For those who are suffering from a mental health issue and a substance abuse concern, it can be hard to find the right treatment methodology to tackle both mental illness and addiction traits. Instead of finding an addiction treatment center that has a one-size-fits-all approach for those who are struggling with substance abuse, those with co-occurring disorders need to find a treatment facility that can offer therapy for their mental health condition and treatment modalities that can help their addiction.
Typically, we see those with a dual diagnosis suffering from one of the most common mental health conditions, such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, anxiety, or depression. Coupled with these conditions, addiction can be deadly – identifying the signs and symptoms of a dual diagnosis can help the patient find a treatment center that works best for their unique needs.
Let’s see how dual diagnosis treatment centers can help those who are currently suffering from opioid addiction and depression.
How a dual diagnosis treatment center can help patients with opioid substance abuse and depression
Before we can understand how to use a dual diagnosis treatment plan to help those who are using opioids and suffering from depression, you must be wondering – what are opioids? Opioids are a type of drug that includes illegal drugs like heroin, fentanyl, and other prescription medicines that are very highly potent and susceptible to being overused.
This class of drug is typically used as a pain medicine post-surgery or after an accident. Many patients have been prescribed opioids without any prior background checks or any follow-ups from the doctor. This means that patients can easily become addicted to their prescription medication and develop a reliance on opioids. The most common opioids that end up turning into full-blown addictions include oxycodone, hydrocodone, morphine, and codeine.
Along with abusing opioids, those who suffer from depression are at higher risk of dangerous behaviors associated with their drug use and mental health condition.
Depression is actually one of the leading contributors to disability worldwide. It is one of the 10 most common mental health conditions that plague people from various societies, backgrounds, demographics, and ages around the world, showing the prevalence and the widespread nature of this condition. Nearly one in 10 adults in the United States alone suffers from depression, with this condition typically causing those to try and self-medicate with substances – a nearly-deadly condition that can cause a self-destructive way of life.
What is a dual diagnosis? Even though it may seem like a commonly-used term, understanding the scope of a dual diagnosis when it comes to opioid use and depression is key to really understanding the type of treatment required for these ideals. Many people who are diagnosed with a type of addiction disorder, whether it be with drugs or alcohol, are also diagnosed with a mental health condition.
Even though a dual diagnosis treatment is less common than your “traditional” drug recovery center, you may be surprised to find out that nearly 45% of people with addictions to substances also contain a co-occurring disorder.
In some cases, substance abuse can trigger a mental health condition, whereas in other cases the opposite is true. A treatment modality that can pinpoint the triggers of the mental health disorder can simultaneously figure out how the mental health condition – in this case, depression – is being negatively affected by the substance abuse. At the same time, therapists and counselors can identify how the substance abuse – opioids – are affecting the patients’ mental health state and triggering depressive episodes.
Studies have shown that there is a direct correlation between the quality of life among those who have opioid abuse and depression with the type of treatment they attend. One study showed that patients who suffer from dual diagnosis will have a lower quality of life unless they seek a treatment method for the mental disorder that is harming their daily life.
Conclusion
As you can see, the prevalence of dual diagnoses in the world is much more common than we may think, with nearly 45% of all patients attending a drug recovery center also suffering from a co-occurring mental disorder. To help fight both the mental condition – depression – and the addiction issue – opioid use – treatment centers need to provide comprehensive therapy to figure out the root cause of the issue. By finding underlying conditions as to why the patient feels the need to take substances to deal with their depression, the counselors at dual diagnosis treatment centers can be effective in helping the patient.
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