Dual Diagnosis Treatment San Diego
Many patients with an addictive disorder also struggle with an undiagnosed mental illness. For years, these individuals were treated separately for their conditions, which meant that many of them never got the help they needed. At Alvarado Parkway Institute, we’ve successfully combined aspects of mental health care with addictive disorder treatment to provide the comprehensive services dual diagnosis patients need to achieve a full recovery. Our dual diagnosis treatment programs address all underlying mental health issues that fuel a patient’s addictive disorder, and vice versa.
What is Dual Diagnosis?
Dual diagnosis refers to the presence of both a mental illness and a substance abuse problem. Often, one condition fuels the other, such as an individual with depression who uses drugs or alcohol to cope with his or her symptoms. The reverse can also be true: substance abuse may reveal a mental illness or make the symptoms of a known condition worse. While there’s no scientific explanation for why addictive disorders often coincide with mental health issues, people who suffer from both can find the help they need at a dual diagnosis treatment center.
At Alvarado Parkway Institute, our dual diagnosis programs offer varying levels of care depending on the extent of a patient’s mental illness and the severity of his or her addictive disorder. During a clinical assessment for dual diagnosis, our medical staff will determine whether a patient is best suited for inpatient services, or whether he or she is stable enough to participate in one of our outpatient programs. To learn more about Dual Diagnosis, check out our blog HERE.
Dual Diagnosis Treatment Programs
The dual diagnosis treatment programs at Alvarado Parkway Institute address a patient’s drug or alcohol abuse as well as the underlying mental illness. Because there are many combinations of disorders that can occur, no two dual diagnosis treatment plans will look the same. However, all paths to dual diagnosis recovery are founded on modes of therapy designed to help a patient stabilize, including:
- Individual therapy: allows a patient to work one-on-one with a therapist who will address the substance abuse and mental health issues simultaneously.
- Integrated group therapy: used to treat symptoms of a mental health disorder and a substance abuse problem while addressing the isolation and social withdrawal that often accompany a mental illness.
- Cognitive behavioral therapy: works to develop healthier thought and behavioral patterns to avoid the triggers that can cause relapse.
- Dialectic behavioral therapy: helps to reduce the self-harming behaviors that often accompany a dual diagnosis. Patients are provided with tools to soothe their troubled minds.
Additional dual diagnosis interventions include:
- Relapse prevention education
- Treatment for the mind, body, and spirit
- Pharmacological support
- Couples counseling and family therapy
- Vocational counseling
For more information on dual diagnosis treatment at Alvarado Parkway Institute, please call us at 619-333-7050.
Contact API
Our team of caring and compassionate staff members can perform a full assessment to determine whether you might benefit from outpatient mental health treatment. Learn more about how our program can help you by contacting us today at 619-333-7050.
