Some people with addiction also have a mental health disorder. This may include conditions such as bipolar disorder, depression, severe anxiety, or debilitating post-traumatic stress disorder. When a person has both conditions, it’s called a co-occurring disorder. A co-occurring disorder treatment program is one of the most important tools available to help overcome the symptoms and limitations of both conditions. Fort Behavioral Health offers a co-occurring disorder treatment program as one component of the wide range of services we proudly provide.
What Is Co-Occurring Treatment?
When both mental health disorders and addiction are present, treating one without addressing the other sets a person up to relapse. That’s because these conditions play off each other. A person with depression turns to drugs that can stimulate their mind, or someone with anxiety may turn to alcohol as a way to calm their mind. On the other hand, some people may not experience symptoms of a mental health disorder until they start using substances. Treating one of these without the other limits a person’s ability to stop using for good.
What Happens During Co-Occurring Treatment?
An individualized treatment plan at Fort Behavioral Health is always created to help support a person’s specific needs. However, typically speaking, you can expect common components in these programs:
- Medications to help treat the mental health disorder symptoms, often due to chemical or hormonal imbalances or other conditions
- Individual therapy sessions where you’ll be able to work with your therapist to understand your past trauma or other underlying causes of your conditions
- Medications may also be helpful to help stop drug and alcohol dependence by controlling withdrawal symptoms and cravings you have
- Holistic therapy aims to help heal the body and mind through a range of engaging therapies and activities
- Group therapy enables you to work closely with a group of people who are facing the same types of struggles you are, enabling you to learn with and through them
In many cases, you’ll work balancing your mental health disorder symptoms and addiction through talk therapy. This is an opportunity to work closely with your therapist to manage what’s occurred to put you in this position. That may mean working through past trauma or overcoming the stress of daily life.
You’ll learn strategies for managing what you’re facing. For example, many people need to develop coping mechanisms to manage stress. You may need help dealing with anxiety or learn how to spot the worsening of your bipolar disorder treatment.
Embracing Therapy Programs and Mental Health Treatment Together
There is a lot to learn when it comes to co-occurring disorders. Our team at Fort Behavioral Health offers the resources to support you. During treatment, you’ll be able to express yourself, ask questions, and provide insights into what you’re experiencing. You’ll get hands-on support from our team as you learn to master addiction recovery.
Many people find that, once they work through therapies for these conditions, they have the ability to live a much more fulfilling and meaningful life, one they enjoy and feel comfortable in each day. You can see improvement no matter what’s happened to you. Some of the programs we offer as a component of this therapy include:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy
- Dialectical behavior therapy
- 12-Step therapy programs
- Motivational Interviewing program
Begin to Heal with Co-Occurring Treatment at Fort Behavioral Health
For many people, co-occurring treatment creates an opportunity to heal fully from addiction and mental health disorders. It takes a lot of courage to take the first step in reaching out to our team at Fort Behavioral Health. With a comprehensive set of therapies and dedicated, master-level clinicians available to help you, we’re confident you can see the improvements you desire. Call our team now at 844.332.1807 or connect with us online to learn more.
