You miss so much.
You miss the family and friends you used to value.
The goals you used to strive for.
The dreams you used to dream.
The thing you crave is the only thing you want. The one need you have to meet.
The wound you have to heal before you can do anything else.
At least that’s how you feel.
But underneath the addiction you know you’re fighting, there may be more going on. You may have a another front to face. A co-occurring disorder.
Don’t despair. Knowing whether you have another diagnosis that keeps you stuck in addiction is necessary. Your continual search for relief is not just rooted in the craving, but has a deeper or co-existing source. Understanding more about why you are addicted, and what issues need to be treated, may seem overwhelming, but it is ultimately a good thing.
It means you know what you’re dealing with. You can fight a more strategic and complete fight and seek complete healing.
According to recent studies, people who are addicted are most likely also fighting depression or anxiety issues. For many, their addictions likely developed out of the need to medicate mental disturbance or emotional pain. However, there are other factors that lead to co-occurring disorders too. Heredity, trauma, brain development and neurological factors may also be contributing factors worth investigating, if you suspect you have a dual-diagnosis situation.
Drugs or alcohol, sex and the Internet, or even food become coping tools to manage deeper fears, or out-of-control moods, in a dual-diagnosis scenario. Then those “tools” take on a life of their own.
According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), nearly 9 million substance-abusing adults also manage a co-occurring mental health issue.
The unfortunate truth is, only about 7 percent of addicts seeking treatment are treated for both their obvious addiction, and their co-occurring disorder. Well over half of people with co-occurring disorders never address them.
The consequences of leaving a co-occurring disorder untreated is dire. Because addiction relapse is likely without full treatment, sufferers often endure unemployment and poverty, chronic health problems, homelessness, volatile or damaged relationships and social isolation.
Are there ways to know whether a co-occurring disorder is at play for you?
Here are some signs you can look for:
- You have a sense of deep sadness or hopelessness lasting longer than two weeks.
- You indulge your addiction in response to emotional pain, memories, or anxiety.
- You believe your addiction helps you can control the intensity of your moods.
- Your addiction helps you face scary or intimidating situations.
- You believe your addiction helps you focus and complete tasks.
- You’ve become isolated due to your addiction.
- Unemployment, inadequate housing, and relationship trouble are a result of your addiction.
- You’ve been treated for a psychiatric disorder before.
- You have an unresolved, unaddressed abuse or trauma in your past.
If you recognize these warning signs, you can begin the process of fighting back. With appropriate integrated care, you can avoid the disappointment of addiction treatment that just won’t “take.”
In the past, mental health problems and addiction issues were approached separately. And not very effectively. Today, more and more experts see the value of treatment integration and cooperative care.
Your best chance at recovery will be a program that incorporates the best practices of substance abuse treatment with sound psychiatric care. Identifying and treating a co-occurring disorder, with the help of a qualified professional, increases your ability to recover well and recover for good.
