When we talk about alcohol use disorders (AUD), we do not mean occasionally drinking to excess. We are referring to a level at which drinking becomes a formidable compulsion to an individual and overshadows anything else. This is where conversations about dual diagnosis treatment come in.
Alcohol use disorder is severe enough in its way. But when mental health steps in, it’s even more so. Imagine grappling with anxiety or depression and being tempted by the idea that alcohol provides a temporary out.
Dual-diagnosis is an accompanying mental health condition with substance use disorder. Understanding this complex duality is not an academic requirement but essential. It’s identifying the source of the problem to open up a thorough healing pathway.
Understanding Alcohol Use Disorders and Mental Health
AUD is like throwing a stone into the mental health pond. The ripples affect far more than the surface. For an individual dealing with AUD, it’s an everyday struggle not with the bottle but with how alcohol fans one’s mental health issues, turning that manageable spark into a wildfire.
Anxiety, Depression, and Bipolar Disorder
Alcohol use is closely associated with several mental health disorders, a fact that is widely known yet, in general, poorly understood. Anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorder often co-occur and co-occupy a space with the use itself.
Drinking to “take the edge off” anxiety or to “lift” the mood in a depressive episode feels like a quick fix. However, it backfires by only deepening the very issues one seeks to escape.
The Widespread Nature of Co-occurring Disorders
This is more common than most people would think. It’s not an exception or rarity but rather a common challenge, which underlines the necessity of a very articulated approach to treatment.
The challenge here lies not so much in the diagnosis, however, but in formulating a path to recovery that takes into account the addiction and the mental health disorder. Moreover, it recognizes that they feed each other in a cycle that is difficult to break without the right help.
The Cycle of Co-occurring Disorders
This relationship is not a one-lane road but a heavily traveled two-way street between alcohol use disorders and mental health problems. Alcohol may act as a “bridge over troubled waters” where people with mental health problems turn to it, seeking an alleviation of their symptoms by self-medication.
On the other hand, excessive drinking often increases or uncovers mental health issues, establishing a vicious cycle that can be difficult to get out of.
Self-Medication: A Temporary Fix with Long-Term Consequences
It’s an age-old story: using alcohol as a soother of mental health pain. Whether that pain is caused by acute anxiety in social situations or simply the daily fog of depression, alcohol will cut through it like a sharp knife and offer relief in a matter of a few moments—though for only a short time.
But this is like bandaging a deep, infectious wound, which temporizes but doesn’t resolve the infection underneath.
When Alcohol Throws Fuel on the Fire
It is very easy to underestimate the impact alcohol can inflict on mental health. Starting as a soother, it can transform into kindling for the fire instead, worsening the symptoms it was supposed to alleviate. Alcohol-related alteration of brain chemistry can increase the depth of depression and anxiety and sometimes even trigger new mental health conditions in some people.
By the Numbers: The Prevalence of Co-occurring Disorders
The number of people who have a mental health condition as well as a substance use disorder is very high. The statistics vividly demonstrate just how widely spread the co-occurring disorders are. According to the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), 50% of people with severe mental health disorders are subjected to substance abuse.[1]
Secondly, it is known that 37% of alcohol use disorders and 53% of those with a substance use disorder have, at minimum, one serious mental illness.[2] These statistics indicate the dire need for awareness and focused target intervention strategies.
Recognizing the Signs of Dual Diagnosis
Identifying a dual diagnosis is something akin to untangling a highly complex web—symptoms of mental health disorders and substance abuse often do overlap, thus making it very difficult to recognize one from the other.
Signs that may imply a dual diagnosis can be the use of alcohol in coping with emotional distress, visible shifts in behavioral patterns when intoxicated, or a history of either condition in the family.
The Diagnostic Maze
Identifying co-occurring disorders is not without its roadblocks, primarily because the symptoms tend to overlap. Anxiety may lead to drinking, which then causes more anxiety, creating a loop that masks the cause of the distress. The real challenge is dissecting this loop so that the underlying issues can be genuinely diagnosed.
A Cornerstone for Recovery: Accurate Diagnosis
The importance of a precise diagnosis cannot be overstated. It’s the cornerstone upon which the journey to recovery is built. Without understanding the full scope of what an individual is facing—both the addiction and the mental health disorder—treatment may fall short, addressing only part of the problem and leaving the individual on shaky ground.
The Significance of Dual Diagnosis Treatment
Understanding the dual diagnosis treatment is indispensable for anyone who tries to manage their substance use and mental health disorders. This approach looks at the surface symptoms and delves deep. This addresses the addiction and the underlying mental health issues in concert.
The interrelation of the disorders makes such comprehensive care necessary, as one can’t address one and ignore the other. It’s like trying to paddle a boat with a single oar. You might move, but not in the direction you’re hoping for.
Beyond Single-Issue Treatment
Focusing on only substance use or mental health disorders leaves a significant gap in care. While helpful, you’re still only addressing one issue while letting the other go. Integrated treatment, on the other hand, acknowledges that these conditions feed off each other.
Those addicted to alcohol and other drugs often suffer from both types of illness. There are significant increases in the chance of recovery when both are treated.
A Spectrum of Treatment Options
Like most care, dual diagnosis treatment is not a one-size-fits-all deal. It consists of therapy—such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which helps people change negative thinking patterns that contribute to substance abuse and mental health issues—along with medication management to stabilize mood disorders or anxiety. Support groups also serve as a critical helping environment that aids in reinforcing the recovery process.
How Dual Diagnosis Treatment Works
Effective treatment of dual diagnosis refers to programs that treat the two conditions at the same time. Programs like these are not off-the-shelf. They are tailor-made to suit the needs and situations of particular clients.
This approach addresses both the issues of dual diagnosis and, thus, ensures the formulation for recovery is vital.
The Power of Behavioral Therapies
CBT’s effectiveness in treating dual diagnosis draws from the fact that the individual gets help to debunk negative thought patterns causing both the addiction and the mental health problems. By providing people with healthier coping strategies, CBT equips an individual with a vital tool against triggers of substance use and challenges that come with mental health disorders.
Managing Medication
Medication forms a primary basis for the management of some mental health conditions. Proper medication management can stabilize mood swings, anxieties, and depression so that there is a more stable platform from which to begin addressing one’s substance abuse issues.
This component of dual diagnosis treatment is fundamental and represents the need for a finely tuned approach to the recovery process.
The Role of Support Systems
The linchpin to the recovery of clients with a dual diagnosis would be peer support. It is the mirror to reflect the shared challenges of dual diagnosis and the window to see the possibilities of recovery. Support groups provide a space for connection and understanding and reinforce individual journeys to health and sobriety.
Berkshire Mountain Health’s Approach to Dual Diagnosis Treatment
In an integrated treatment plan developed at Berkshire Mountain Health, the complex needs of people with dual diagnoses are treated by professionals who specialize in mental health and addiction.
It is an approach that treats both the substance use disorder and the co-occurring mental health condition at the same time. The plan of treatment is structured in such a way that it meets individual needs.
Berkshire Mountain Health becomes a symbol of hope for all those grappling with dual diagnosis as it fosters a setting for comprehensive care.
Worried About the Challenges in Dual Diagnosis Recovery?
So, getting back on track after such an episode of dual diagnosis means a constant balance, focus, and the realization that dropping the ball in one area can mean throwing off everything. Substance use disorders and mental health problems interact in complex ways, with the specific triggers, symptoms, and setbacks belonging to each.
Therefore, the path to recovery is not a simple linear one but rather a dual battle. It is a dual battle that needs to be fought through various strategies. Some helpful strategies for managing a steady journey include:
- Symptom Management: Recognizing and managing symptoms of mental health problems and substance use is crucial. This may include therapy, medication, or lifestyle changes to help stabilize mood and also ward off cravings.
- Relapse Prevention: Recognizing triggers and establishing an action plan in response to them is essential. These may involve stress management techniques, even having someone to call when the going gets tough.
- Building a Sober Life: Recovery thrives in a supportive environment. Changes in one’s lifestyle, such as developing a structure for the daily program, engaging in healthy activities, and avoiding situations that may lead to the temptation to drink, need to be adopted.
A supportive environment could be both a safety net and a springboard for individuals in recovery. It’s about having people who understand the journey, who can offer encouragement during the tough times, and who celebrate the victories, small or big.
Find Effective Dual Diagnosis Treatment at Berkshire Mountain Health
If you or a loved one is struggling with this intricate dual-diagnosis journey, rest assured that recovery is more than possible. It’s a road that we can go on together. At Berkshire Mountain Health, we stand ready to provide this special care and support within a truly therapeutic and healing environment.
Contact us today to learn more about our dual diagnosis treatment programs and take the first step toward a healthier and sober life. Your road to recovery begins here.
Sources:
[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2174596/
2. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/383975
Alexis earned both a B.S. in Psychology and a B.S. in Family and Child Sciences from Florida State University and an M.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of San Diego. She holds licenses in Marriage and Family Therapy in Florida, Connecticut, and Massachusetts and is also a member of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT).
Alexis works with families, couples, children, and groups and also has a sub-specialty in addiction and recovery. She utilizes an integrated, systemic approach to counseling; empowering people to define what is not working for them in their lives and to discover the possibilities for making life work. In doing this, clients are guided towards identifying their strengths, accessing their resources, tapping into their potential for success, and taking action toward achieving their desired goals.
Alexis also has extensive experience in the administration of behavioral health organizations. She has developed, built, and supervised several facilities encompassing all levels of care while leading them through state licensing and The Joint Commission accreditation process.
