If we were to find something that’s worse than drug addiction, then that would be drug addiction combined with alcoholism or mental disorders. And if this would be considered the worst-case scenario, we have a lot of problems on our hands because the worst-case scenario is the norm. If there’s one aspect we’ve learned here, at America’s Rehab Campuses, over the years is that drug abuse and drug addiction never come alone.
The best dual diagnosis treatment centers in Orange County have to deal with co-occurring disorders for a good portion of the cases. A study published by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) showed that:
- Over 17 million people in the US met the criteria for at least one mental health disorder over the past year
- Over 4 million of them were also abusing drugs or alcohol as a direct consequence
- At least 16% of drug addicts also received treatment for co-occurring mental disorders
- In approximately 50% of the cases, drug addicts and alcoholics fail to receive dual diagnosis treatments, despite needing them
- It has been shown that patients who don’t receive psychotherapeutic assistance during their addiction recovery process will show a higher risk of relapse over time
Among the most common mental health disorders, anxiety and depression rank high on the list. Furthermore, it has been discovered that there is a connection between an individual’s psychological state and his tendency towards drug or alcohol abuse. Self-treatments are a critical problem because it leads people to self-diagnose their conditions and decide for themselves what drug to take or how to contain the symptoms.
These people will eventually line up for admission in one of the many dual diagnosis treatment centers in Orange County, and the cycle goes on and on. What’s worse is that solutions are scarce and not always as useful as we would want them to be.
Why are co-occurring disorders so dangerous?
There are two main reasons why we consider them to be particularly hazardous: their symptoms are masked by the symptoms induced by substance addiction itself and get aggravated at the same time. These two aspects will tremendously increase the difficulty of applying the correct diagnosis that could outlay the problem in its entirety.
Many people with depression will resort to some comfort-behavior, usually revolving around drug or alcohol use. The substances will generally deliver some temporary relief but, in the long run, will begin to function the other way around, worsening the condition. On the other hand, people who start abusing drugs or alcohol for entirely different reasons might end up developing depression as a symptom-triggered by substance abuse.
Differentiating between the two cases can be extremely difficult. For this reason, the best dual diagnosis treatment centers in Orange County have put together advanced treatment methods meant to tackle both the addiction itself and the underlying mental disorders, whether pre-existent or triggered by the substance abuse. Our team at America’s Rehab Campuses comprises of specialists with experience in the field of clinical medicine and psychiatry, ensuring the high-quality of the services and the dedication and expertise driving us forward.
