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Dual diagnosis treatment centers can be hard to come by. Most treatment facilities only focus only on substance use disorders or only on mental health conditions. A dual diagnosis treatment center, like The PAC Program, focuses on both, giving individualized treatment plans that give you the best chance at finding success in recovery.
Dual diagnosis is when a person has been diagnosed with both a substance use disorder and a mental health condition at the same time.1 Dual diagnosis treatment is the comprehensive treatment plan to address both disorders simultaneously. Most centers are not equipped to address both mental health conditions and drug addictions, so it is important to find a dual diagnosis treatment center.
Dual diagnosis treatment centers allow for a person to take a holistic approach to their recovery. Although co-occurring conditions do not cause one another, they can turn into a cycle very quickly. Because of this fact, it is essential to treat both mental health disorders and substance use disorders simultaneously.
If a person chooses not to treat one or both conditions, it can lead to severe and possibly fatal symptoms. It is a challenging process, which is why it requires an in-depth, comprehensive treatment plan.2
Many people who have a dual diagnosis attempt to self-medicate. Several different issues can go wrong when self-medicating. Some of those areas follows:3
Self-medication often gives a delusion that everything is going okay when symptoms are becoming progressively worse. If you or a loved one are struggling with a health issue, it is best to seek care from a medical professional.
A person with a mental health disorder may begin to struggle with an irregular sleep schedule. It could include sleeping abnormal amounts of time or struggling with insomnia. This issue can lead to extreme sleep deprivation, significant fatigue, and low energy.4
You might notice that a person has become a lot more sensitive. This increased sensitivity might present itself as an inability to deal with stress or issues as they arise throughout the day. They might suffer from extreme mood changes, which could go from super highs to super lows. This sensitivity could also be a sensitivity to the environment around them. A person might begin to struggle with concentration. Mental health issues could also lead to extreme anger, hostility, or violence.4
Finally, if a person is struggling with illogical thinking, it may be a sign that they are struggling with a mental health condition. Some conditions lead to delusions or hallucinations. If a person has illogical or excessive fears or if they have a strong sense of guilt and shame frequently, it might be a sign that they
are struggling with a mental health issue.4 It could present itself with suicidal ideation or through isolation and withdrawal.
If a person consistently has bloodshot eyes, this could be a clear sign that they are under the influence or using substances consistently. Bloodshot eyes can be caused by things such as marijuana or alcohol use, but it can also be a sign of sleep deprivation or poor sleep habits, which is another potential sign a person might be struggling with substance abuse.5
If a person also begins to feel a craving to use a substance, that is a clear sign that dependency has set in. These cravings might also show themselves by an individual always keeping the substance on hand. Many times, a person might try to quit a drug once they begin to have a consistent craving.
If a person is struggling with substance use disorder, they may try to quit, but they give in to cravings or relapse. Moreover, if a person is dealing with withdrawal symptoms, it is a clear sign that they have become addicted to a substance.5
Finally, if an individual is struggling with money, it can be a sign that they are spending it on drugs or alcohol. People that struggle with substance use disorder will continue to use substances even when they interfere with their day-to-day life such as paying for bills or showing up to work.5
There are several dual diagnosis treatment centers that you can go to, which allows you to view all of your options. Some people, due to schedule, will use an outpatient treatment plan. It is where a person goes into a facility regularly for treatment.
There are also inpatient treatment centers. Stays could last anywhere between one month to a year. There are several behavioral therapy options that a person might use that can be extremely effective. Finally, support groups can provide the necessary emotional support that someone needs to deal with a dual diagnosis.6
At Blueprint for Recovery, we create a treatment plan that is based on scientific evidence to ensure that you maintain a sober life after graduating from the program. Our team uses a three-phase program that focuses on small wins, making it much more manageable to work through both diagnoses.
The first phase is called the residential phase, where the patient works with the staff to create an individualized treatment plan. It is normally a combination of evidence-based therapy, psychiatric services, and the use of a small community.
The second phase is the transitional phase. The goal of this phase is to slowly re-introduce a person back into the world outside of the treatment facility. Leaving completely can be very difficult, so The PAC Program does our best to slowly introduce a person back into the real world. Patients will normally go through thirty hours of therapy a week to help with this transition.
Finally, a patient will go through the third phase which is called the launch phase. During this time, the patient will apply the skills they learned at Blueprint for Recovery. Our staff is available twenty-four hours a day to help a patient through this process.
If you or a loved one needs help, please call us at
623-523-4748 and our team at Blueprints For Recovery in Arizona will help.
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