Substance Abuse and Mental Health Facilities in Medical Lake, WA

If you live in Medical Lake and you start abusing drugs and alcohol, there is a high risk that you might develop a co-occurring mental health disorder. On the other hand, if you have an undiagnosed mental illness, there is a likelihood that you might start abusing these substances to self-medicate the symptoms of your mental illness.

Research studies show that substance abuse and mental health disorders tend to have some underlying causes in common. These might include changes in the composition of the brain, early exposure to traumatic and stressful events, and genetic vulnerabilities.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Research studies show that addiction and post-traumatic stress disorder tend to co-occur as a natural response to traumatic experiences. It is recommended that you seek professional evaluation to determine if you are struggling with both of these disorders.

If this is found to be the case, you would require dual diagnosis treatment to manage both your substance abuse as well as the co-occurring mental health disorder. This form of treatment would also enable you to get started on the road to recovery.

Psychosis

Research studies show a link between substance abuse and psychosis. Substance abuse occurs when you take any illicit drug, use prescription medications without a valid prescription or outside the prescribing instructions of your doctor, or taking legal substances in excess.

SAMHSA - the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration - reports that addiction tends to occur often alongside psychosis. This is because some of the symptoms of substance abuse often resemble those that occur when you are struggling with this mental health disorder. If you are diagnosed with psychosis, you may also turn to these substances and eventually find yourself dealing with a clinical addiction.

It is recommended that you seek dual diagnosis treatment to manage all of the disorders that you have been struggling with simultaneously so that one does not cause the other to recur in the future.

This is especially true if you have been diagnosed with both substances abuse as well as another co-occurring mental health or medical disorders. Although these disorders tend to occur at the same time in many cases, it is possible to overcome them. To be able to do so, you will have to go through a highly integrated dual diagnosis treatment program.