Dual Diagnosis and Understanding The Struggle To Recover From Drug Addiction

It is very important for anyone who is struggling with a drug or alcohol addiction to take some time to learn about dual diagnosis and how it is something that they really need. Receiving a dual diagnosis means that you are not going to be diagnosed with just an addiction, but a mental health disorder as well. For example, you may suffer from drug abuse, but also from depression, anxiety, or bipolar as well. For those who self-medicate with illicit drugs, signs of cocaine use and other substance abuse may speak to an underlying mental illness that needs to be treated.

Getting The Best Treatment From The Start

When you decide to locate a treatment center for the beginning stages of your recovery process, you are going to want to select one that will consider your total well-being. This means that they have professionals at their rehabilitation center that focus on your spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical recovery,

Managing Your Anxiety And Depression

It really does not matter which came first “ your depression and anxiety or the substance abuse. However, what does matter now is your dedication to managing both issues. If you are not taking the time to learn everything you can about depression, anxiety, and any other mental health disorder that you may have, you may find that staying sober will be a much more difficult thing to do.

You can do things such as learn and practice meditation to reduce your anxiety levels. Getting an appointment set up with a trusted mental health counselor is also important. Of course, you will continue to receive support that has been put in place for you from your rehabilitation clinic, as there is no such thing as too much help and support during the recovery process.

Consider Taking Prescribed Medication

According to the NAMI, or National Alliance on Mental Illness, there are medications that may be able to assist you through the withdrawal symptoms that you may experience when you are going through the detoxification. The mental health medications will also help curb the amount of trouble your mental health disorder causes in your life. The more you are able to control your depression and anxiety, the less likely it is that you are going to relapse any time soon. After all, you will have fewer issues that you have to worry about wanting to self-medicate for.

When you are able to think clearer, you will be able to figure out other ways to productively handle the issues that you are faced with. Let’s face it, even during your recovery, simply because you are human you are still going to experience some stressful problems in life. Having as clear a mind as possible, free of looming negative thoughts, is the best way to keep yourself on the right path.

Reach Out For Support

It is also very important to make sure that you are taking the time to reach out for support from others who have been and who currently are in the same situation as you. You will be able to learn from their mistakes and from the methods of treatment that they have been successful with.

Whatever you do, do not give up on the treatment that you are receiving for your dual diagnosis, even if you are feeling so great that you are starting to think that you no longer have an issue with depression or anxiety. It is when you stop taking the medication or going to psychotherapy that those mental health issue can come racing back to you. That would put you in a position where you would be more likely to relapse and that is something that you want to avoid if at all possible.