Counseling Strategies For Co-Occurring Disorders

Meanwhile, occurrences of two or more disorders, which include substance use disorders and mental health disorders, in an individual are termed co-occurring disorders, dual diagnoses, or comorbid conditions. As each disorder can influence and intensify the other, this becomes complex to treat co-occurring disorders.

Here are some of the examples of co-occurring disorders

Alcohol Addiction and Depression

Drug Addiction and Anxiety

Bipolar Disorder and Drug Addiction

Schizophrenia and Alcohol Use Disorder

Personality Disorders

Attention-Deficit/Hypersensitivity Disorder

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

A co-occurring disorder can be developed due to several factors. Both addiction and mental health conditions are challenged by genetic risk factors that enhance a risk of co-occurring disorder in an individual. Some other factors include trauma history, environmental factors, increased stress level, and family history. Another substantial risk factor includes self-medicating mental health symptoms rather than visiting a treatment center to seek mental health and substance abuse treatment. This self-medication is a short-term way to cure this and usually triggers deteriorating mental and physical health issues. Furthermore, it also affects brain structure and function, which leads to worsening mental health symptoms.

Treatment

Co-occurring disorder leads people more towards hospitalization rather than people dealing with a mental or substance use disorder solely. To treat the physical and emotional vista of substance use and mental disorders, people are linked with providers who can provide personalized, individualized services. To treat co-occurring disorders, there are various strategies that are helpful in improving quality of life and enhancing outcomes for people with co-occurring disorders:

  • Cognitive behavioral therapy: To transform destructive beliefs and dysfunctional behaviors CBT is designed to exhibit vigorous efficiency for individuals with substance use disorder. For children and adolescents having anxiety and mood disorders, cognitive behavioral therapy is considered the most effective psychotherapy.
  • Dialectical behavioral therapy: To lessen self-abuse behaviors comprising suicidal thoughts or urges, attempts, cuttings, and drug use DBT is specifically designed. It is one of the few or most efficient treatments for an individual having borderline personality disorder.
  • Assertive community treatment: ACT is designed to treat acute mental sickness such as schizophrenia and co-occurring substance use disorders.
  • Therapeutic communities: To cure long- term substance use disorder TCs are considered one of the most effective ones. In this, community-based programs are involved to focus on the socialization of the individual. This is adequate for communities having a high incidence of co-occurring disorders, such as vulnerable and neglected youth, homeless persons, criminal justice-involved individuals, and people with vocational deficits.
  • Exposure therapy: For some anxiety disorders like phobias and PTSD, exposure therapy is an effective treatment. This treatment helps patients to develop coping mechanisms against their fear, trauma, or memory, ultimately lessening or even eradicating symptoms.
  • Integrated group therapy: IGT is specially designed to treat patients with bipolar disorder and substance use disorder. This treatment helps patients discern the bond between these two disorders, along with the link between thoughts and behaviors and how they involve recovery and relapse.
  • Contingency management or motivational incentives: a method considered an appendage to treatment. Individuals who are practicing to quit unhealthy behaviors and embrace healthy behaviors are given vouchers or prizes as a reward. This is helpful in minimizing the use of tobacco and other drugs.
  • Seeking safety: Trauma-based issues and substance use disorders are treated simultaneously with seeking safety. In this, an individual learns behavioral skills for confronting past stress and substance use disorder.
  • Mobile medical application: To treat marijuana, alcohol, cocaine, and stimulant use disorders, a medical mobile application was invented that is used for outpatient therapy. To teach patients skills that are helpful in treating substance use disorder Cognitive behavioral therapy is delivered.

The outcomes that appear after treating patients are:

  • Enhanced quality of life
  • Upgraded housing stability
  • Bettered psychiatric symptoms and functioning
  • Least arrest
  • Lessened medical interactions
  • Abated hospitalization
  • Diminished substance use
  • For both disorders, higher chances of thriving treatment and recovery
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Treatment Centers

Searching a center for both mental health and substance use disorders is a crucial task, as a center with a specialization in co-occurring is more efficient in recovery. Here are some keys that are significant in finding treatment centers.

  • Integrated care model: A center must have an integrated approach towards mental health and substance use disorder. In this, both issues are addressed in a harmonized way.
  • Individualized treatment plans: Customized plans are made that are based on a person's needs in efficient treatment centers which may have an amalgamation of therapy, medication and support services.
  • Qualified staff: The center must have veteran professionals that include psychologists, licensed counselors, psychiatrists, and addiction specialists. They should be trained to deal with dual diagnosis efficiently and meanwhile they must be trained in both mental health and substance use treatments.
  • Medication management: If an individual is in need of medication for mental disorders psychiatric approach for management of medication must be significant.
  • Evidence based therapies: Evidence based treatments including Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interviewing and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy must be provided as these therapies are considered as an efficient approach towards co-occurring disorder.
  • Supportive services: To aid in long term recovery and maintaining daily life hardships additional services such as family therapy, aftercare planning and case management are crucial. 
  • Support group: Interaction with peer groups can be efficient for perpetual support and recovery.
  • Aftercare and relapse prevention: As a person shifts from treatment to routine life, these centers must offer aftercare and relapse strategies to strengthen an individual.
  • Accreditation and Licensing: Make sure that treatment center is properly licensed by state or local authorities which implies that center can appropriately meet the standards of industry for care.

Some of the examples or names of co-occurring disorder treatment centers are:

  • Hazelden Betty Ford Center
  • The Meadows
  • Caron Treatment center
  • The Ranch
  • NorthPoint Recovery
  • The Recovery Village
  • Banyan Treatment Center
  • Promises Behavioral Health
  • Sierra Tucson

Counseling Strategies and interventions

  • Integrated treatment approach: Spontaneous plan for mental and substance use disorder is developed by medical professionals.
  • Motivational interviewing: To explore and unravel uncertainty motivations are enhanced by creating a strong therapeutic coalition.
  • Cognitive Behavioral therapy: Deals with thoughts that are showing negative behavior by addressing and altering perverted thinking.
  • Acceptance and commitment therapy: Gives encouragement regarding emotions, feelings and difficult thoughts acceptance. Aids an individual in maintaining and setting meaningful goals aligned with values.
  • Trauma informed care: By highlighting a person's strength, capabilities and willpower this one addresses the effect of trauma on mental health and substance use.  
  • Relapse prevention planning: Prevent relapse and maintain potential obstacles by identifying situations and stressors that could govern relapse by developing practical strategies.
  • Family therapy: Strengthen the role of family in the recovery process by enhancing family communication and problem-solving.

Interventions

  • Medical Management: To maintain symptoms of mental health and substance use disorder evaluate the need for psychiatric medications.
  • Contingency Management: Positive support is used to encourage desired behavior. To meet treatment goals incentives are provided.
  • Mindfulness based interventions: To improve stress and emotional disturbance mindful techniques such as meditation and breathing exercises are incorporated.
  • Holistic therapies: Holistic approaches with traditional therapies such as regular exercise, balanced diet art and music therapy are adjunct.  
  • Group therapy: Engross a person with others dealing similar hardships to have support and insight.

  • Educational workshops: Knowledge is delivered on mental health, substance use and coping strategies. People are educated about their disorders and treatment patterns.

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