted or confused by your diagnosis. Even more so if you’re battling co-occurring diagnoses at home. Before you receive professional help, it may truly feel like there’s nothing in this world that can prevent you from experiencing shame, trauma, or guilt.
Even relapse may feel like a step further away from your true self. While it’s okay to feel stuck, it’s not your only option forward. Start by seeking out the help of a comforting treatment center with years of experience relaying useful, real-time prevention skills the second they’re needed.
Wherever you are in your diagnosis or recovery journey, we’d be happy to speak with you. Call today for more information about how Milton Recovery’s co-occurring disorders treatment options can reshape your journey.
