Struggling with drug addiction or alcoholism is always difficult. However, dealing with a substance use disorder becomes even more challenging when you suffer from more than one issue. Recovery from two or more conditions, whether it’s addiction or a mental illness, requires an intensive and highly customized treatment program.
When you have a mental health condition and suffer from addiction, that is referred to as having co-occurring disorders. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), “7.7 million adults have co-occurring mental and substance use disorders.”[1] Because comorbid addiction and mental illness is so common, dual diagnosis treatment programs were created to help you and other individuals who need support.
Dual diagnosis programs use an integrated approach to addiction and mental health treatment. These programs combine evidence-based addiction treatment techniques with mental health recovery practices to create a program that can address any and all of your co-occurring disorders at one time.
Four benefits of attending dual diagnosis treatment in Massachusetts are:
1. Uncovering the Root Causes of Your Addiction
In most cases, substance abuse issues are caused by underlying mental health issues and unresolved childhood trauma. According to research posted by the National Library of Medicine, “Early traumatic experience may increase risk of substance use disorders (SUDs) because of attempts to self-medicate or to dampen mood symptoms associated with a dysregulated biological stress response.”[2]
If you are going into a dual diagnosis program, you may not be aware of which mental health conditions or traumatic experiences contributed to the development of your addiction.
A dual diagnosis treatment program will provide you with the therapy you need to unpack the root causes of your addiction. This is an extremely vital aspect of substance abuse recovery, as treating the root cause of your substance abuse issues is the only way to ensure that you will not suffer from a relapse in the future.
2. Integrated Treatment for Addiction and Mental Health
Dual diagnosis treatment centers in Massachusetts use an integrated approach that combines mental health and addiction treatment methodologies. By addressing both your addiction and mental health conditions, you increase your chances of long-term sobriety and recovery. After all, it is very difficult to stay sober if you are still dealing with untreated mental health symptoms.
When you are forced to recover from your addiction before receiving care for your mental health condition, you are denied the chance to truly recover. To explain, it is common for people to abuse substances and develop an addiction as a result of self-medication. As your symptoms of your mental illness arise, you begin to use drugs or alcohol to calm them.
If you do not treat the underlying mental illness, you will continue to feel the need to self-medicate, but dual diagnosis treatment centers address both your addiction and your mental health condition at the same time..
3. Learning New and Effective Coping Skills
Healthy coping strategies help you deal with difficult situations or emotions healthily and productively. When you do not have healthy coping skills, your negative emotions become extremely difficult to navigate. This is often the reason why you begin to self-medicate with drugs and alcohol.
During a dual diagnosis program in Massachusetts, you will learn new and effective coping skills that work for you. The benefits you will experience by learning these skills include:
- Lowered levels of anxiety and stress
- The ability to learn new things and accept change
- Increased self-confidence
- Reduced health risks
- Lowered risk of substance abuse and relapse
- The ability to effectively deal with and bounce back from negative situations and emotions
- Being able to let go of your emotions associated with a negative situation
Everyone has their own unique way of coping, but it is important that you use healthy methods rather than harmful ones. Attending a dual diagnosis treatment center will allow you to learn how to identify negative patterns of behavior and employ positive coping mechanisms when needed.
4. Aftercare Services that Increase Your Chances of Long-Term Sobriety
Ordinary mental health treatment facilities or addiction treatment programs usually do some discharge planning to prepare for a client’s last day. However, dual diagnosis programs understand how difficult it is to transition from treatment to everyday life.
Rather than just having you sign some papers and sending you on your way, dual diagnosis treatment centers in Massachusetts provide you with aftercare planning services to increase your chances of long-term recovery.
Common aftercare services include:
- Identifying triggers and writing a list of coping mechanisms to use in each possible situation
- Alumni programs you can attend to stay in touch with your treatment program and fellow patients
- A list of recommended self-help and support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous or SMART Recovery
- Continued therapy and medication management
- Referrals to sober living programs can help ease the transition from treatment to normal life
Aftercare services are designed to help you cope with your mental health conditions and avoid resorting back to addiction when times get tough. Aftercare can prevent you from experiencing an unnecessary relapse and help you learn how to cope with everyday life after treatment.
Get The Care You Need and Deserve
Woburn Wellness Addiction Treatment is a leader in the addiction treatment field, with proven success in facilitating long-term recovery. Our team of top clinical & medical experts specializes in treating addiction coupled with mental illness, ensuring that each person receives individualized care. Call us – we’re available 24/day, 7 days/week.
Get Connected With a Top-Rated Dual Diagnosis Treatment Center in Massachusetts Today
If you or a loved one suffer from addiction and a co-occurring mental health condition, help is available. Going to a dual diagnosis treatment center can allow you to receive the support and treatments you need to recover from both conditions simultaneously. If you are interested in dual diagnosis treatment, contact Woburn Wellness today. We can help you get back on track to living a happy and healthy life. Call now to get started.
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