“Substance use disorder is a highly prevalent condition, leading to significant morbidity, mortality, and burden on the healthcare system,” wrote Muhammad Iqbal, and Charles and Frances Levin in their 2019 review of the treatment for substance use disorder (SUD) with co-occurring mental illness. “Substance use disorders are overrepresented among individuals with a mental illness. The term ‘dual diagnosis’ was introduced by the World Health Organization in the mid-1990s and refers to the co-occurrence of a substance use disorder with mental illness.” More recently, the term “co-occurring disorders” has come into use among addiction professionals.
One of the most common disorders co-occurring with addiction is posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). “Comorbid PTSD/SUD is associated with a more complex and costly clinical course when compared with either disorder alone, including increased chronic physical health problems, poorer social functioning, higher rates of suicide attempts, more legal problems, increased risk of violence, worse treatment adherence, and less improvement during treatment,” wrote McCauley, Killeen, Gros, Brady, and Back in 2012.
This prevalence of dual diagnosis among people with addiction means treatment has to address all relevant conditions to be successful.
Treating co-occurring disorders successfully is not always easy but with realistic goals, support, and the help of caring professionals, it can be accomplished. The Blanchard Institute offers a wide range of comprehensive, individualized outpatient treatment programs for substance use and mental health disorders, including outpatient detox, partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient, and outpatient treatment.
COMPREHENSIVE TREATMENT FOR COMPLEX CONDITIONS
Our holistic treatment approach includes involving family members in the treatment process and looking at the nutritional wellness of our clients. We utilize stress reduction modalities such as Biosound® Therapy.
We provide gender-specific support. For men, therapy discussions frequently focus on social expectations of masculinity, family roles, and personal identity. We explore how these factors drive behaviors and how redefining these concepts can support recovery.
Women’s groups focus on overcoming isolation and building connections based on common experiences and authenticity. Many women we treat have found themselves isolated due to career ambitions or familial responsibilities. We strive to foster a sense of community and support among women, emphasizing the importance of genuine relationships.
Co-occurring disorders are common because substance misuse frequently represents a maladaptive coping mechanism to deal with the emotional pain of a mental health condition. In her influential 2016 book Unbroken Brain, Maia Szalavitz emphasized that addiction is not primarily about substances. “By itself, nothing is addictive; drugs can only be addictive in the context of set, setting, dose, dosing pattern, and numerous other personal, biological, and cultural variables. Addiction isn’t just taking drugs. It is a pattern of learned behavior.”
And that behavior is often driven by mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, and trauma—especially childhood trauma and PTSD. Co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders also tend to reinforce each other. People with mental health disorders may use drugs and alcohol to feel better temporarily—this is known as self-medication. On the other hand, substance misuse can harm brain function and contribute to mental health disorders.
The Blanchard Institute uses a dual-diagnosis approach to diagnose and treat both the SUD and any co-occurring mental health disorders, using a combination of cognitive behavioral therapy, medication management, group therapy sessions, and family therapy sessions.
Our admissions process is discrete, confidential, and non-invasive. Call us at (704) 288-1097—our experienced admissions specialists will guide you through the process and treat you with the dignity and compassion you deserve.