A dual diagnosis involves co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders. When someone has both conditions, treating only one can make recovery more difficult and increase the risk of relapse.
Untreated mental health conditions may lead to continued alcohol or drug use to cope with symptoms. Additionally, substance use can exacerbate mental health symptoms. It can reduce the effectiveness of medication and make it harder for individuals to build healthy coping skills. This cycle is why dual diagnosis treatment is so important. Treating co-occurring disorders simultaneously is associated with better overall treatment and long-term recovery outcomes.
Dual diagnosis treatment uses medication to help those recovering from mental health and substance use disorders. Different medications are used depending on the substance involved. For example, opioid and alcohol withdrawal require different treatment approaches to reduce cravings, ease withdrawal symptoms, and regulate emotions.
How Medications Support Dual Diagnosis Treatment
When medications are used in rehab settings, this is known as medication-assisted treatment (MAT). This approach uses FDA-approved medications to help patients through the withdrawal and detox phase of recovery. MAT is often a key part of outpatient addiction treatment. It helps people manage physical recovery needs while still living their daily lives.
During dual diagnosis treatment, medications can treat opioid and alcohol addictions. They can also reduce the symptoms of mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Some medications may treat multiple disorders, making them especially valuable in an integrated care plan.
Common Medications Used in Dual Diagnosis Treatment
Medications for Addiction Treatment
Dual diagnosis treatment often involves medications that target specific types of substance use disorders. These medications help reduce cravings, reduce or block the effects of drugs and alcohol, and combat withdrawal symptoms.
- Buprenorphine (Suboxone, Zubsolv) – This partial opioid agonist helps to ease the symptoms of opioid withdrawal. It also reduces cravings.
- Naltrexone (Vivitrol) – This is an opioid antagonist that is used to treat opioid addiction and alcohol use disorder (AUD). It reduces opioid and alcohol cravings and blocks their effects.
- Methadone – This is a long-acting full opioid agonist used to treat opioid use disorder (OUD). Methadone reduces opioid cravings and decreases withdrawal symptoms. It also reduces the effects of opioid drugs.
- Acamprosate (Campral) – While it does not address withdrawal symptoms, acamprosate reduces alcohol cravings for individuals who have already stopped drinking.
Opioid addiction and alcohol addiction require differing medical interventions due to the interactions between substances and medications. Buprenorphine is primarily used for opioid addiction. It is not FDA-approved for alcohol use disorder treatment, as mixing buprenorphine with alcohol is hazardous.
Naltrexone can be used to treat both alcohol and opioid use disorders. While it can be introduced at the start of opioid withdrawal, alcohol detox must first occur before naltrexone is introduced during AUD treatment.
Medications for Mental Health Treatment
Dual diagnosis treatment may also include medications that directly address mental health symptoms. These medications help stabilize mood, reduce anxiety, and manage psychiatric symptoms that can contribute to substance use.
- Antidepressants (SSRIs/SNRIs) – These medications are used to treat depression and anxiety disorders. They work by regulating neurotransmitters in the brain, such as serotonin and norepinephrine, to improve mood and reduce emotional distress.
- Mood stabilizers – These medications are used to manage conditions such as bipolar disorder. They help stabilize mood, reduce symptoms of mania and depression that can interfere with recovery.
- Antipsychotics – These medications are dopamine receptor antagonists. They are used to treat conditions such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. They help manage symptoms like hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized thinking that can make recovery more challenging.
Benzodiazepines are some of the most commonly prescribed drug classes in the United States, and they are often used to treat generalized anxiety disorder. However, the use of benzodiazepines for co-occurring disorder treatment is controversial. Using this medication to address severe mental health disorders that co-occur with addiction can lead to benzodiazepine dependence.
Are Dual Diagnosis Treatment Medications Safe?
Medication-assisted treatment takes place in a clinical setting with intensive medical supervision. This helps reduce the risk of misuse while ensuring medications are administered safely.
Patients receive regular monitoring by addiction and mental health professionals. This clinical team adjusts treatment plans, depending on individual progress and needs.
Many MAT medications carry potential side effects and risks. When prescribed and monitored appropriately, however, these medications can safely support long-term recovery for many patients with minimal complications.
Benefits of MAT for Dual Diagnosis Treatment
Medication-assisted treatment is beneficial for dual diagnosis recovery for several reasons.
- MAT reduces the physiological symptoms of withdrawal and decreases cravings, creating the physical stability necessary for patients to engage meaningfully in mental health treatment.
- Medication-assisted treatment addresses the neurological effects of substance use disorders. This helps to improve the effectiveness of psychiatric medications used to treat co-occurring mental health conditions.
- MAT can help reduce illicit drug use and improve treatment retention. These are critical factors in long-term recovery for individuals with co-occurring disorders.
- Many psychiatric symptoms are difficult to evaluate during active addiction. Stabilizing substance use through MAT allows clinicians to more accurately assess and treat underlying mental health conditions.
- MAT supports overall functional improvement. This includes better social, occupational, and psychological outcomes for individuals managing both substance use and mental health disorders.
What to Expect During Dual Diagnosis Treatment
At Milton Recovery Centers, dual diagnosis treatment begins with a comprehensive clinical assessment. This evaluation provides our medical team with a clear view of each patient’s mental health and substance use history. It enables us to make informed decisions while developing an individualized treatment plan. That plan may include medication-assisted treatment, individual therapy, and group counseling, depending on the patient’s specific needs.
We provide care through an outpatient addiction treatment model. This allows patients to receive structured clinical care while maintaining their daily responsibilities. Throughout the treatment process, our clinical team monitors patient progress and adjusts treatment plans accordingly. We manage and supervise all medications within a clinical setting.
From initial assessment through long-term recovery, we provide the integrated care and clinical expertise necessary to address the full scope of co-occurring disorders.
Combining Medication With Therapy
Effective dual diagnosis treatment integrates medication-based intervention and behavioral therapy. Medication alone is not a comprehensive solution to dual diagnosis recovery. This is why it is necessary to combine medical approaches with evidence-based therapeutic modalities. This integration is essential for an effective whole-person approach to treatment.
Behavioral therapy addresses the underlying causes of substance use and mental health challenges. It also equips recovering individuals with the necessary skills to remain sober and stable during and after treatment. At Milton Recovery Centers, our therapy approaches include the following:
- Group therapy
- Family therapy
- Individual therapy
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)
- Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR)
- Advanced resolution therapy (ART)
- Rapid resolution therapy (RRT)
- Trauma-informed therapy
Dual Diagnosis Treatment at Milton Recovery Centers
Integrated care for co-occurring disorders can lead to more favorable outcomes than traditional treatment models that treat each condition separately. Our outpatient addiction treatment services provide comprehensive care that addresses the underlying causes of co-occurring disorders. Lasting recovery is possible when we treat the whole person, not just their symptoms.
Our dual diagnosis treatment center can help you address mental health and substance use. Call our admissions team to begin your journey to recovery.
