Dual-Diagnosis

DUAL-DIAGNOSIS TREATMENT CENTER IN CALIFORNIA

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D'Amore Offers Dual-Diagnosis Treatment

D’Amore offers a Dual Diagnosis Treatment program for Depression, Anxiety, Bipolar Disorder, and more. Many mental health disorders can influence or cause addiction. Often, adults who struggle with substance abuse don’t even realize they have a mental health problem. D’Amore Healthcare™ believes it is imperative to complete an assessment to develop the proper, personalized treatment plan for our patient’s specific needs. Admitted patients with a co-occurring mental health disorder and substance abuse disorder will be best suited for our dual diagnosis program.

D’Amore Healthcare™ is Joint Commission-certified and California-licensed to develop a specialized treatment plan to address every facet of our patient’s mental wellbeing, not merely the symptoms of addiction, but its roots and causes as well. Our customized strategy provides stabilization, a foundation for mental wellness, and the beginning of freedom from addiction and mental health issues.

D’Amore Healthcare™ examines our patients’ entire medical and psychological history, and our professional and compassionate staff is prepared to provide them with the best possible combination of treatment modalities. As a result, our patients will acquire new patterns of behavior and thinking, creating healthy habits in the process. Our patients learn to live vigorous, independent lives with their diagnoses.

Recovery From Dual-Diagnosis

D’Amore Healthcare™ is ready to show you a new way of living. Our well-trained and kind-hearted staff is on call and ready to help you 24 hours a day, year-round, to get you started on a personalized treatment plan. They will create an individualized care plan with the necessary therapeutic modalities to ensure your mental wellness. We believe you are worth it, so call us anytime!

D’Amore Healthcare™ is a dual diagnosis, mental health treatment center for adult men and women specializing in the intervention, acute stabilization, and residential treatment of addiction and mental health disorders. Our mental health facility is located in sunny Orange County, California.

What is Dual-Diagnosis?

Dual Diagnosis or co-occurring disorders are terms used to describe a person who has simultaneous issues with different forms of mental illness. The term dual diagnosis is most commonly used to refer to patients who have issues with addiction along with mental health disorders at the same time. Most drug and alcohol addictions fall under the umbrella of Substance Use Disorder and are separated into subsets like Alcohol Use disorder (AUD) or Stimulant Use Disorder (SUD).

These disorders are all cataloged in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM 5). Here they are classified as Mental Health Disorders by the psychiatric and medical communities. A Dual Diagnosis is established when one or more of these substance use disorders is affecting a patient at the same time as they are experiencing another mental health disorder like depression, anxiety, or trauma.

It is sometimes difficult to discern whether a mood or personality disorder led a person to self-soothe with their drug of choice in an effort to self-medicate and cope with the symptoms of their mental health disorder. Or if a person has been so affected by their addiction that it caused them to develop Major Depressive Disorder or Generalized Anxiety Disorder. In some cases, an underlying mental illness can be brought to the surface or made worse by chronic substance abuse. Instances, where a person is experiencing co-occurring issues with addiction and mental illness, are more common than you might imagine. In 2017, the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) reported that 8.5 million Americans had been diagnosed with both a substance use disorder and a mental illness.

Common Co-Occurring Disorders

Some mental health disorders more commonly occur in individuals with substance use disorders. These mental health and behavioral disorders often go undiagnosed, leaving people to self-medicate with whatever drugs or alcohol they have available to them.

Many people who struggle with these disorders turn to mood-altering substances to find relief from their symptoms. Ironically, these are often quick-fixes that end up making their issues worse in the long run.

The following are some mental health disorders that are commonly co-occurring with substance use disorders:

Major Depressive Disorder (Depression)

Bipolar Disorder

Schizophrenia

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Integrated Treatment For Dual-Diagnosis

Our Orange County dual diagnosis program simultaneously treats any addiction and mental health treatment. Addressing one without the other would create complications during recovery. Patients would also risk relapse. It is not uncommon for people with substance abuse disorders to experience anxiety, depressive episodes, mood swings, and delusional behavior.

These disorders are often closely tied to the person’s active addictions. Still, it is often difficult to discern if the substance abuse is the person’s way of coping with these issues, or if these disorders are an outcropping from the addiction itself. For this reason, our dual diagnosis program will dive into the root causes of addiction through a variety of therapeutic techniques.

Even the most severe cases of dual-diagnosis disorders are treatable. D’Amore offers a combination of evidence-based psychotherapy with medication management and holistic treatments to help a person suffering from addiction and mental illness make healthy changes to live a life free from the shackles of addiction. At D’Amore, we are committed to finding the right treatment for each individual. We provide a full spectrum of therapeutic modalities so that we can design a treatment plan to fit each of our patient’s unique needs.

We offer the following treatment modalities to treat those suffering from dual-diagnosis disorders:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)

Motivational Interviewing

Strategic Therapy

Gestalt Therapy

Humanistic Therapy

Positive Psychology

Our Signature “Build Me Up” Positive Reinforcement Program

Experiential Therapy

Equine Therapy

Strategic Family Therapy

Play Therapy

Integrative Functional Medicine

Reality Therapy

Residential Treatment For Dual Diagnosis

There is no simple cure-all for treating a person with dual-diagnosis. By definition, dual-diagnosis covers a variety of different combinations of addictive substances and behaviors, as well as a wide array of mental health disorders. People with co-occurring disorders often have a long and deeply personal relationship with their drug of choice and unwinding that addiction can take time and effort both by the patient and their support staff. Effective treatment plans are created in a collaborative effort between the patient, their loved ones, and medical professionals.

The level of care necessary to treat co-occurring disorders depends on the level of addiction and the symptoms of the patient’s mental health condition. Although, at D’Amore, we’ve found that most patients with a Dual Diagnosis require residential rehabilitation. Usually, psychiatric medications are discouraged during the treatment of drug and alcohol rehab programs. However, when a mental health disorder is co-occurring with an addiction, it is often necessary to combine the use of prescription medication along with other treatment modalities. These medications can help to stabilize the patient’s mood and reduce their anxiety during the treatment process. To ensure that this medication is administered properly without the risk of abuse or overdose, we’ve found that an inpatient program is preferable. At our Orange County dual diagnosis rehab facility, we provide intensive, round-the-clock monitoring and care for our patients when they are at their most vulnerable.

Dual Diagnosis FAQs

What is Dual Diagnosis?

A dual diagnosis refers to the presence of both a mental illness and a substance abuse disorder at the same time.

What is Dual Diagnosis Treatment?

Someone with a dual diagnosis must treat both conditions. The treatment will not be effective if you continue to use alcohol or drugs. Behavioral therapies as well as medicines may be used in the treatment.

What is a Dual Diagnosis Treatment Center?

Unlike mental health facilities that don’t treat addictions to alcohol and drugs, dual diagnosis treatment centers treat both conditions simultaneously.

What is the Best Treatment for Dual Diagnosis?

The best treatment for dual diagnosis should include integrated care, which is when a patient receives treatment for both mental illness and substance use disorder at the same time.

How Common is Dual Diagnosis?

In the United States, 45% of people struggle with dual diagnoses, according to the NSDUH. A person with a mental health condition is twice as likely to suffer from a substance use disorder as a person without a mental health condition.

What are the Most Common Conditions With a Dual Diagnosis?

The most common dual diagnoses are generalized anxiety disorder, eating disorders, and bipolar disorder.

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Clinically Reviewed By:

Valerie Matweeff, ACSW

Valerie has worked in the medical field for over 8 years and the past 4 years has worked in mental health as a school counselor at an elementary school, therapist at a nonprofit for women and children and a therapist at nonprofit working with homeless adults who suffer from Schizophrenia and Bipolar. Valerie received her MSW at USC and is currently working towards her LCSW.