Dual Diagnosis: What It Is and Why Tranquility’s Integrated Treatment Approach Works

The co-occurrence of mental health disorders and addiction issues is known as dual diagnosis. Dual diagnosis is more than just two mental health problems happening at the same time. These problems are intertwined, feeding each other, and exacerbating each other. As this is a complex situation, the treatment also ought to be more complex and address the interplay of different symptoms and causes. Tranquility’s integrated treatment approach does exactly that. We at Tranquility Recovery Center have much experience in treating complex mental health situations and can support your recovery. 

What Is Dual Diagnosis?

As the name implies, dual diagnosis is a mental health situation involving two diagnoses. More specifically, it refers to the co-occurrence of mental health disorders and substance use disorders.

Here are some examples of frequent pairings:

• Major depressive disorder and alcohol use disorder. People with depression often turn to alcohol as a way to numb the emotional pain. 
• Anxiety disorder and stimulant addiction. Those struggling  with chronic anxiety can lean into cocaine or prescription ADHD medications, trying to feel more confident or alert
• PTSD and opioid addiction. Trauma survivors may use opioids to self-medicate.
• Bipolar disorder and cannabis use. Individuals with bipolar disorder may use cannabis during their manic or depressive episodes in an attempt to stabilize their mood.

Tranquility’s integrated treatment approach successfully treats these co-occurring conditions and addresses their bidirectional relationship and mutual impact. It sets a solid base for lifelong mental health management.

Challenges of Treating Dual Diagnosis

The complexity of dual diagnosis poses a true challenge for drug rehab centers in Los Angeles CA. Choosing to treat only one of the co-occurring conditions will provide only partial results and will likely result in a relapse. Addressing one without the other usually means missing out on valuable information and significant factors contributing to both mental health problems. Furthermore, good coordination of treatments is often lacking, failing to address the mutual impact of disorders. 

While this is the main struggle for both the mental health center and the client, individuals face additional challenges.

• Dual diagnosis is often misdiagnosed. The mutual impact of two mental health states can hinder some of the signs and make it difficult to recognize the true state of a person.
• Stigma still surrounds mental health issues, even more so when a person is struggling with more than one diagnosis. Individuals may face shaming and misunderstanding, as well as accusations of being weak or spoiled, rather than encountering support for the complexity of their mental health condition. Overcoming the stigma is sometimes the most difficult step in the recovery process.

The Importance of Integrated Treatment

At Tranquility Recovery Center, we emphasize an integrated and well-rounded approach to treating all mental health conditions, including addiction and the co-occurrence of multiple mental health issues. But what is an integrative treatment approach?

The easiest way to think about integrated programs is to compare them with their opposite, and those are partial treatments that address only certain aspects of a mental health disorder. On the contrary, Tranquility’s integrated treatment approach deals with all aspects of your mental health at the same time by implementing various treatments and approaches and caring for you as a whole rather than as a sum of symptoms. From medications to psychotherapy to holistic techniques, like equine therapy Los Angeles, and lifestyle changes, we provide multiple solutions and whole-person care. Our services are tailored to meet the unique challenges you are encountering.

Why Tranquility’s Approach Works

Tranquility Recovery Center is a prime dual diagnosis treatment center in Los Angeles that ensures success in several ways:

• Our team is multidisciplinary. It consists of therapists, psychiatrists, and addiction specialists working together to provide the best possible care. They tirelessly work on improving our programs and genuinely care about your well-being. 
• Our treatment plans are tailored specifically to your needs and challenges, ensuring you develop sustainable mechanisms and habits for a better life. We want you to go back to your environment feeling empowered and ready to face any future challenge. 
• We implement various methods in our work, including evidence-based therapies, medicine management, and holistic health practices, equally caring for your body, mind, and spirit. We treat you as a whole and not as a sum of symptoms.

Real Results: Supporting Long-Term Recovery

Tranquility’s integrated treatment approach is superior to any individual treatment. For all of those wondering, what are the benefits of integrated treatment? Here are the most important ones:

• Improved emotional regulation and self-awareness: Rather than just addressing your symptoms, integrated treatments ensure emotional stability and confidence, allowing you to successfully address and manage future life challenges.
• Reduced relapse risk through full-spectrum care: A well-rounded and integrated approach addresses causes and triggers and equips you with healthy coping strategies, minimizing the risk of relapse and other Mental Health challenges.
• Continued support through aftercare planning: Our care for your mental health does not end once you leave the inpatient rehab in Los Angeles. We will provide you with an aftercare plan designed to keep you on the right track and ensure that you feel supported at all times.

Seek Support Today

Dual diagnosis requires more than a single-track treatment, and Tranquility’s integrated treatment approach can provide it for you. We will treat you as a whole and see you as a person. We will make the effort to understand all the challenges you’re facing as well as the uniqueness of your mental health and addiction story. Our treatment plans ensure you feel taken care of. Call us and let us help you live a fulfilled life, feeling in control of your body and mind.