Dual Diagnosis Treatment in McKinney, TX

Dual diagnosis treatment in McKinney uses an integrated approach to treatment to improve the likelihood of a recovering person making a successful recovery. Dual diagnosis treatment programs are designed to address both disorders concurrently, which is designed to reduce the risk of relapse once treatment has been completed.

In the past, people struggling with addiction and a co-existing mental health problem would often not receive the treatment they required. In traditional treatment models, the person was required to complete a comprehensive rehab program before being admitted to a separate facility to address the mental health disorder.

What is Dual Diagnosis?

Dual diagnosis is the term given when a person has a mental health disorder and a co-existing addiction or substance abuse disorder. A large number of people struggling with a drug or alcohol problem have a higher incidence of mental health problems than the general community.

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, approximately a third of people experiencing symptoms of mental illness and up to 50% of people with severe mental illnesses also struggle with a cycle of substance abuse.

Dual Diagnosis and Addiction

Substance abuse disorders are more common among people with mental health problems. Mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety are often closely linked with substance abuse and addiction. However, one condition does not always directly cause the other.

In some people with depression or anxiety disorders, drugs or alcohol are commonly used to self-medicate in an effort to alleviate symptoms of the psychiatric problem. However, drugs and alcohol can also trigger symptoms of mental illness, or make pre-existing symptoms even worse.

Types of Mental Health Disorders

There are many different types of mental health disorders that can be linked to substance abuse. However, some are more common than others. These include:

Anxiety disorders: People living with anxiety or panic disorders may self-medicate with alcohol or drugs in an effort to relieve the stress associated with the mental illness. However, drugs and alcohol can often make symptoms of anxiety worse, which can spark a cycle of substance abuse.

OCD or PTSD: obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are both severe types of anxiety disorders that are commonly linked with substance abuse. Symptoms of severe anxiety disorders can be debilitating, which leads many people to substance abuse in an effort to numb or relieve distressing symptoms.

Depression: There is a long-established link between depression and alcohol abuse. Many people with depressive illnesses may use alcohol in an effort to temporarily boost mood. Yet alcohol acts as a central nervous system depressant, which can make symptoms of depression worse.

How is Dual Diagnosis Treated?

Dual diagnosis treatment in McKinney recognizes that there's little point treating one disorder without addressing the other disorder simultaneously. It's also important to note that the treatment models used will be different for each person.

Just as the triggers behind addictive substance abuse are unique, so are the treatments required to address the underlying psychological reasons behind self-destructive behaviors. For this reason, each person is assessed individually in order to tailor the right combination of treatments and therapies for that person's needs.

Dual diagnosis treatment programs begin with the process of drug detox in McKinney, where the effects and toxins of the drug are eliminated from the body. Inpatient detox is considered a more effective option for people receiving dual diagnosis treatment in McKinney, as trained medical staff provide around-the-clock monitoring and supervision.

Depending on the type of drug being taken, treatment programs in McKinney may include administering prescription medication to alleviate the worst of any withdrawal symptoms. This type of medical detox is common if the person is struggling with addiction to heroin or prescription opioid painkillers.

Alternatively, addiction specialists may choose to slowly taper the dosage of the drug being abused down over a period of time. This is especially common if the drug of addiction is a sedative medication, such as Valium or Xanax. The objective is to reduce the effects of withdrawal as much as possible.

Addiction specialists within dual diagnosis treatment centers may also advocate the use of psychopharmacology to manage symptoms of the mental health disorder. Specialized counseling and behavioral therapy sessions are used to help identify the underlying triggers behind addictive substance use.

Seeking dual diagnosis treatment in McKinney offers a person with mental health problems who may be caught in a cycle of drug or alcohol abuse the opportunity to begin the journey to recovery. Call us now at (877) 804-1531.