Therapy vs Rehab: Which Is Best For You?
- (Photo : Therapy vs Rehab: Which Is Best For You? )
Seeking help for drug addiction or mental health disorders is a courageous step towards accepting a life-long struggle. Finding the right treatment plan can be a daunting task, especially if dealing with undiagnosed disorders. To learn how to handle addiction recovery while dealing with a mental health disorder, it is best to understand how therapy and rehab work.
Dual Diagnosis
Many people who struggle with substance abuse also deal with a co-occurring mental health disorder. This is known as a dual-diagnosis and calls for a treatment plan that views both disorders as correlated mental health issues. Mental health and behavioral disorders are common underlying causes of addiction. In order to have long-term success with addiction recovery, it's essential to treat the underlying mental disorder symptoms as well.
Those diagnosed with mental health disorders are more likely to struggle with substance abuse, and conversely, people who abuse drugs and alcohol are more likely to develop a co-occurring behavioral disorder. The key is to understand what causes these disorders to present simultaneously.
Drug abuse can cause the brain to mimic a mental illness. Genetics also play a role in a person being susceptible to developing an addiction or mental illness disorder. Environmental triggers such as chronic stress, anxiety, or trauma can trigger addictive behaviors or symptoms of mental illness. Those who experiment with substances at an early age risk altering a developing brain and are thus more prone to developing an addiction or mental illness disorder later in life.
Warning Signs of a Co-Occurring Disorder
Determining which disorder comes first is tricky since substance abuse and mental health disorders are closely linked. Drugs and alcohol are commonly used to self-medicate and cope with symptoms of mental illness. Not only can illicit substances aggravate the underlying symptoms of a mental health disorder, but they can also worsen the symptoms.
Some general warning signs that indicate a co-occurring disorder include: sudden behavioral changes, difficulty completing daily tasks, avoiding social activities, erratic or impulsive behaviors, and disillusioned thoughts. Additionally, feeling depressed when consuming drugs or alcohol, unresolved trauma or a history of abuse, and using substances to cope with mood swings and negative memories are also clues of a co-occurring disorder.
Treatment
Regardless of which disorder occurred first, it is important to participate in a treatment plan that addresses both disorders simultaneously. Ideally an inpatient rehabilitation center is the best option to treat dual disorders because patients will receive constant care and attention. Recovery is a life-long road, and learning how to cope with both addiction and mental health disorders from the beginning of recovery are essential.
Look for a treatment center that can create a customized plan to address both disorders under the care of addiction and mental health professionals. Facilities such as Ontario drug rehab Canadian Centre for Addictions understands that addiction is unique to each patient. They believe in personalized treatment that delves into the underlying triggers that led to a self-destructive lifestyle. Through unlimited one-on-one sessions, patients learn how to heal from within and take the first steps toward a substance-free life.
Having a support system to walk the road of recovery is essential to a lasting, healthy lifestyle. Following treatment, find a licensed therapist through WithTherapy whose approach is a match to one's ideals about talk therapy. With Therapy uses science to pair patients with a personalized database of therapists based on location, availability, demographics, and therapy ethos. Patients benefit more from therapy when their preferences in a therapist are met; being able to relate with a mental health professional results in more effective sessions.
