Mental health and addiction often go hand-in-hand, and dual diagnosis treatment centers understand that. Find out why a dual diagnosis center could be for you.
Here you go again — falling back into old habits after saying you would quit drugs or alcohol.
To be realistic, though, substance abuse is an extremely slippery slope.
It can be hard to get clean when you’re struggling with addiction. The process is even more difficult if there are other things, like mental health problems, triggering your desire for drugs.
The first thing you should know is that you are not alone. There are many other people living with similar issues. In fact, 9 million adults in the US are living with co-occurring disorders.
The second thing to realize is you owe it to yourself to do better, and you have dual diagnosis treatment centers available to help you.
The following is a deeper look at what dual diagnosis is, and how it can change your life.
What Are Dual Diagnosis Treatment Centers?
Dual diagnosis treatment centers look at both sides of addiction. The specialists here see the side of you with a drug problem, as well as the person in need of mental health care.
There is no blame or judgment in this space.
There is only a genuine interest in helping you find the better version of who you are. This is without drugs, and without the weight of conditions like depression, anxiety, or PTSD.
Instead, dual diagnosis treatment centers focus on providing the following benefits.
1. Constant Support
First and foremost, addicts have to understand a treatment center is a support center.
Whether you check yourself in or get admitted by someone, do your best to welcome the opportunities here. Treatment centers are where you get better for real — no shortcuts, and no relapses.
This is greatly in part to the help of committed staff members. Every person from the front desk to the specialists you meet with regularly, is there to see you succeed.
They want the best for you, which is a life without drugs and without the turmoil of mental health problems.
2. Establishing a Community
The more time you spend with the staff, the more they become your community.
But, you’ll be among other people going through the same thing, too.
This makes your support system even stronger.
You and other treatment patients can relate to one another on much deeper levels. These people have been in your shoes and they can offer motivation to stay on your journey to healing.
3. Creating Distance
Part of the journey means walking the road to recovery without familiar faces. Dual diagnosis treatment centers offer you a chance to get better without needing to lean on friends and family.
This may sound backward, but it is best for everyone involved.
When you try to get better by relying on the people you care about, there can be more pain involved than necessary. Often times, these members of your circle end up on a roller coaster of emotions with you.
One day, they’re proud of your progress. The next, they’re angry or disappointed about a relapse, and so are you.
You can stop this cycle by checking in to treatment, though.
4. Keeping a Steady Routine
Part of keeping relapses at bay is a routine.
Dual diagnosis treatment centers help you establish a strict schedule for your own good. This can help you focus on things to clear your mind, which in turn lowers the desire to do drugs.
Through open, honest communication with your clinician, you can create a life you want to fully live. This starts with daily actions and a bit of structure.
A schedule isn’t a limitation — it’s a guideline to a brighter, healthier you.
5. Replacing Bad Habits with New, Healthy Ones
As you get into the flow of your new routine, you start to see the benefits of healthy coping.
Healthy coping treats mental health conditions for what they are. It realizes what you’re going through, and gives you better things to do than drugs.
By adding things like morning meditation or afternoon runs into your schedule, you can start to chip away at what’s weighing you down.
Your new drug becomes healing; your supply a mix of small, intentional choices.
6. Limiting Distractions
Sometimes, addiction as a side effect of mental health becomes its own monster.
Instead of going to your drug of choice when you’re feeling down or anxious, you start to do it just because. This is one of the signs your addiction has reached its full strength.
Thankfully, the schedule and good habits you create at a center leave no room for your mind to wander to drugs.
These fill your days with healing and growth so that you’re not distracted. The more focused you are, the less likely the urge to use will creep in.
7. Identifying Underlying Issues
Across all dual diagnosis treatment centers, there is a commitment to a better you in body and mind.
A co-occurring disorder means you have to treat both situations equally. You’re fighting against the drugs and mind tricks all at once.
Together, this process gets to the root of the problem.
It helps you see how addiction can encourage mental health issues, and vice versa. It also creates a better picture of what you can do to stop this cycle.
The process is difficult, yet empowering. It puts the control back in your hands, rather than at the mercy of either of the things you’ve been struggling with for too long.
8. Getting Results
When all of the pieces of addiction recovery come together, you get results.
With the help of your choice of dual diagnosis treatment centers, you’ll find a better you.
This is someone who is happier, healthier, and more comfortable in their own skin. It’s a person who has overcome adversity and inner demons and has reached the other side of addiction.
To make sure this person sticks around, many centers offer outpatient treatment plans. These services keep you on track, no matter what life may throw at you after treatment.
The First Steps of Recovery
As wonderful as a fresh start might sound, it doesn’t happen overnight. But, you can get the ball rolling with one simple step.
Pick up the phone.
Stop getting in your own way and living a life you know could be better. Contact us today to talk about your dual diagnosis treatment options.
