If you have a mental health diagnosis and a substance use disorder, you have co-occurring disorders. This is also referred to as a dual diagnosis. Drug addiction treatment programs that help you address both issues could finally set you on the road to recovery. For the help you need, turn to a dual diagnosis treatment center in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Understanding the Need for a Co-occurring Disorder Treatment Center

male client and female therapist during a session at a Dual Diagnosis Treatment Center in Worcester MAHaving a mental illness sometimes makes people more likely to become addicted to substances, perhaps because they’re self-medicating or trying to cope with difficult symptoms. Common examples of co-occurring disorders include:

  • Major depressive disorder with a cocaine addiction
  • An eating disorder with meth use
  • Generalized anxiety disorder with alcoholism

It can be hard to diagnose a mental illness when there’s substance use going on. The symptoms of one can mimic symptoms of the other, or the addiction may mask the mental health issues. As a result, only one disorder receives treatment. But both disorders need careful attention and intervention, or you’re at a higher risk of overdose, suicide, incarceration, and other legal and medical problems. When two issues are present, a co-occurring disorder treatment center in Worcester, MA is a necessity for recovery.

How Are Co-Occurring Disorders Treated?

It’s best to treat co-occurring disorders at a dual diagnosis treatment center capable of addressing both disorders. They utilize programs and therapies, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) that focuses on both disorders and how they interact with each other.

If you have co-occurring disorders, your addiction treatment plan will factor in your unique needs and provide a strategy to help you become healthier and happier in a well-rounded way. For example, if you use an “upper” to cope with depression, you’ll need to learn better ways of coping with your feelings of sadness and loneliness.

Is Washburn House the Dual Diagnosis Treatment Center I Need?

Washburn House provides addiction and mental health treatment programs to treat co-occurring disorders. This means that while we are primarily a substance abuse treatment facility, we do treat some co-occurring disorders if your primary diagnosis is substance-related. With the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration showing that co-occurring disorders are very common, it is critical for us to provide dual diagnosis treatment.

Our trained and experienced clinicians can treat your substance use disorder along with the following:

  • Major depressive disorder (MDD)
  • Bipolar disorder
  • Anxiety disorders
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
  • Personality disorders, such as borderline personality disorder (BPD)

The pre-screening component of our Washburn House admissions process is very sensitive, strength-based, and nonjudgmental. We’ll get to know not just what substance you use and how much, but why you use them. Treating co-occurring disorders means looking at the big picture and seeing you as a whole. We’ll match you with a program that is best able to give you the level of support and intervention you need.

Washburn House is the ideal place to recover from your addiction as well as address your mental health issues. No matter which program you’re in, you’ll receive:

  • Comprehensive assessment of your mental illness, including the severity
  • A treatment plan tailored to your needs
  • Individual therapy with a clinician who’s qualified to help you navigate your symptoms
  • Medication management from a psychiatrist, as well as psychiatric evaluation if needed

Washburn House’s group therapy incorporates various mental health topics. We also implement several behavioral therapies. Many of our interventions, like mindfulness and dialectical behavior therapy, are helpful for both addiction recovery and mental health treatment.

What Treatment Is Right for Me?

Your pre-screening will help determine which of the following programs best serves your needs:

Does Having a Co-Occurring Disorder Make It Harder to Stay Sober?

Having a co-occurring disorder can make it more difficult to stay sober, which is why it’s important to get help as soon as you can. After you participate in substance abuse treatment programs, your withdrawal symptoms could include a rush of painful thoughts and feelings you were covering up with alcohol or drugs. For this reason, a higher level of care—such as the 24/7 support found in a residential setting—is highly recommended for co-occurring disorders. Our team will work with you to determine if this is right for you.

A strong focus will be placed on engagement and motivation during treatment. When your symptoms get especially tough to handle, you might feel a strong urge to resume drug use. Your individual therapist will help you develop a set of goals that are powerful and meaningful for you. This will help you stay focused on the finish line when the road gets long.

What Happens After Treatment?

While you’re in substance abuse treatment at Washburn House in Worcester, you’ll learn a wide variety of coping skills. When you leave, you’ll be better prepared to face your triggers and stressors, but you’ll still need support! Just as your treatment plan will be individualized, so will your aftercare plan. It will include things like outpatient therapy, medication management, and support groups.

You’ll also create a thorough relapse prevention plan before you leave Washburn House. It will point you in the right direction when you experience triggers or experience a spike in mental health symptoms. You won’t be unprepared when you leave, and you certainly won’t be alone.

Recover at Washburn House

You don’t need to keep suffering from your co-occurring disorders. Our experts provide the following specialized programs alongside mental health treatment:

Contact Washburn House today by calling 855.298.3104!