What Is Dual Diagnosis?
The term dual diagnosis, also referred to as co-occurring disorders, describes the simultaneous presence of both a substance use disorder and a mental health disorder in the same person. The prevalence of dual diagnosis is greater than most people are aware. Research shows that a significant number of people getting substance use treatment have also been diagnosed with a co-occurring mental health disorder, and vice versa.[1]
The relationship between mental health disorders and substance use disorders is complex and bidirectional. Mental health disorders can lead to substance use when people attempt to self-medicate or cope with depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or the intolerable discomfort of having an undiagnosed psychiatric disorder. Conversely, substances can exacerbate, trigger, or mask co-occurring mental health disorders, making an appropriate diagnosis difficult and effective treatment harder to deliver. When only one of the two related disorders is treated, the likelihood of achieving lasting recovery is much lower.
The Problem With Treating Substance Use First
A commonly experienced scenario is that of a person developing a substance use disorder and seeking treatment for that disorder, whether alcohol treatment, drug treatment, or detox. They may do everything right and feel better for awhile, but if there is a deeper reason they began using substances in the first place such as untreated depression or PTSD, a relapse is not only possible, but likely.
This treatment pattern is why many patients seek care at Helios West Palm. Patients should not be viewed as treatment failures when they return and require care. Rather, they just received treatment that addressed the wrong primary issue. For these people, what is needed is not just another round of treatment; it is a treatment program that can get to the root of their mental health condition first and address their substance use within that clinical context.
Helios West Palm is a standalone behavioral health facility with an accredited mental health license. We are not a primary addiction treatment or detoxification facility. What we offer is something different: an evidence-based and individualized mental health treatment for adults whose substance use is seen and addressed as a co-occurring condition that occurred as a result of something deeper. If your walls are coming down because of a faulty foundation, patching the drywall is nothing more than a temporary fix.
Mental Health Conditions We Treat in Dual Diagnosis
At Helios West Palm, the first thing we do when a person presents with a dual diagnosis is identify the underlying mental health issues that need immediate, professional clinical attention.
The most common mental health conditions associated with substance use are:
- Depression — Depression is strongly associated with substance use disorders, and people who struggle with it are at an increased risk.[2] As depression continues to go untreated, people often turn to substances to numb the pain, hopelessness, and emptiness associated with their symptoms.
- Anxiety disorders — Many people self-medicate due to chronic anxiety. Substances such as alcohol and benzodiazepines are common choices to get temporary relief, but quickly become a dependency.
- PTSD and trauma — Trauma is consistently one of the most common predictors of substance use disorders. Substances are often used to manage symptoms associated with trauma, such as flashbacks, hypervigilance, and emotional pain.
- Bipolar disorder — Mood instability, impulsivity, and periods of depression are common in those with bipolar disorder, which makes them especially vulnerable to using substances, particularly during manic and depressive phases.
- ADHD — Those with undiagnosed ADHD often resort to using stimulants and other substances in an effort to manage symptoms related to challenges with concentrating, focusing, and executive functioning.
The Co-Occurring Substance Use We Address
Along with mental health conditions, Helios West Palm also treats a variety of substance use disorders as part of a comprehensive mental health treatment plan. The following is a list of the most prevalent substances among the dual diagnosis population:
- Adderall — Misuse of prescription stimulants frequently occurs together with undiagnosed ADHD, depression, and anxiety. Patients may have begun using Adderall as a means of self-medication for an unidentified condition.
Learn about Adderall
- Alcohol — Alcohol use disorder is one of the most frequent co-occurring conditions in clients with depression, anxiety, PTSD, and bipolar disorder. Due to the sedating effects of alcohol, many people use it to manage the discomfort associated with an untreated mental illness.
Learn about alcohol
- Benzodiazepines — Benzodiazepines are often prescribed to treat anxiety and insomnia. However, there is a high risk of dependence, especially among people with a history of anxiety disorders or unresolved trauma.
Learn about benzodiazepines
- Cocaine — Stimulants are often associated with co-occurring conditions of depression, ADHD, or bipolar disorder. Cocaine provides a temporary high and can become the primary means of coping with one or more of these conditions.
Learn about cocaine
- Fentanyl — The opioid crisis has contributed to the development of an entire population of people who have fentanyl use disorder, along with untreated depression, trauma, and chronic pain. Any successful long-term recovery must include treatment of the underlying mental health disorder.
Learn about fentanyl
- Heroin — Heroin users often have a co-occurring mental health disorder, such as depression, PTSD, or a personality disorder. Successful dual diagnosis treatment must address the underlying mental health condition as well.
Learn about heroin
- Kratom — Kratom is a frequently used form of self-medication for anxiety and depression, and as a means to cope with withdrawal from opioids. Kratom usage often provides insight into the possibility of an underlying mental health disorder.
Learn about kratom
- Marijuana — Many people use marijuana to self-medicate for anxiety, depression, PTSD, and bipolar disorder. Although it is often seen as a lower-risk substance, people with these types of co-occurring mental health diagnoses often find that marijuana use, particularly when used regularly, worsens their mental health.
Learn about marijuana
- Meth — Meth use is strongly associated with depression, ADHD, and psychosis. The extent of the psychiatric damage from meth use necessitates treatment in a specialized integrated clinical program.
Learn about meth
- Opioids — Opioid use disorder and co-occurring mental health disorders, such as depression, anxiety, or PTSD, are intimately connected. If a person has an opioid use disorder and has not been treated for their underlying mental health disorder, it increases the likelihood of relapse.[3]
Learn about opioids
Patients requiring medical detox prior to admission will be referred to the appropriate detox facility. Our admissions department is happy to assist in coordinating this aspect of the intake process with you.
Dual Diagnosis Treatment at Helios West Palm in Florida
Every patient who arrives at our facility receives a full psychiatric assessment. This comprehensive evaluation looks at both the patient’s mental health history and previous treatment experiences, and whether there is a relationship between their mental health problems and their drug use. From this assessment, an individualized treatment plan will be developed. Dual diagnosis treatment at Helios West Palm treats the psychiatric condition as the root of the patient’s issues.
Treatment options include:
Each treatment modality may vary by the patient’s specific needs, and all modalities are selected and implemented into a treatment plan with the utmost professionalism by our clinical staff.
Benefits of Dual Diagnosis Treatment
Dual diagnosis treatment at Helios West Palm provides many benefits to people who previously tried other treatment centers but continued to cycle through the addiction treatment process.
After finding treatment that gets to the root of the problem, you can expect:
- Accurate identification and treatment of the underlying mental health conditions driving substance use
- A treatment approach that addresses the whole person — not just the presenting substance problem
- Improved functioning, emotional regulation, and quality of life
- Stronger coping skills to manage emotions without resorting to drugs or alcohol
- A clearer understanding of one’s own mental health, and a treatment plan that fits
The Helios West Palm staff at intake believes that when someone has accessed multiple treatment avenues but still has mental health and substance use problems, we can help with an integrated treatment option.
