A substance use disorder diagnosis can be incredibly challenging to deal with. This difficulty increases when one discovers they may also have underlying behavioral or mental health disorders. This is known as a co-occurring disorder or a dual diagnosis disorder. Fortunately, Empowered Recovery Center is here to help those looking for effective dual diagnosis treatment in Atlanta, Georgia.
Dual diagnosis treatment is more than just physical recovery. Our professional staff will evaluate a proper diagnosis of someone’s situation. This will include intimate and inclusive treatment programs suited to their individual needs. Dealing with a dual diagnosis disorder is difficult to handle alone. Despite this, our team will make sure someone has a comfortable and beneficial experience while going through recovery.
What is a Dual Diagnosis?
A dual diagnosis means someone has both a mental and a substance use disorder. The mental health disorders someone feels depend on their unique experience, and can range from mild to severe. Usually, the substances involved in the disorder are typically addictive drugs or alcohol. A dual diagnosis disorder is one of the most common disorders to treat. This is mainly because of the common effects drugs and alcohol have on people’s mental states or a person’s need for substances to “treat” their deteriorating mental health.
Those with mental health conditions are more likely to depend on substances to self-medicate. This is due to the temporary relief drug and alcohol use provides. However, the underlying mental health conditions experienced may worsen due to substance use. Consequently, occasional use could develop into an overreliance on substances, thus resulting in a substance use disorder.
Mental health disorders and addiction can be treated separately. However, a co-occurring disorder looks deeply at both problems at the same time. It might seem that treatment will be harder for someone with a co-occurring disorder, however, that is not the case. At Empowered Recovery Center, our team will assist patients in finding the right services to heal and strengthen their bodies. When a person begins recovery and benefits from our dual diagnosis treatment in Atlanta, they will be able to enjoy life more and more.
Signs and Symptoms of Dual Diagnosis
People suffering from dual diagnosis disorders can experience a host of side effects. Therefore, some of the signs and symptoms may be easy to detect. While the signs of someone struggling with a dual diagnosis may vary, there are commonly reported symptoms.
They include the following:
- Tremors
- Extreme gain or loss of weight
- Feeling overheated and sweating
- Displaying drug withdrawal symptoms
- Developing a tolerance to a drug
- Sleep problems
Additionally, the signs of a potential dual diagnosis can be behavioral, including:
- Difficulty sleeping
- Anxiousness or paranoia
- Irritability
- Spending more money on drugs or alcohol
- Becoming withdrawn
- Risky or unpredictable behaviors
- Avoiding and isolating themselves from others
- Selfish tendencies
What Does Dual Diagnosis Treatment in Atlanta Look Like?
Here at Empowered Recovery Center, we pride ourselves on offering the best of the best in long-term support for our clients. Our dual diagnosis treatment is designed to make the process of recovery both simple, and effective. We focus on individualized, as well as customizable treatment plans, allowing one’s specific mental health needs to be met.
The following are just a few of the therapies we offer to help treat those with a dual diagnosis:
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
Cognitive-behavioral therapy or CBT is a form of therapy where the goal is to change harmful behavior. To do this, therapists discuss the client’s beliefs and behaviors. Furthermore, a connection is then bridged between the beliefs, as well as the actions those beliefs create. This form of therapy is an effective, and safe way to gradually enable clients to understand their behaviors. As well, they can better understand the disorders that make up their dual diagnosis.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy
Dialectical behavior therapy or DBT helps people better manage emotions and cope. Despite DBT’s similar approach to CBT, dialectical behavior therapy focuses on helping clients to engage in healthy, and positive behaviors. Examples include stress management and mindfulness which encourage being fully in the present. As a result of this focus, DBT is an effective way to establish regulatory behaviors, as well as thoughts to counter the effects of a dual diagnosis.
Individual Therapy
This form of therapy involves a client meeting individually, and one-on-one with a therapist. During an individual therapy session, a therapist will discuss potential solutions, as well as ways to cope with a dual diagnosis. This is an incredibly popular and effective form of therapy, because of the intimate setting, and being able to discuss struggles with only one person.
Group Therapy
Group therapy treats a dual diagnosis by creating a safe environment. Here, multiple clients meet with one or more mental health professionals to discuss their struggles. This form of therapy allows individuals to socialize and interact with others who may also have a dual diagnosis. A typical group is made up of six to eight clients. These clients are free to talk about their personal goals, as well as their struggles with the therapists or the other members of the group.
Common Dual Diagnosis Disorders
When someone constantly abuses substances in their life, they are bound to develop unhealthy disorders. There is no common bond between certain drugs or alcohol give and disorders because everyone is different. No one’s condition will be the same for everyone else. However, there are common disorders in those who intake an unhealthy amount of substances, no matter what kind they are.
Common disorders people with a dual diagnosis might have include:
- Bipolar disorder
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Schizophrenia
- Borderline personality disorder (BPD)
- Depression
- Anxiety and panic disorder
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
- Eating disorders
There are more disorders one can suffer from while intaking substances to ease the pain. Someone can even suffer from multiple disorders in a dual diagnosis. It’s easy to feel trapped or controlled by a difficult mental health disorder on a constant and daily basis.
However, turning to alcohol or drugs is not the answer. In fact, substances will only make one feel worse and worse as each day goes on. Instead, seek healing and recovery through our dual diagnosis treatment in Atlanta, Georgia. There, we will discover the right plans for someone to get the necessary treatment to live a life of sobriety and freedom from mental health disorders.
Benefits of Dual Diagnosis Treatment in Atlanta, GA
Dual diagnosis treatment offers many benefits for those who are struggling with co-occurring issues. Knowing the benefits treatment provides will help them understand how important it is to get treatment as early as possible. Dealing with co-occurring problems on a daily basis only burdens one’s life further. Thankfully, our treatment center offers many benefits to a petient’s life and overall health.
Benefits of dual diagnosis treatment include:
- A better understanding of one’s health condition
- Improving mental health
- Bettering one’s overall health and quality of life
- Learning how to maintain family and friend relationships
- Focused care toward treating both conditions in a dual diagnosis
- Increased motivation to live a better life
- Developing the skills to maintain a substance-free life
It is incredibly difficult to deal with a dual diagnosis on one’s own. Therefore, we recommend seeking help from a professional treatment center. Although self-medicating with drugs or alcohol offers temporary relief, the physical and mental health dangers of using substances to cope is not worth the risk.
Co-occurring disorders are effectively treated when professionally diagnosed and one undergoes a treatment plan tailored to their specific needs. No one should suffer in silence. That is why Empowered Recovery center offers effective dual diagnosis treatment to those who need it.
Begin Dual Diagnosis Treatment in Atlanta, GA
Empowered Recovery Center is here to help if you are looking for an effective and safe dual diagnosis treatment in Atlanta, Georgia. From the moment you contact us, you will have both the support, and guidance you need to begin your road to recovery. Our exceptional team is on hand to aid your healing, as well as provide you with the tools you need to empower yourself and get back on track.
To find out more about what we can do for you, as well as our individualized treatment plans for dual diagnosis, contact us today.
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