Substance Abuse and Mental Health in Vermont

Many of the residents of Vermont struggle with a dual diagnosis. This means that they are living with drug and alcohol addiction as well as a co-occurring behavioral or mental health disorder. If you are among these people, for instance, you might be suffering from an opioid use disorder while also struggling with bipolar or anxiety disorders.

This condition means that you are suffering from both a substance use problem as well as a co-occurring mental illness. When these disorders occur at the same time, it can be difficult to achieve full recovery from both unless you seek integrated dual diagnosis treatment from a qualified rehabilitation facility.

Co-Occurring Substance Abuse and Mental Health Disorders

In the context of addiction treatment, a co-occurring disorder means that you are living with both substances abuse as well as another mental illness. In many cases, the mental health disorder might be the underlying cause of your drug or alcohol addiction. Luckily, there are supports that can provide you with the integrated treatment services that you need to achieve full recovery from all these disorders and stop the resultant vicious cycle of relapse and a recurrence of mental illness.

While living in Vermont with a substance use disorder, you would be in a complicated situation. However, this would also be the case if you are also struggling with a mental health condition.

When these two conditions mix, however, recovery can be a true challenge. In Vermont, the rise of opioid drug abuse - particularly involving prescription pain relief medications and heroin - has been increasing the incidence of co-occurring disorders.

Today, it is increasingly becoming difficult to deliver a dual diagnosis. This is because the two conditions often interact and aggravate each other. Further, they cause effects that are somewhat similar.

To ensure that you are able to achieve full recovery, most dual diagnosis treatment professionals will provide you with integrated treatment that is based on current scientific research. Also known as evidence based treatment, these recovery models will ensure that there is a coordination between your addiction rehabilitation services and the mental health management programs that you receive. Through this coordination, they will guide you on the road to full recovery from all these disorders.

That said, about 50 percent of all the residents of Vermont living with a mental health disorder also end up struggling with substance abuse and addiction at one point or the other in their lives. However, the concept of dual diagnosis is fairly new in the treatment and management of both of these disorders.

In the past, mental illnesses were typically managed in a psychiatric environment. Substance abuse and addiction, on the other hand, was treated in a drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility.

Eventually, scientific research started showing that this segmented treatment approach was not effective. For instance, if you only received treatment for your alcohol and addiction without getting the psychiatric care you needed to overcome your co-occurring behavioral or mental health disorder, the cause of your addiction would not be properly address. As a result, there was a high risk that you would end up suffering a relapse even after completing the entire treatment program.

But what is the reason behind the high incidence of dual diagnosis? Essentially, if you are living with a psychiatric disorder, you might start using alcohol and drugs to alleviate the symptoms and adverse effects of this disorder.

This form of self-medication could prove effective but only in the short term. Eventually, you would develop tolerance, dependence, and addiction - which could give rise to the growth of many other adverse symptoms and effects, over and above those coming from your mental illness.

If you give up these intoxicating substances, also, there is a high risk that your initial symptoms of mental illness could recur. The overwhelming reality and debilitating effects, to this end, would not disappear simply because you were abusing drugs and drinking alcohol. this is why there are dual diagnosis treatment centers in Vermont that now exist to manage all of these conditions at the same time.

Common Mental Health Problems Associated with Drug Abuse in Vermont

Research studies have also shown that there are some mental health problems that are commonly associated with alcohol and drug abuse in Vermont. Examples of these psychiatric disorders include but are not limited to post-traumatic stress disorder - or PTSD, as well as depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia.

If you are struggling with physical and mental illnesses, it is highly likely that you might develop a drug or alcohol abuse problem. For instance, if you are struggling with pain - whether mental or physical - you might turn to these substances as a form of self-medication. You could either drink alcohol or use illicit drugs and prescription medications - with the of trying to control your symptoms.

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On the other hand, you might develop a mental illness as a result of abusing drugs and drinking alcohol. this is because these intoxicating substances create changes in the structure, chemical composition, and functioning of the brain. Due to these changes, there is a high risk that you might start struggling with a mental health disorder.

Some of the mental illnesses that could cause addiction or arise from substance abuse include but are not limited to eating disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, and anxiety disorders. Often, it is difficult for professionals to ascertain which of these problems started first.

This is because if you are struggling with addiction to drugs and alcohol, you might display some of the signs and symptoms of a psychological disorder. On the other hand, if you are living with a mental illness, you might turn to these substances to self-medicate the symptoms of this illness.

In a recent research study conducted in Vermont, it was reported that 3.1 percent of all the residents of this state struggle with severe psychological distress. Additionally, the people surveyed reported that they spent at least 3 days out of every month of 30 days dealing with mental illness.

Even so, there are some mental health issues that tend to affect certain demographics in higher rates than others. For instance, women in Vermont have a higher likelihood of struggling with anxiety than men. This condition also tends to affect more Caucasians than it does other races.

Types of Treatment

Luckily, you can get help from a dual diagnosis treatment facility in Vermont. These centers often provide integrated treatment to manage both the substance use disorder as well as heal the mental illness at the same time. By so doing, they can give you a better chance of attaining full recovery from both of these disorders.

While enrolled in an integrated dual diagnosis treatment program, you will receive the support and management services that you need to be able to work through the withdrawal and detoxification process. This process will start when you first give up your preferred substances of abuse - which could lead to the development of adverse withdrawal symptoms and drug cravings.

After you have broken your physical dependence on these symptoms, you will be provided with therapy and counseling options. This would help you understand the reasons behind your mental illness and substance abuse patterns. You will also learn how to overcome these patterns and manage your mental health disorder.

Once you achieve full recovery from these disorders, the center will not discharge you before providing you with a reliable aftercare and relapse prevention plan. For instance, they might recommend that you continue going for additional therapy and counseling services on an outpatient basis or to check into a sober or transitional living facility instead of going straight back home.

That said, there are two main types of Vermont dual diagnosis treatment facilities. The first include inpatient or residential recovery centers. these centers will provide you with treatment on an inpatient basis. You will receive intensive recovery services for anywhere between 30 days and 60 days - or even longer. The duration will largely depend on the severity of your dual diagnosis of addiction and co-occurring mental illness.

You will be required to the live at the treatment center during the entire duration of your recovery period. This will ensure that you receive the round the clock medical monitoring, supervision, and care services that you need.

Alternative, you could choose an outpatient dual diagnosis treatment center in Vermont. In this way, you would not be required to live at the center around the clock. Instead, you can check into the facility for a few hours every day or week to get the help that you need to overcome and manage your mental illness and co-occurring substance use disorder.

Outpatient treatment might give you more freedom and flexibility to be able to continue meeting your other obligations and responsibilities at work, home, or school while also getting professional help for your co-occurring disorders. This is because you will not be living at the center.

The best option, however, would be to use a combined recovery approach involving both inpatient and outpatient treatment. first, you would attend the inpatient center to achieve full stability from your disorders before going for outpatient treatment.

The important thing is that you seek integrated dual diagnosis treatment as soon as you realize that you have a dual diagnosis for a substance use disorder as well as a co-occurring mental health disorder in Vermont.

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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