Co-occurring disorders are common among people who are struggling with substance abuse. Many people who have substance use disorder also have a mental health condition. It works both ways, meaning people who have mental health disorders often abuse substances too. People with any mental health condition may end up doing drugs. Having a mental health issue, especially if it’s untreated, causes extreme emotional and physical discomfort. This may then prompt individuals to do drugs to numb the feelings of an untreated mental health disorder.
You may wonder if certain co-occurring disorders go together, or if any co-occurring disorders require treatment. Let’s take a closer look at four common co-occurring disorders that require treatment.
Anxiety and Benzo Addiction
Anxiety is one of the most common mental health disorders in the United States with millions of people affected. There are different sub-categories of anxiety disorder, such as social anxiety, panic disorder, and phobias. The most common, however, is a generalized anxiety disorder. This condition is characterized by feeling worried most days and most of the time. It’s not your typical worry over “normal” things, but you worry excessively over things that are small or may not happen.
Benzodiazepines, or benzos, are a class of drug that calms your system down — they are a tranquilizing drug. Some of the common ones are Valium and Xanax. As you can see, it would be easy to abuse this drug when you have an anxiety disorder because of its calming effect. Getting off this drug requires the help of a dual diagnosis treatment program.
PTSD and Opioid Addiction
Living with PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) can be a horrifying experience. People with this condition often relive the initial trauma over and over again. Sometimes they experience nightmares, flashbacks, and triggers that cause much distress. Many people avoid situations and places due to PTSD, thereby struggling to live a normal life.
Taking opioids helps them forget the trauma by providing a temporary “high.” Opioids also help numb out the pain associated with the trauma they experienced. It can be difficult to give up the comfort of opioid addiction, and even more difficult if you’re also coping with a dual diagnosis.
Depression and Cocaine Addiction
When you have a diagnosis of depression, it is more severe than just feeling down when things go wrong. Major depressive disorder is a serious condition affecting your entire life. Some people find it difficult to function with depression. They may want to sleep all the time or lack the motivation to go to work or enjoy the company of others. Cocaine is a substance that makes you feel powerful and energetic. It also takes effect instantaneously, thereby increasing its addictiveness. When depression and cocaine are present in someone, they need a dual diagnosis treatment program to break the cycle of addiction.
Bipolar and Heroin Addiction
Bipolar disorder is characterized by extreme highs, followed by crushing lows. It can feel like you’re on a roller coaster with your emotions. The low times are classified as a depressive episode, and the highs are classified as a manic episode. The problem is people do drastic things when they are in the manic stage and then can’t function well when in the low phase. Taking heroin makes people have one feeling — a high that is the same. This is addictive to the person who swings from up to down. Heroin also takes away depressed feelings, making the person struggle to get off the drug. Only a dual diagnosis treatment program will help in this situation.
Treat Co-Occurring Disorders At Northern Illinois Recovery Center
If you are dealing with substance abuse and a mental health problem, then it’s time for a dual diagnosis treatment program at Northern Illinois Recovery Center. Our well-equipped facilities are here to provide you with evidence-based treatment programs to heal. Some of these addiction treatment programs are as follows:
- PTSD treatment program
- Individual therapy treatment program
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy treatment program
- Dialectical behavior therapy treatment program
- Holistic therapy treatment program
You can start the admissions process today by talking to an intake coordinator. Don’t let mental health concerns or substance use interfere with your happiness in life. Now that you know more about co-occurring disorders reach out to a quality rehab center. Contact Northern Illinois Recovery at 855.786.1978, and we’ll help your loved one get back on the pathway to recovery today.
