Dual diagnosis treatment, also known as co-occurring disorder treatment, helps treat a substance use disorder in addition to any underlying mental health conditions. These co-existing conditions tend to create a vicious cycle, especially for teens, and can negatively impact their daily lives. Find out how dual diagnosis treatment can improve mental health in teens and benefit their overall quality of life in the long term.
How Dual Diagnosis Treatment Improves Mental Health
Dual diagnosis treatment helps teens live healthy, happy lives and can dramatically improve their quality of life and mental health in the following ways:
Addresses a Variety of Mental Health Conditions
Dual diagnosis treatment addresses a wide variety of mental health conditions, including:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Schizophrenia
- Bipolar Disorder
- OCD
- Borderline Personality Disorder
- Eating Disorders
- And many others
When the above conditions are treated, teens learn ways to better manage any mental illnesses they might be experiencing.
Addresses Drug or Alcohol Addiction
In addition to helping teens identify and work through a mental health condition, dual diagnosis also helps teens overcome a drug or alcohol addiction. Addictions can include:
- Alcohol
- Cocaine
- Crack
- Heroin
- Benzos
- Meth
- Marijuana
- Opioids
- Inhalants
- Synthetic cannabinoids
- And others
Improved Quality of Life
Since both mental health issues and drug addiction (co-occurring disorders) are addressed, teens have less chance of relapse and a greater chance of developing and using healthy coping skills throughout life. This also increases a teenager’s likelihood of developing healthier relationships, and doing better in school – all of which contribute to their overall quality of life.
Improved Family Dynamics
Dual diagnosis treatment can improve family relationships over time since many involve family therapy sessions. By incorporating family into treatment, family members are able to understand more about their child’s addiction/sibling’s addiction, which can lead to increased support for the teen.
Peer Support
In addition to family sessions and individual therapy, dual diagnosis commonly involves group therapy sessions. This can provide teens with a sense of belonging, empowerment, and feeling understood by others.
Personalized Treatment Plans
Dual diagnosis treatment creates an individualized treatment plan that considers the unique needs of the teen, which is extremely important in treating both mental health disorders and substance use disorders successfully. Additionally, when an adolescent attends receives dual diagnosis treatment, they receive a variety of evidence-based therapeutic treatments as part of the personalized approach.
Is My Teen a Candidate for Dual Diagnosis Treatment?
Your teen might be a candidate for dual diagnosis treatment if they are experiencing a mental health condition and a substance use disorder at the same time. The key factors to consider include:
Symptoms of a Mental Health Disorder
These signs could include feelings of sadness, excessive worry, dramatic change in mood, difficulty sleeping, confusion, and many others.
Symptoms of Substance Use Disorder
The signs of addiction can include the inability to stop using drugs or alcohol, continuing to use drugs or alcohol even when there are severe negative consequences as a result of the drug use, neglecting activities that once brought them joy, isolating, craving the drug, and many other behaviors.
Negative Impact on Daily Life
If your teen is having difficulty functioning, attending school, or performing daily tasks, this could be a sign they are a candidate for dual diagnosis treatment.
Previous Unsuccessful Treatment Attempts
If your teen has participated in substance abuse programs before without any success and only finds themselves relapsing, this could indicate an underlying mental health condition is also a factor in their addiction.
It’s important to note that a mental health condition can often exacerbate a substance use disorder and vice versa. If you suspect your teen could benefit from dual diagnosis treatment, it’s best to speak with a licensed medical professional.
How Do I Pay For My Teen To Receive Treatment?
Our team at Zenith Behavioral Health is available to help you and your family explore options for treatment. We accept multiple forms of payment for dual diagnosis treatment, including AHCCCS Medicaid and other commercial insurance plans. You can also verify your insurance here.
Get Dual Diagnosis Treatment Today
At Zenith Behavioral Health we provide evidence-based treatment solutions and intensive interventions for youth and adults with chronic psychiatric and behavioral disorders, including depression, anxiety disorders, OCD, and other mental health disorders. Our primary goal is to offer a safe and secure environment while advancing each individual’s path toward wellness and recovery.
