Mental Health Disorders and Addiction
What is Dual Diagnosis?
Dual diagnosis, also known as a co-occurring disorder, is when an person is diagnosed with an addiction alongside other mental health disorders, such as anxiety or depression. It can include a singular mental health disorder or multiple. This can make recovery more complicated, because as you start to deal with drug or alcohol addiction, underlying mental health issues may be unmasked. This can often be because people use addictive substances and behaviours such as drugs, alcohol and gambling as a coping strategy for their mental health challenges. For many, mental health issues can also arise from long-term alcoholism and drug misuse, creating a cycle that’s difficult to break.
It is crucial to have a thorough assessment, known as a ‘biopsychosocial assessment’, to identify dual diagnosis so that a personalised treatment plan can be created. Treatment under the care of a qualified psychotherapist in an inpatient rehab setting will lead to the best chance of success in recovery.
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Why Are Co-occurring Disorders Important to Diagnose?
If you want recovery to be long-lasting and successful, it is essential to resolve underlying dual diagnosis. Addiction can be challenging to treat due to its complex nature of biological, social and psychological factors. When combined with dual diagnosis, an individualised approach to resolving mental health issues and addiction is important.
Seldom will one condition be resolved independently. It is often the combined treatment through professional assessment, a structured treatment programme in a nurturing environment and ongoing aftercare that helps a person to overcome addiction and co-occurring mental health issues.
By working through your mental health problems in rehab, you will be working through the underlying causes of your addiction and addressing it and minimising the risk of relapse.
Who is at Risk of Co-Occurring Disorders?
There is a significant overlap between risk factors for mental illness and substance misuse. Many of the people who suffer from addiction are also diagnosed with a mental health disorder.
Studies have shown that people who struggle with mental health conditions have a higher chance of becoming addicted to substances. Although addiction can affect anyone, some factors could lead a person to also suffer from dual diagnosis:
- People with a family history of substance misuse or addiction
- Genetics
- Family history of mental health issues
- Prenatal exposure to certain drugs
- Trauma
- Difficult childhood (sexual abuse or physical abuse)
- Stress
- Negative family environment
- Poor access to healthcare and support
Signs and Symptoms of Dual Diagnosis
It may be difficult to recognise an addiction in a loved one. A person with an addiction may manage to keep it secret from friends, family, colleagues and even partners. However, a co-occurring disorder may be more noticeable due to the impact on the mental health of the individual.
If you are worried that a close one could be suffering from a dual diagnosis, look out for some of these signs and symptoms:
Behavioural Changes
- Withdrawal from family and friends
- Sudden change in behaviours
- Risky/reckless behaviour
- Turning towards alcohol or drugs
- Money problems
- Lack of personal hygiene
- Struggling with daily activities
Depression
Around 1 in 6 people suffer from depression in the UK. As one of the most common mental health issues, it is important to know the signs and symptoms. Depression is the development of a low mood that can go on for a long period. It is usual for our mood to go up and down from time to time, but in depression, people will often experience persistent low mood. There can also be a cluster of other signs and symptoms:
- People with a family history of substance misuse or addiction
- Genetics
- Family history of mental health issues
- Prenatal exposure to certain drugs
- Trauma
- Difficult childhood (sexual abuse or physical abuse)
- Stress
- Negative family environment
- Poor access to healthcare and support
Anxiety
Most people will experience anxiety from time to time, however, when you have anxiety most days and it starts to affect your day-to-day life then this could be an anxiety disorder. You may also not be aware your symptoms are due to anxiety as they can be nonspecific at times:
- Struggling to concentrate
- Finding it challenging to relax
- Feeling fearful and thinking bad things might happen
- Worrying too much
- Feeling tense
- Feeling shaky
- Feeling sweaty or hot
- Feeling your heart beat faster (palpitations)
- Headaches
- Tightness in stomach/ chest/ neck
- Struggling to sleep
- Obsessive thoughts
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
ADHD is a medical condition that can make you feel restless, have trouble concentrating, and also act on impulses. While most people are diagnosed with it in childhood, it is often missed and may be labelled as a child being ‘naughty’ or ‘disruptive’. This label can often stick with children as they progress through school and become a barrier to the diagnosis of ADHD.
Further signs and symptoms of ADHD include:
- Being restless and struggling to sit still
- Problems with organisation
- Not meeting deadlines or completing tasks
- Difficulty following instructions
- Feeling impatient
- Struggling to cope with stress
- Impulsive thoughts
- Risk-taking behaviours
- Relationship problems
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Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
People who have OCD tend to have obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviours. These intrusive thoughts and behaviours can start to affect your life. From simple things like extending the amount of time it takes before leaving the home, to more severe cases where people are not able to leave their home due to their obsessive thoughts and fears.
Obsessive Thoughts
- Fear of bad things happening
- Fear of contamination from disease/illness
- Fear of harming self or others
- Fear of making a mistake which can lead to harm e.g leaving the oven on
- Need for order or symmetry
Compulsive Behaviours
- Repeating words in your head
- Ordering and arranging things
- Cleaning and washing hands
- Checking things e.g. light switches/ door locks
- Hoarding objects
- Counting
Bipolar Disorder
In Bipolar disorder, your mood may swing from depression (feeling low) to mania (feeling euphoric and high). While we can all experience mood swings, people who have bipolar disorder tend to have them at an extreme level and for more extended periods. Signs and symptoms of bipolar disorder include:
Depressive Phase
- Low energy
- Feeling hopeless or helpless
- No motivation
- No interest in things
- Guilt and despair
- Pessimistic about things
- Sleeping problems
Mania Phase
- Feeling elated and very happy
- High energy levels
- Not sleeping
- Feeling of importance
- Easily distracted
- Full of new and exciting ideas
- Losing track of time
- Delusional thinking e.g. that you have superpowers
- Hallucinations – seeing and hearing things
- Risk-taking behaviour
- Bad decision-making – e.g spending lots of money
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
PTSD often stems from a traumatic event in the patient’s past. This can lead to nightmares, flashbacks or the person reliving the traumatic event. Often, people will resort to substance misuse and alcohol misuse as a coping strategy to try and ‘block out’ some of these intrusive thoughts and flashbacks. Unfortunately, this can often make things worse as their addiction develops. They then have to deal with the destructive consequences of both illnesses. Further symptoms of PTSD also include:
- Recurrent flashbacks of events
- Nightmares about the event
- Distressing thoughts or ideas
- Recurrent memories
- Feeling tense and easily startled
- Sleep problems and irritability
- Avoidance behaviour – like avoiding the location of the event
- Feeling tense and on guard
Some less common co-occurring disorders include Schizophrenia, Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorders and Conduct Disorders. All of these can impact the process of rehab, and it is crucial to recognise that successful recovery often involves a holistic approach that addresses underlying mental health disorders, and an individualised approach is taken for each person’s unique circumstances.
How Do You Treat Dual Diagnosis?
Before starting any treatment, the first step is to open up to a loved one about the difficulties you are dealing with and seek professional advice. Understanding that you are not alone in this, as 1 in 4 people in the UK experience mental health issues during a year.
At Castle Craig treatment often depends on the type of co-occurring disorder and an evidence-based approach is used.
- People often benefit from a form of counselling called CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy). This has been clinically shown to improve common mental health disorders like depression and anxiety.
- Other forms of therapy, such as dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT), addiction counselling, family therapy, and group therapy, may also be offered.
- For patients suffering from PTSD, we can offer specialised EMDR therapy.
All patients receive a comprehensive mental health assessment conducted by a professional before starting treatment at Castle Craig. We understand that addiction is complex, and nobody is the same – it’s therefore important for our team to understand the crucial connection between mental health issues and drug or alcohol addiction. This allows us to create a successful path to recovery. Contact our team today to get help.
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With a wealth of knowledge and services to help you regain control of your life, request a call-back from one of our professionals today. The choice you make today could change your life forever.