Dual Diagnosis Treatment in Pflugerville, TX
Our dual diagnosis treatment in Pflugerville is a type of drug addiction rehab for people who have a problem with drugs as well as a mental health issue. According to the 2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, more than 20 million adults abused substances like drugs and alcohol, and just under 8 million of these had a co-occurring mental health disorder.
Dual diagnosis occurs when people are diagnosed with concurrent mental health and substance abuse problems. The term was coined in the US in the 1980's when it became clear that a substantial proportion of people being treated for alcohol or drug abuse issues were also found to have co-existent mental health problems.
It is important to understand that addiction to drugs or alcohol is also a type of mental illness. Addiction occurs when people have compulsive cravings, which often cannot be controlled, to take drugs or alcohol, even when doing so has disastrous consequences.
Use of addictive drugs and alcohol causes alterations to the structure and functioning of the brain. These changes affect normal behavior. Even when people become aware that their drug or alcohol use is inappropriate, they are unable to prevent themselves from taking those substances.
The structural changes occur in the same areas of the brain that are affected by mental health issues like depression and anxiety. This may be one reason why dual diagnosis is so common. It is also the reason why it can be difficult to make a dual diagnosis, since there is a significant overlap in the symptoms associated with both addiction and dual diagnosis.
Types of Mental Health Disorders
At our facility for dual diagnosis treatment in Pflugerville, we commonly treat people who suffer from a wide variety of mental health disorders. These include:
Bipolar disorder: a condition characterized by significant mood swings and significant changes in energy levels to the extent that they interfere with the ability to perform everyday tasks
Anxiety disorders: some people often experience heightened levels of anxiety or fear, often without a rational cause. While feeling anxious from time to time is a natural response to the pressures we all experience, those with anxiety disorders have these feelings frequently and for extended periods
Schizophrenia: this mental disorder affects the way people perceive things, their feelings, and the way they think and behave. Its symptoms can include delusions, and auditory and visual hallucinations.
OCD: people with OCD experience obsessive, intrusive thoughts and feel compelled to engage in repetitive activities to an excessive extent
Depression: a condition in which people may have intense feelings of sadness, helplessness and hopelessness, often accompanied by feelings of very low self-esteem
PTSD: a heightened level of anxiety that occurs through witnessing or experiencing very stressful or harrowing incidents. People with PTSD often suffer from extreme nightmares and flashbacks
Why Is Dual Diagnosis Rehab Treatment Necessary?
In a nutshell, the chances of a successful outcome when treating one condition while ignoring the other are very slim. For example, a person suffering from an anxiety disorder may use drugs to alleviate the anxiety and become addicted through this drug use.
If that person receives treatment for the drug addiction but not for the anxiety problem, then the effectiveness of participating in our program for relapse prevention in Pflugerville is much less. The person will continue to experience anxiety, making him or her more likely to start using drugs again.
On the other hand, if the person receives treatment for the anxiety disorder but not for the addiction problem, the continued drug use is likely to offset the benefits of any mental health treatment.
What Are the Benefits of Dual Diagnosis Treatment in Pflugerville?
Our dual diagnosis treatment programs in Pflugerville are set up to deal with both mental health problems and alcohol or drug addiction problems. Research has shown that the use of an integrated approach in dual diagnosis treatment programs is the most effective. People who receive dual diagnosis rehab treatment report fewer episodes of psychiatric problems following treatment. Likewise, those who receive dual diagnosis rehab treatment substantially reduce their use of substances and remain sober for longer.
The specialists that deliver our dual diagnosis treatment in Pflugerville understand the complexities of dealing with mental health illnesses and co-morbid substance abuse issues.
The counseling and therapy used in our dual diagnosis treatment programs address each issue in an integrated fashion. If you would like to learn more about our dual diagnosis treatment programs, contact us today at (877) 804-1531.