What to Look for in Dual Diagnosis Treatment Facilities

The state of your mental health plays a huge role in your life. If you’re positive and happy, you can overcome many obstacles because you can see the bright side of life. However, if you’re unhappy and depressed, it’s much harder if not impossible to see that bright side of life. An obstacle may seem insurmountable.

You may turn to substances to dull the pain of everyday life, be those drugs or alcohol. Before too long, you may realize you’re addicted. These substances can worsen a mental health disorder, making symptoms more intense. You may even sometimes feel suicidal.

This is obviously a serious situation that needs addressing right away. You need help with your mental health disorder and your addiction, so where can you go? Dual diagnosis residential treatment programs at rehab facilities are best in these cases. The doctors, therapists and other staff will get to the root of both the mental health disorder and the addiction. You’ll leave the facility feeling more like yourself than you have in years.

If you feel like your life is in a tailspin, you can get help. Here’s how to choose the right rehab facility for dual diagnosis treatment.

1. The Facility Is Convenient and Affordable — Dual diagnosis treatment is somewhat less common, but that doesn’t mean you should have to spend an arm and a leg to get it. Your insurance company may cover part of the cost of your rehab, but not in all cases. Don’t just assume. Call your insurance representative and ask. Also, before choosing a facility, make sure it’s local. Commuting costs, like airfare and hotel for family to visit, can be expensive.
2. The Facility Has Both Inpatient and Outpatient Care — Although dual diagnosis treatment is often inpatient care, you should make sure the facility offers both. After all, in some cases, addiction may not be as serious, in which case outpatient care may be recommended. However, to truly overcome addiction, it’s best to stay in a rehab facility for a few weeks to a few months to get to the bottom of what is causing the issue.
3. You Receive Therapy — Cognitive behavioral therapy is necessary for both overcoming addiction and treating a mental health disorder. Therapy for addiction lets you figure out the root cause of the addiction. Therapy for mental health lets you discuss your symptoms, your treatment, and your progress, adjusting as necessary.
4. Medication Is Offered — For some mental health disorders, cognitive behavioral therapy is enough. However, for others, both therapy and medication are used for reducing symptoms and improving the quality of life. Look for a facility that recommends medication, but not as the only form of treatment. Medication should only be prescribed when other options have been exhausted.
5. Aftercare Is Available — Of course, the biggest deciding factor when choosing a rehab facility for dual diagnosis residential care is whether the facility offers aftercare. You don’t want to feel like you’re simply cut loose after rehab. With aftercare, the staff will check up on you to see how you’re progressing back in your normal life. This may decrease your chances of relapsing since you feel like you have someone to answer to.

Do you need dual diagnosis treatment for mental health disorders and drug or alcohol addiction? Contact us at His and Her Houses. We’re a rehab facility based in California. We treat mental health disorders. Our cognitive behavioral therapists are experts at working through all feelings associated with depression, anxiety, and other disorders. Our trained doctors and medical staff can help you withdraw safely. Contact us today.