Sometimes, the cause of a person’s addiction is hard to identify. There are hundreds of reasons why a person might fall prey to drugs or alcohol. It might be self-esteem issues, trouble with friends or family members or stress related to financial problems. It’s also possible for an addiction to pop up from mental health disorders. In some cases, addiction could be the cause of new mental health issues. More and more, addiction treatment professionals see a correlation between addiction and mental health.

The Horrifying Combination of Addiction and Mental Health Disorders

The combination of addiction and mental health disorders can be devastating to the person caught in the middle. It doesn’t matter which one of these co-occurring disorders came first. The reality is the afflicted individual has a big hill to climb to get healthy.

Mood disorders often lead to addiction. Why? In many cases, psychiatrists treat mood disorders with medications that have addictive properties. If someone requires medication on a long-term basis, it’s reasonable they could form an addiction to their medication. It’s also possible someone with a mood disorder will attempt to self-medicate, using dangerous street drugs, alcohol or medications. Easy access to relief from troubled thoughts creates the perfect storm for recreational drug users.

Other prevalent mental health disorders that could lead to substance abuse include compulsive disorders. Some addiction treatment specialists will even go so far as to classify addiction as a compulsive disorder. Bottom line–anyoneSad woman on dark steps suffering from one of many mental health disorders. who needs to do things compulsively would be a candidate for addiction. They are already predisposed to find relief by doing something over and over.

What makes the combination of these disorders so horrifying is they become self-perpetuating. Translation–any attempts to fix one problem without addressing the other will most likely fail. The untreated disorder will eventually cause the other issue to reappear.

Dual Diagnosis Treatment

There is good news for the individual who has both mental health disorders and addiction. Most reputable drug and alcohol treatment centers now offer dual diagnosis treatment options. This is a significant evolution because most mental health facilities have been ill-prepared to deal with addictions. It really helps that a patient can get all the treatment they need under one roof.

A professional therapist or mental health professional with experience treating mental health disorders and addiction is invaluable. They often hold the key to unlocking the link between the two disorders within each patient.

The process of dual diagnosis treatment should start with detox at a quality detox facility like Serenity House Detox & Recovery. This will help stabilize a patient for the next phase of treatment. With a clear mind and body, a patient should then be ready to focus on therapy. If a therapist treats all disorders simultaneously, the patient stands a good chance for a successful recovery.

About Serenity House Detox & Recovery

Serenity House Detox & Recovery centers are available in Fort Lauderdale and Jupiter, Florida. We are proud to offer a wide range of detox services that prepare addicts for recovery. Our medically monitored detox programs give patients an opportunity to overcome substance cravings and harmful symptoms of withdrawal. The fact that our patients can achieve this in a safe and secure environment is invaluable to them.

While we do offer some pre-treatment therapy options, our focus is on one of the following detox options:

Serenity House Detox & Recovery is a great place to start the recovery process. If you are sick and tired of being sick and tired, it’s time for you to seek help. You can begin the process by accepting the fact you are in the throes of a terrible disease. Once you clear that hurdle, you can get the help you need by picking up the phone.

If your first call is to one of our premier facilities, we’ll be ready to help you through withdrawal. Remember, your life is worth saving. Call Serenity House Detox & Recovery at 866-294-5306.