Our dual diagnosis treatment centers in Georgia help adults whose lives have been impacted by mental illness and addiction. We help clients take significant steps toward healthier and more hopeful futures.
Dual Diagnosis or Co-occurring disorders can disrupt a person’s ability to live a full and satisfying life. When someone experiences a mental health condition and an addiction at the same time, their struggles can become significantly more complex. But this type of challenge, which is known as dual diagnosis, is not insurmountable.
How Do Our Dual Diagnosis Treatment Centers in Georgia Work?
At our dual diagnosis treatment center in Georgia, we understand that everyone who develops a mental illness and a co-occurring addiction is impacted in a different way.
To best serve each person who turns to us for care, we assess their needs, talk to them about their immediate and long-term goals, and take the time to get to know them as a unique individual.
Our team closely monitors each person’s progress throughout their time with us. This enables us to make any necessary changes to their care to ensure that they are receiving maximum benefit from our services.
Treatment focuses on two general goals:
- Helping the individual manage their mental health symptoms
- Preparing them for successful recovery from addiction.
Each of these efforts involve a combination of education, therapy, and interpersonal support.
Mental illnesses and addiction can isolate people from those who care most about them. These disorders also often cause people to feel shame or guilt.
During dual diagnosis treatment at Peachtree Recovery Solutions in Georgia, people discover that they are not alone. They also learn that they are valuable individuals who deserve to be treated with dignity and respect.
What Is a Dual Diagnosis Disorder?
Dual diagnosis is the clinical term for the simultaneous presence of a mental health disorder and a substance use disorder (addiction).
- In some cases, people who have depression, anxiety, or another mental health concern try to self-medicate with alcohol or other drugs. This misguided behavior can lead to a co-occurring addiction.
- In other instances, a person’s struggles with addiction can cause them to develop depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or another co-occurring mental health disorder.
Dual diagnosis is not uncommon in the United States. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) published the following dual diagnosis statistics:
- About 17 million American adults have dual diagnosis disorders.
- 37.9% of adults who have a substance use disorder also have a co-occurring mental illness.
- 18.2% of adults who have a mental health disorder also have a co-occurring addiction.
Unfortunately, NIDA also reports that more than half (52.3%) of adults who have dual diagnosis have not received mental health services or addiction treatment.
Addiction and mental illnesses are treatable conditions. But people who have dual diagnosis need comprehensive professional treatment that can address the full scope of their needs. For adults in Georgia, dual diagnosis treatment centers such as Peachtree Recovery Solution can be sources of life-changing care.
The Difference Between Dual Diagnosis and Treatment Centers For Addiction
At Peachtree Recovery Solutions, our dual diagnosis treatment center treats those with substance use disorder as a primary program, with secondary mental health disorders. Our program may not be appropriate for those with a primary mental health disorder. If this is the case, we will point you in the right direction to a more appropriate facility.
When you enter Peachtree Recovery Solutions, we do an in-depth assessment to understand your history, and what your needs are. As a dual diagnosis treatment center, we treat the underlying root causes of addiction, whether that may be a mental health disorder, stress, or something else, and address these symptoms with appropriate and effective modalities including medication management, psychiatric evaluations, and more.
When you contact our admissions staff, we work with you, our medical director, and our entire clinical team to make sure you can benefit from our therapeutic environment and find a life of sustainable recovery.
Risk Factors for a Dual Diagnosis Disorder
The following risk factors can increase the likelihood that a person will develop dual diagnosis:
- Family history of substance abuse, addiction, and/or mental illness
- Personal history of abuse, neglect, or other forms of trauma
- Low self-esteem or poor self-image
- Exposure to overwhelming stress or pressure
- Having certain mental health disorders (such as depression, bipolar disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder) that have been linked with elevated rates of substance abuse.
Signs and Symptoms of a Dual Diagnosis Disorder
The signs and symptoms of dual diagnosis can vary considerably depending on which substance an individual has become addicted to and what type of mental health disorder they have developed.
The following are common signs that someone has developed an addiction:
- They have been failing to meet their personal, professional, or academic responsibilities.
- They seem incapable of experiencing joy or dealing with sadness without using substances.
- They have been lying about where they have been and what they’ve been doing.
- They have been exhibiting significant changes in mood, attitude, and energy level.
- They have begun to act with uncharacteristic aggression, violence, or recklessness.
- They have unintentionally gained or lost a noticeable amount of weight.
- They have begun to withdraw from their family and friends.
- They are no longer interested in activities or topics that used to be of great importance to them.
- They seem to be ignoring their appearance and personal hygiene.
- Their substance use has been a source of conflict with others.
- Once they start using the substance, they can’t seem to stop.
- They’ve tried to end their substance use, but they haven’t been able to.
In addition to exhibiting the signs of addiction listed above, someone with dual diagnosis may also experience the following symptoms of a mental health disorder:
- Pervasive sadness
- Extreme mood swings
- Unpredictable outbursts of anger
- Excessive fear or worry
- Anxiety and irritability
- Paranoia
- Confusion and disorientation
- Impulsiveness
- Diminished self-esteem or sense of self
- Hallucinations and/or delusions
- Poor self-care
- Significant changes in appetite
- Sleeping much more or much less than normal
- Self-harming behaviors
- Suicidal thoughts or actions
Anyone who has developed both a mental health disorder and a substance use disorder needs professional care. At Peachtree Recovery Solutions, our dual diagnosis treatment center in Georgia, adults can receive the personalized care that can significantly improve their lives.
Most Common Dual Diagnosis Disorders
The term dual diagnosis can describe any combination of mental illness and addiction. However, some types of disorders co-occur more commonly than others.
People who have the following mental health disorders may have an elevated risk for also developing an addiction:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Bipolar disorder
- Posttraumatic stress disorder
- Schizophrenia
Most cases of addiction in the United States involve the following substances:
- Alcohol
- Prescription painkillers, heroin and other opioids
- Amphetamine and methamphetamine
- Benzodiazepines
- Cocaine
At our dual diagnosis treatment centers in Georgia, we’re prepared to treat all common combinations of mental illness and addiction. To discover if you can get the help you need at Peachtree Recovery Solutions, please contact us directly now. If we determine that we are not the ideal place for you, we can refer you to a trusted provider who can help.
Services Offered at our Dual Diagnosis Treatment Center in Georgia
At Peachtree Recovery Solutions in Georgia, dual diagnosis treatment may occur at one or more of the following levels:
Depending on factors such as which level of care an individual receives treatment at and what types of mental illness and addiction they have been living with, dual diagnosis treatment may involve services such as the following:
- Individual therapy
- Group therapy
- Family therapy
- Holistic therapy
- Adventure therapy
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)
Before a person completes their care at our dual diagnosis treatment center in Georgia, we discuss their aftercare options with them. We want to be sure that each person can access the services and resources that can support their continued progress.
Find Dual Diagnosis Treatment in Georgia Today!
If you or someone that you care about have been struggling with a mental health concern and a co-occurring substance use disorder, the Peachtree Recovery Solutions team is here for you. Our dual diagnosis treatment center in Georgia is a safe space where adults receive personalized outpatient care from a team of compassionate professionals. Contact us today to learn about your options and verify your insurance now.