Substance Abuse and Mental Health Facilities in Chesapeake, VA

In case you abusing substances like alcohol and drugs in Chesapeake, they can prove effective at managing - albeit in the short term - the symptoms of your mental health disorder. This form of self-medication, however, can be dangerous because it can lead to addiction.

The temporary relief that you derive from these substances could soon be overtaken by other negative physical and psychological effects. Eventually, you may even find that you have started struggling with more of the common mental health problems that are linked with drug and alcohol addiction.

Borderline Personality Disorder

Borderline personality disorder often tends to occur concurrently with substance abuse and addiction. In fact, about 66 percent of all the people who have been diagnosed with BPD have abused these substances at least once in their lives.

You might start using drugs and alcohol to self-medicate the signs and symptoms of your mental health condition. Eventually, this could cause you to start suffering from addiction - over and above the borderline personality disorder that you were diagnosed with. In this situation, you would require dual diagnosis treatment to manage both of these disorders.

Depression

The signs and symptoms of depression are highly varied. The important thing to keep in mind is that these symptoms will increase in severity if you are also struggling with a co-occurring substance use disorder, or an addiction involving drugs and alcohol.

For instance, your depression could increase your risk of suicidal ideation and attempts. Other signs include pessimism, hopelessness, feeling useless, irritability, trouble concentrating, issues with sleep, changes in weight and appetite, and loss of interest in your personal goals, hobbies, and work.

Irrespective of the symptoms you display, it is recommended that you seek professional help from a dual diagnosis center.

A dual diagnosis treatment program can help you understand the reasons behind your substance abuse and addiction as well as how this disorder is affected and continues to affect the other co-occurring behavioral and mental health disorders that you have also been diagnosed with.

This type of treatment would most likely be highly specialized and integrated. This is because it has to manage all the disorders that you have been struggling with at the same time - or simultaneously. It is recommended that you go through dual diagnosis treatment if you have been living with both addiction as well as any other co-occurring medical or mental health disorders.