Co-Occurring Disorder

Many people who suffer from addiction also have co-occurring mental or behavioral disorders. When you have a co-occurring disorder, it’s also called having a dual diagnosis.

People with co-occurring disorders need specialized care to achieve long-term abstinence. You need treatment for both addiction and your mental health or behavioral disorder. If your addiction treatment only addresses your substance abuse without caring for other mental health problems, you are more likely to relapse.

A variety of co-occurring disorders can accompany addiction, and some can actually cause or contribute to behaviors that lead to addiction. Abusing substances may be a way to “self-medicate” in an attempt to care for these conditions.

Unfortunately, abusing substances can make mental health disorders worse. Substances can even lead to certain mental health disorders as your brain chemistry changes.

The mental health or behavioral disorders that most commonly co-occur with addiction are:

• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
• Bipolar Disorder
• Borderline Personality Disorder
• Depression
• Eating Disorders
• Generalized Anxiety Disorder
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
• Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
• Schizophrenia

At Cayuga Addiction Recovery Services, we carefully assess you for these co-occurring disorders to make sure we provide the appropriate treatment. In order to prevent relapses and provide comprehensive treatment, you’ll need to care for both your addiction and any mental health conditions you experience.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services estimates that as many as 7 million people in the United States struggle with both a mental health disorder and drug or alcohol addiction. For those with a dual diagnosis, a comprehensive treatment plan is needed.

At Cayuga Addiction Recovery Services, your dual diagnosis treatment plan may include:

• Prescription medications to treat your mental health disorder (including antidepressants, anti-anxiety medication, or antipsychotics)
• Individual counseling
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
• Family counseling
• Group counseling

At Cayuga Addiction Recovery Services, we personalize your treatment plan to address all your mental health needs. We strive to help you experience better mental and physical health through comprehensive care. Contact us today to learn how we can help you treat addiction and other mental health challenges are facing.