Substance Abuse and Mental Health in Tennessee

Many of the residents of Tennessee who suffer from alcohol and drug abuse problems also struggle with a mental or behavioral health disorder. When this happens, it is known as a dual diagnosis. For instance, you might be living with a heroin addiction as well as an anxiety disorder. On the other hand, you may be addicted to alcohol and you are also struggling with a depressive disorder.

When these conditions happen at the same time, they are commonly referred to as dual diagnosis disorders or dual disorders. It means that you have both a substance use disorder as well as a co-occurring mental health disorder or a mental illness.

Co-Occurring Substance Abuse and Mental Health Disorders

When you have a dual diagnosis, it means that you have both addiction as well as a mental illness. As a result, these disorders would be occurring at the same time. It is for this reason that they are often referred to as co-occurring disorders.

Research studies show that more than 50 percent of the residents of Tennessee living with a substance use disorder also have a dual diagnosis involving another co-occurring mental or behavioral health disorder. These people also bear the full brunt of these disorders, which often end up impacting their lives in various ways.

It is quite common. For instance, if you are living with a mental illness, you might be tempted to self-medicate using drugs and alcohol. although this could provide some relief - albeit in the short term - it will end up causing more problems in the long term. Eventually, you will find that you have a dual diagnosis of both addiction as well as the original co-occurring mental health disorder.

Some of the mental illnesses that are commonly reported among addicts in Tennessee include personality disorders, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, and depression. Unfortunately, the symptoms caused by both of these conditions - your mental illness as well as the substance abuse problem - could only get worse with time. This is because all of these conditions will aggravate each other.

To this end, there is a high risk that you might suffer from many different emotional, psychological, and physical symptoms unless you receive the treatment and recovery services that you require. In case you go for integrated dual diagnosis treatment, however, you can ensure that both of these conditions are managed simultaneously. You will also learn healthier coping skills to ensure that you do not suffer from these co-occurring disorders in the future.

While struggling with an addiction or a substance use disorder, you might feel like everything around you is getting out of hand. Eventually, everything will start revolving around your substance abuse.

On the other hand, if you have a co-occurring mental health disorder at the same time, your symptoms will only worsen over time. Eventually, your life will spin out of control and you will not be able to do anything about it unless you seek professional help.

If you have been living with a dual diagnosis in Tennessee, to this end, it is recommended that you understand this diagnosis and start receiving the integrated treatment that you need. Only by so doing through checking into an accredited facility in Tennessee can you alleviate the effects and symptoms of all these conditions at the same time and get started on the road to recovery.

Common Mental Health Problems Associated with Drug Abuse in Tennessee

Research studies report that most of the people who seek treatment for substance abuse and addiction in Tennessee also struggle with a mental health disorder. When this happens, it is known as a dual diagnosis and it referred to addiction with another co-occurring mental illness.

Due to the high rates of dual diagnosis in the state, there has been an increase in the number of facilities offering integrated treatment to manage all these conditions and guide clients on the path to health and wellness.

Some of the mental health issues that tend to occur alongside substance abuse and addiction in Tennessee include but are not limited to PTSD or post-traumatic stress disorder, psychotic disorders, personality disorders, including borderline personality disorder, obsessive compulsive disorders or OCD, major depression or bipolar disorder, eating disorders, and ADHD - or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and anxiety disorders.

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An integrated dual diagnosis treatment can help you uncover all your co-occurring disorders - some of which you might not even have been aware of previously. This is an important first step to recovery because research has shown that about 25 percent of all the adults in Tennessee struggle with a mental illness, which they might not even know that they have. For instance, bipolar disorder affects 2.6 percent of all the adults in the state while schizophrenia impacts 1.1 percent of this same population.

Even so, anxiety disorders and PTSD are the most common mental health disorders affecting the adult residents of Tennessee. In fact, about 18 percent of all the adults in the state experience these mental health disorders.

Other studies reported that about 50.5 percent of all the people struggling with a mental health disorder also have a co-occurring substance use disorder, or an addiction. This goes to show just how necessary integrated dual diagnosis treatment is in this state.

While living with a dual diagnosis in the state, you might be aware of your condition. However, you might not have been able to commit to the treatment services that you need to overcome all the disorders that you have been struggling with.

However, there is also a possibility that you might not even be aware of the fact that you have a co-occurring mental illness over and above your substance abuse and addiction. It is for this reason that you need to undergo thorough assessment and evaluation when you decide to seek help for your substance abuse - just so that you can determine if you are also mentally ill.

But how can you tell if you have a dual diagnosis? Essentially, there are some signs and symptoms that could point out the fact that there is a high probability that what you are dealing with is a condition involving co-occurring disorders. These include physical symptoms that do not improve even after seeking treatment, sudden weight changes, feelings of hopelessness, suicidal thoughts, anxiety, guilt, feelings of worthlessness, finding that you can no longer enjoy the activities that you used to love, sleep problems, issues with decision making, and a past diagnosis for a mental health disorder.

That said, if you have been abusing drugs and alcohol while also dealing with a sense of discontent, changes in mood, and fluctuations in your sleeping and eating habits, there is a high risk that you might have a dual diagnosis.

Types of Treatment

In case you have been living with a dual diagnosis and you seek help from an addiction or a mental health treatment center, you will often be referred to an integrated dual diagnosis recovery facility in Tennessee. This is because you would be considered to be a high risk patient due to the fact that you are struggling with two or more conditions that affect and aggravate each other. Most of these integrated treatment services are offered through a partial hospitalization program, an intensive outpatient program, or an intensive residential or inpatient program.

In such a situation, you would require treatment for all the separate issues that have been affecting each other - the addiction as well as the co-occurring mental health disorders. If you only got treated for your substance abuse and addiction and left the mental illness untreated, it could cause you to start abusing drugs and drinking alcohol again. This would also be the case if you only received mental health treatment and ignored your addiction.

Some of the services that are provided in the context of an integrated dual diagnosis treatment program in Tennessee include but are not limited to volunteer work and service, recreation programs, psychotherapy, medication management, individual therapy, holistic treatment, group therapy, family therapy, experiential therapies, evidence-based treatments, dialectic behavioral therapy, counseling, cognitive behavioral therapy, and 12 step meetings.

Through an integrated dual diagnosis program, you can get the help that you need to get started on the road to recovery. This has been proved by scientific research to work. in the past, mental illnesses were treated separately from substance abuse and addiction problems. This is because doctors used to think that these problems were removed from each other.

Over time, however, research showed that these disorders were related and they often occurred at the same time. In many cases, they also aggravated each other - and that is why people who only receive individualized mental health treatment or addiction treatment while struggling with both disorders did not achieve full recovery.

Today, therefore, integrated dual diagnosis treatment centers exist in Tennessee - as well as in the rest of the United States - to manage cases involving both substance abuse and addiction as well as co-occurring mental and behavioral health disorders.

Through these programs, you can get the help that you need to manage your substance addiction and overcome the mental illnesses that you have been struggling with for such a long time.

Learning what treatment is best for you or your loved one is easy. Speak to one of our trained counselors and let them guide you to the best treatment options available for your specific needs.

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