Substance Abuse and Mental Health Facilities in Page, AZ

There are many reasons why you might receive a dual diagnosis in Page for both substances abuse and addiction as well as a co-occurring mental illness. In particular, your age, environment, and genetics could all play a role in increase your risk for a dual diagnosis.

For instance, if you start abusing drugs and alcohol at a young age - such as during your teenage years - you might increase your risk of becoming addicted and eventually developing a mental health disorder. This is because your brain would still be developing.

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.

Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is linked to imbalances in the chemicals that are found in the brain - including but not limited to dopamine, serotonin, and glutamate. These imbalances will affect the response of your brain to external stimuli. As a result, you can experience hallucinations and hypersensitivity - some of the common symptoms of this mental health disorder.

There are also differences in the structure of the brain occurring with schizophrenia. These differences include enlarged ventricles (the cavities at the core of the brain that are filled with fluid), decreased gray matter, and decreased or increased activity in certain parts of the brain.

In case you are addicted to drugs and alcohol while also struggling with another co-occurring medical, mental health or behavioral health disorder, you may be able to benefit from spending time in a dual diagnosis treatment program.

These programs will guide you on the road to recovery by offering you the rehabilitation services that you need to deal with all the disorders that you were diagnosed with. Further, they will offer you the ongoing help that will ensure that you do not suffer a relapse later in the future.

The important thing to keep in mind is that it is recommended that you opt for dual diagnosis treatment if you were diagnosed with more than one of these drug related disorders.