Mental health and addiction are often connected. To explain, many people who struggle with an underlying mental health condition begin abusing drugs and alcohol to cope with their symptoms. When you struggle with a mental illness and an addiction, this is known as having co-occurring disorders.
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), “approximately 21.5 million adults in the United States have a co-occurring disorder.”[1]
While it can be challenging to overcome co-occurring disorders, dual diagnosis treatment centers make it possible to achieve long-term recovery. These programs combine mental health treatment with evidence-based substance abuse care.
When choosing a dual diagnosis program in Florida, you want to make sure you are picking one that suits your needs. You should look for a facility that offers individualized care, medical detox, evidence-based therapies, and safe prescribing methods. You also want a program that offers an adequate length.
In this article, you will learn:
- What is dual diagnosis treatment?
- What can a dual diagnosis rehab center treat?
- How to choose the best dual diagnosis rehab center in Florida
What is a Dual Diagnosis Rehab?
Dual diagnosis treatment centers address substance use disorders and mental health issues at the same time. They are usually inpatient or residential, which means you’ll live at the facility while you receive care. Depending on your needs, your program can last anywhere from 30 to 90 days.
Dual diagnosis treatment can address any type of substance use disorder and mental illness. That said, these are the most common mental health conditions they treat:
- Anxiety disorders
- Depression
- Bipolar disorder
- Trauma-related disorders like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Eating disorders like anorexia or bulimia
- Personality disorders
- Schizoaffective disorder and schizophrenia
- And more!
Dual diagnosis treatment programs offer in-depth assessments to create an individualized treatment plan. Your treatment plan might include medical detox, individual therapy, group counseling, addiction support groups, medication management, relapse prevention planning, and more.
Agape Behavioral Center accepts many private insurance plans
How to Pick a Dual Diagnosis Treatment Center in Florida
Addiction and mental health issues can be a vicious cycle. When you experience severe mental health symptoms, you might turn to drugs and alcohol to cope. Unfortunately, this will only worsen your mental health condition over time.
Thankfully, dual diagnosis rehab in Florida can help you break this cycle once and for all. That said, you want to choose a reputable program.
When picking a dual diagnosis treatment center in Florida, look for the following services:
Personalized Care
While some integrated treatment programs use a one-size-fits-all approach to recovery, the best dual-diagnosis rehabs use individualized treatment planning. To create a personalized care plan, your treatment team will have you complete an in-depth assessment.
First, you will undergo an assessment for addiction, where questions about your physical health, mental health, and history of substance abuse are asked. Next, your treatment team might have you complete specific mental health assessments to determine or confirm your psychiatric diagnosis.
The information gathered will determine how long you’ll require treatment, whether you need medical detox, what therapies are right for you, and more.
Medical Detox Services
Before you begin addressing your mental health condition and the psychological aspects of addiction, you need to overcome withdrawal. To explain, when you are addicted to drugs and alcohol, your brain and body become dependent on the substance. This means you’ll experience withdrawal symptoms when you stop taking it.
Medical detox involves the use of FDA-approved medications to soothe your withdrawal symptoms, keeping you safe, stable, and comfortable throughout the process. The exact medication you use will depend on what drug you are addicted to.
Evidence-Based Therapies
Once you overcome withdrawal, you’ll begin engaging in therapy for your addiction and mental health condition.
Therapy helps you overcome addiction by identifying the root causes of your substance use disorder, changing negative patterns of behavior, and teaching you healthy coping mechanisms. On the other hand, therapy manages mental health conditions by teaching you how to manage your symptoms healthily and allowing you to develop emotional regulation skills.
You will engage in evidence-based therapies during a dual diagnosis rehab program. To explain, this means the therapies you participate in will be researched and proven effective in managing the condition you are recovering from. Evidence-based therapies are used during individual therapy, group counseling, and family therapy.
Medication Management
Many mental health conditions require daily medications to control symptoms. While sometimes, therapy is enough to fully recover, some disorders cause chemical imbalances in the brain that make it necessary for you to take medication. If you have a condition like bipolar disorder or schizophrenia, you’ll need to find a medication that works for you.
Dual diagnosis rehab programs only prescribe non-habit-forming medication to make sure your substance use disorder is not triggered. You might take antidepressants, anxiety meds, mood stabilizers, or antipsychotics.
Length of Program
Lastly, you want to make sure the program is long enough for you to develop the tools and skills you need to maintain long-term recovery from your co-occurring disorders. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), “participation for less than 90 days is of limited effectiveness, and treatment lasting significantly longer is recommended for maintaining positive outcomes.”[2]
In other words, your dual diagnosis program should last at least 90 days. If it is shorter than that, you might need to complete an outpatient rehab program afterward to ensure you have enough time and support to heal.
Get Connected to a Reputable Dual Diagnosis Rehab in Florida
If you or a loved one suffers from co-occurring disorders, it’s time to seek professional help. At Agape Behavioral Center, we offer individualized and evidence-based dual diagnosis care.
Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you recover from addiction and mental health issues in Florida.
References:
- The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA): Co-Occurring Disorders and Other Health Conditions
- The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA): Principles of Drug Addiction Treatment
