Imagine feeling like you have no control over your emotions. The only solution you have is to use alcohol or drugs to feel better. However, your high will be short lives, but the problem you encountered will still be present. If you are dealing with feelings of anxiety or depression and use substances to medicate, you more than likely have a co-occurring disorder. A dual diagnosis program in Murrieta, one of the fastest-growing cities in the state in recent years, will help you navigate your emotions and chemical cravings to live a fulfilled life.
The Need for Dual Diagnosis Treatment in Los Angeles
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 21 percent of adults are dealing with mental health disorders.1 There is a great need for mental health services, especially for co-occurring disorders, as they would help fight addiction in Los Angeles. In Los Angeles, overdose deaths amongst people experiencing homelessness have risen to 60% from 37%. With more than sixty thousand people experiencing homelessness on the streets of L.A., this number is staggering. When we think about the power of substance use disorders and mental health disorders and how to treat them, this data cannot be ignored.
What Are the Benefits of Treating Co-Occurring Disorders?
There are many substances that people use to cope with symptoms of their mental health disorders. While this seems like a smart choice, it can lead to dependency on drugs that will never truly support someone.
Co-occurring disorders are also known as dual diagnosis treatment. With this type of disorder, mental health is considered the first disorder present in someone’s life. The mental health disorders could be depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder. Then, a person’s second disorder is rooted in their substance use disorder. Here are some common matches and benefits of dual diagnosis treatment.
Anxiety Disorder and Marijuana
People often smoke marijuana to feel more relaxed in social settings. When someone has anxiety, it is difficult for them to be present in large, busy crowds. However, using marijuana can help them forget their fears and focus on being in the moment. When doctors treat anxiety with the support of mental health practitioners, people will learn how to manage their concerns effectively. Instead of being focused on masking their problem, they will have the tools to solve their challenges consistently.
Anxiety Disorder and Benzodiazepine Addiction
Panic attacks are often filled with absolute dread and feeling like they cannot achieve something. Prescription drugs such as Xanax and Valium have the power to make users feel like they are relaxed and calm. Yet using these drugs long-term to treat anxiety disorder is dangerous as it can lead to addiction. Getting treatment for anxiety disorder will help people learn to navigate their emotions effectively. For some, participating in therapeutic programs such as yoga or meditation will support feeling calm and relaxed without using prescription drugs.
Alcoholism and Depression
When someone feels sad or frustrated, they want to shift their feelings. Alcoholism is the treatment many people use because they want to forget their current feelings. They would also like to feel numb. However, alcoholism presents many problems such as risky behaviors such as drinking and driving that will be detrimental to others. Getting treated for depression and alcoholism will provide the guidance to understand why drinking is such a dangerous behavior.
PTSD and Opioid Addiction
Having emotional triggers and hurtful flashbacks is an experience that most people would like to avoid. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) makes people with negative memories of people, events, or even places feel distraught. With a desire to end these feelings, people often turn to heroin or prescription opioids as they will help people feel less pain and allow them to escape reality. Therapists will help people navigate the harmful triggers and find solutions that do not include using heroin or prescription opioids.
A dual diagnosis treatment in Los Angeles will support people to find the support that they need to fight their mental health and substance use disorders effectively.
Get Dual Diagnosis Treatment with Rise Above Treatment
Deciding to self-medicate might seem like a good solution if you are dealing with a mental health disorder. However, using drugs and alcohol to numb you from pain or make you stand out in the crowd is never a positive solution. In time, it will lead to greater dependency and trauma as substance use does not effectively deal with anxiety, depression, or bipolar disorder.
At Rise Above Treatment, located in southwestern Riverside County, we can support your recovery and help you learn to manage your mental health disorder. Contact us at (877) 641-0717 today to get started.
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