Posted On : December 29, 2022

Co-occurring Disorders Treatment

Co-occurring disorders treatment is an important part of helping individuals who struggle with mental health and substance abuse issues. Addiction of any kind can be taxing and daunting for the patient as well as his/her loved ones and family. The situation becomes worse if the patient is diagnosed with co-occurring disorders treatment. As the name suggests, a co-occurring condition is when a substance abuse exists alongside a mental illness. A person with co-occurring disorders may have any combination of mental health issues, such as a mood disorder and an addiction, or a mood disorder and an eating disorder. These disorders may appear simultaneously or exist one after the another. The dual existence consequently enhances the necessity to seek proper medical treatment to return to a sober and pre-condition lifestyle.

Understanding co-occurring disorder in depth

As mentioned above, a co-occurring disorder is a condition wherein two or more disorders exist together. People suffering from co-occurring disorders often struggle with both mental illness and substance abuse or addiction. This is also known as Dual Diagnosis. There can be many causes of co-occurring disorders, such as trauma, genetics, and brain chemistry.

Diagnosing co-occurring disorders becomes difficult due to the similarity in symptoms between both disorders. For example, a person with schizophrenia may not have any psychotic symptoms for weeks at a time but still have delusions that they can’t shake off; this would be difficult to diagnose without knowing about the schizophrenia diagnosis.

In general, patients who are pursuing treatment for mental illness have high chance of developing dependence on drugs, resulting in co-occurring disorders. It develops because patients diagnosed with a mental disorder often use substances to feel better and alleviate the discomfort. They feel that the drugs are helping them to fight the negative feelings of anxiety, depression, and fear or even numb their pain. Notably, the other way round situation is also true and equally concerning. Research have shown that almost 50% of all people with a substance use disorder or drug addiction end up having some kind of mental health disorder, the most common being depression.

In either of the cases, when the intake of these drugs exceeds a limit, it can hinder the overall treatment. Substance abuse can lead to failure of the ongoing mental disorder treatment, making it difficult for the patient to develop coping skills, thereby pushing sobriety and balanced life to the back burner. Additionally, substances might also interfere with the medications prescribed which prevent the intended impact of the treatment and further worsens mental health.

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Common co-occurring disorders

With so many types of substance abuse and mental illness, there can be numerous combinations and permutations of co-occurring disorders that can exist. Below are a few commonly diagnosed co-occurring disorders are:

While both disorders are common when occurring in isolation, their co-existence is equally common. According to a research, nearly 10% of the US population has been diagnosed with depression, of which around one-third of them suffer from substance abuse such as cocaine. People often abuse cocaine to stimulate their neurotransmitter and experience temporary euphoria. However, constant and over use of the substance alters the brain chemistry and prevents it from producing dopamine naturally. Also, its regular use can impair the function of brain cells by up to 20%. Notably cocaine abuse and its withdrawal can cause mental illness like depression, which can further lead to overuse of cocaine. Although, this co-occurring disorder treatment usually involves medication with antidepressants, however, the suitable treatment method should be decided by a certified medical professional.

Components of the Residential Inpatient Program

There are several components of a residential inpatient program. These are mentioned below:

  • Withdrawal management program
  • Detox program
  • Individual therapy and counseling
  • Group therapy
  • Medication
  • Family Therapy Sessions

Who Should Opt For Residential Inpatient Program?

People who need more support and help to come out of their addictions should go into for residential inpatient program. Choosing a program that is well suited to your specific requirement is vital.

More often than not when the condition of the patient or his/ her problem has come to a point where it calls for containment i.e. 24-hour medical and psychological monitoring, a patient has to live in a residential de-addiction facility. Mostly, a patient who cannot manage his/her addiction, and this has led to serious repercussions opt for a residential inpatient program.

At a residential inpatient program, people with the following disorders are provided treatment.

  • A person suffering from drug abuse
  • A person battling alcohol dependency
  • A person afflicted with eating disorders
  • Someone with mental issues such as depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, etc

Outcomes Expected from Residential Inpatient Program

When a patient enrolls for a residential inpatient program, it is expected that he/ she will come out all clear from whatever addiction he/ she is suffering from. A residential program is expected to put a person back on track. It helps get rid of the addiction in the best and fastest possible way. When you enroll in a residential program, it is believed that sobriety will become a way of life.

Benefits of the Residential Inpatient Program

As per a study, out of every 7 people, 1 is afflicted with addiction. Addiction is a disease that has made life debilitating for a lot of people. There are several benefits of enrolling in a residential inpatient program. These are mentioned below:

  • Places A Person in a Different Environment– A lot of people succumb to addiction as they cannot cope with stress and tensions in their life. In a residential treatment program, a person is taken out of his environment and put in a place where he/ she can focus on recovery. Beating the addiction is the sole aim and when you are in a residential facility your chances of accomplishing your aim become brighter.
  • Outstanding Support– The support that you get at a residential inpatient facility is mind-blowing. At each and every step there is a team of experts to help you out of your problems. There are medical professionals who are completely dedicated to offering you help whenever you need it. Also, you are surrounded by people who are on a similar journey as yours. So, this gives a patient the right perspective on how to cope with his/ her programs. What’s more, in most of the residential facilities you can have visitors so if you are missing your friends or family members they can come and see you while you are still going through your treatment.
  • 24/7 healthcare facility– When a person goes through de-addiction program withdrawal symptoms are common. At a residential facility, there are experts to deal with withdrawal symptoms at any hour of the day. Such a thing is not present in other treatment plans.
  • Less Temptation– At residential facilities access to any kind of alcohol or other substances is zero. When you stay out, you can become weak and go back to your addiction if there is a trigger. However, chances for such a thing are very low at a residential inpatient facility. In a residential facility, patients are able to identify coping mechanisms and this helps them to fight the urge to fall for their addiction.
  • Structure– At a residential facility your life is given a structure that it lacks. There are some addicts who mask their addiction and lead a seemingly normal life but then there are some who cannot control themselves and end up losing their jobs. At a residential treatment program, a patient is given a chance to regain structure in their life. In a rehab center, each and every hour is planned so you know what you’ll be doing next and this helps keeps addiction at bay.
  • Counseling sessions– Addiction needs regular counseling. You need to be reminded every day to stay away from it and in a residential program, this is what is done. It is like doing a detox of both mind and body. A person gets to meet mental health professionals who help him or them identify and then overcome the root cause of addiction.
  • Fitness Therapy– Most of the residential inpatient programs have fitness therapy as a key part of the treatment. Recovery happens both in the mind and the body. And it is fitness therapy that prepares a person to be both mentally and physically strong. Having a consistent and good workout routine can aid in recovery in a big way.

So, these are some of the benefits of residential inpatient programs.

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    co-occurring disorders treatment

    Treatment Specification

    In a residential inpatient program a patient is administered medications to cope up addiction. Therapy is provided to address withdrawal symptoms. Patient goes through individual and group counseling sessions that help him/her defeat addiction. A systematic action plan is followed so that the patient comes out clean at the end of the treatment. Apart from counseling fitness sessions are also provided so that the patient is able to combat addiction and handle withdrawal symptoms effectively.

    Wrapping Up

    Always choose a residential inpatient program after doing your research. The road to sobriety is hard but it is worth every effort. There are so many advantages to enrolling in a residential inpatient addiction treatment center.

    So, if you are battling addiction and there is a need to enroll in a residential facility you must opt for the same to seek maximum advantages. Always take a virtual tour of the facility to have an idea about what you will be getting. Go Rehabs offers you complete information about drug rehab centers and the kind of care you can expect. Get in touch with them and have access to whatever information you need concerning substance addiction, alcohol addiction, and treatment plans.