Dual Diagnosis in South Padre Island, TX

Many people assume that when a person is struggling with a drug or alcohol addiction, the rest of their health issues and struggles need to take a backseat to getting addiction treatment. While addiction treatment should be prioritized (as consuming drugs or alcohol will have a major impact on the rest of a person's overall health), it does not mean that treatment should not also be received for other conditions the person happens to be suffering from. In fact, many people do not even realize that there is an option known as treatment for dual diagnosis in South Padre Island. Dual diagnosis treatment programs are an important option to be aware of and familiar with if you are currently looking for a treatment center for your addiction to drugs or alcohol. Get to know some of the important facts about dual diagnosis in South Padre Island so you can determine if a dual diagnosis treatment center is the right option for you.

Dual diagnosis in South Padre Island refers to the state of being diagnosed with two distinct health disorders or conditions at the same time. This does not mean that the two conditions are diagnosed at the same moment or that they developed at the same time in a person's life. It only means that a person has both health issues at once. In terms of drug and alcohol addiction and treatment, the first of these two conditions is the drug or alcohol addiction. The second condition in dual diagnosis is a mental health disorder (schizophrenia, OCD, depression, etc…).

When a person has a dual diagnosis, it can be easy for people to assume causality. In other words, it can be easy for someone to blame the addiction on the mental health disorder or vice versa. The reality is quite a bit more complicated and it is important to remember that while a person may have both of these conditions at once, the two conditions could have developed in the person completely independently from one another.

Dual Diagnosis and Addiction -- Why the Two Go Hand in Hand

Of course, many people still wonder why mental health disorders and addictions occur together so often that there are specific dual diagnosis treatment programs in South Padre Island and the option of a dual diagnosis treatment center. And there is something to that question. Dual diagnosis in South Padre Island is so common with addiction and mental health disorders because both conditions have an impact on a person's mental health but also on the physical and biochemical health of their brain.

When a person develops depression, for example, their brain chemistry is out of balance, meaning they do not have enough endorphins or dopamine in their system and their brain is not triggering the production of those hormones and chemicals the way it should be. The brain is wired to be depressed in other words.

Similarly, when a person develops an addiction to drugs or alcohol, their brain chemistry changes. The brain becomes more receptive to the addictive substance and will only trigger certain activities in the body when the substance is present to tell it to do so. Sometimes, this rewiring process that occurs from an addiction can actually cause the development of a mental health disorder.

Additionally, many people with mental health disorders can develop substance abuse problems because of their mental health. A person that receives medication for anxiety or depression could end up abusing those substances to numb themselves, to sleep, or for other purposes and could become addicted. Alternatively, a person could try to self-medicate with alcohol or other addictive substances without understanding that they have a mental health disorder that requires other forms of treatment.

Types of Mental Health Disorders

There are numerous types of mental health disorders that a person can suffer from along with an addiction to drugs or alcohol. Some of these include:

Anxiety Disorders

According to the DSM-5 (the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), there are three categories of anxiety disorders. These are obsessive-compulsive disorders, anxiety disorders, and trauma and stressor-related disorders. Each of these categories have numerous specific mental health disorders within them. Generalized anxiety disorder is the most common of these disorders involves general panic attacks and feelings of fear and worry, the inability to calm down and relax, and insomnia, among other symptoms.

Depression

Major depressive disorder is another mental health disorder that affects millions of people in the United States every year. This mental health disorder is characterized by feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, fatigue, and overwhelming sadness. Many people with depression develop addictions to alcohol or stimulant drugs.

With this information in mind, you can better determine if you would benefit from going to an inpatient rehab in South Padre Island and if you are suffering from a dual diagnosis so you can get the best possible treatment for your conditions. Call now for help (877) 804-1531.