Addiction is a growing problem throughout the United States. Millions of people report struggling with substance use each year, with an estimated 46.3 million adults meeting the criteria for substance use disorder in 2022. Addiction is a difficult struggle on its own but many people who experience substance use problems also experience a mental health disorder. The intersection of substance use and mental health disorders, referred to as co-occurring disorders or dual diagnosis, presents unique difficulties.
These challenges and complexities are exacerbated for men living with a co-occurring disorder. Although dual diagnosis treatment is readily available, it is not easy for men to reach out for help. Men face distinct barriers to treatment that make it hard for them to seek and receive the help and support they need. The stigma surrounding men’s mental health coupled with the perceived or real pressure to “tough it out” often prevents men from finding care.
How does the presence of co-occurring disorders create a unique challenge for men trying to overcome addiction and how can they overcome these difficulties? Specialized dual diagnosis treatment programs are a critical component to ensuring these men receive help. Dual diagnosis and addiction treatment programs like those at New Origins are designed specifically for men so they have an environment where they feel encouraged and supported in their path to healing.
What Are Co-Occurring Disorders?
Co-occurring disorders are two health issues or conditions that a person experiences simultaneously, both physical and psychological. The term commonly refers to the presence of both a substance use disorder (SUD) and a mental health disorder, also known as dual diagnosis. These mental health disorders can include depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), personality disorders, schizophrenia, and more.
Again, an estimated 46.3 million adults experienced an SUD in 2023. 58.7 million adults had a mental health disorder and 14.6 adults had a serious mental health disorder. Of these individuals, 20.4 million had both co-occurring SUD and a mental health disorder and 6.8 million had a co-occurring SUD and serious mental illness. This means a notable amount of the population deals with co-occurring disorders every day.
The symptoms of co-occurring disorders range in severity depending on the person, both for substance use disorder and mental health disorders. For example, someone may have mild anxiety or depression and severe substance addiction. Another might have both mild post-traumatic stress disorder and occasional substance abuse. Someone else could experience both debilitating bipolar disorder and substance addiction.
Co-occurring disorders are complex conditions because they are often deeply intertwined. Mental health disorders and substance use disorders often have similar symptoms that layer over one another. This creates a cyclical problem and conditions tend to worsen when left untreated. However, co-occurring disorders are often more difficult to identify and diagnose in men because of the stigma that keeps them from reaching out for help.
How Do Co-Occurring Disorders Develop?
There is no one way that people experience co-occurring disorders. One condition does not necessarily come before the other (for example, not all co-occurring disorders start with a mental health disorder or vice versa). Similarly, not all people experience co-occurring disorders in the same way.
Some start using or abusing substances and their substance use either triggers or exacerbates an underlying mental health disorder. Others experience a mental health disorder and then turn to substance use to reduce or manage the symptoms of their condition. Over time, their substance use may progress into a more serious problem. Still others experience both at the same time with little clarity on which condition came first.
Co-occurring disorders develop in almost as many ways as the number of people who experience them. Both mental health disorders and substance use disorders have similar risk factors including trauma, stress, inherited characteristics, and adverse social environments.
For example, childhood trauma increases the likelihood of developing a substance use disorder or mental health disorder. An analysis revealed that over 30% of adults with SUD experienced childhood trauma or an adverse childhood experience (ACE). Additionally, people with preexisting mental health disorders are also at a higher risk of developing substance use disorders, and the reverse is also true.
One common connection between substance use disorders and mental health disorders is the way many people use substances to manage their mental health disorder symptoms. What seems like a helpful way to manage these symptoms often progresses into a serious and destructive downward spiral. Relief is only temporary because substance use exacerbates symptoms of mental health disorders in the long run.
This highlights the vital need for specialized dual diagnosis treatment programs, particularly for men. It is difficult for men to open up about their struggles and asking for help seems like an impossible task. Finding the right treatment program can be the difference between continuing to struggle and finding hope and healing.
The Importance of Treating Both Conditions Together
Co-occurring disorders require a specialized approach to care. Treating either SUD or mental health disorders is challenging as it is; treating someone who has both is even more difficult. Some think you can treat one or the other but effective dual diagnosis treatment involves addressing and working through both conditions simultaneously. When it comes to co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders, it is difficult to tell where one ends and the other begins; they are too intertwined.
People with co-occurring disorders tend to experience more severe, persistent, and treatment-resistant symptoms. Additionally, they have a harder time staying in treatment and adhering to their treatment program than individuals with one condition or the other. Programs designed for dual diagnosis recognize these particular blocks to care and program their services to prepare for and address the challenges when they arise.
Treatment Approaches for Co-Occurring Disorders in Men’s Addiction Recovery
Individualized care is an important part of any treatment program but it is indispensable when working with people who have co-occurring disorders. Trying to use a one-size-fits-all program for people with both a mental health disorder and SUD can be detrimental at best and deadly at worst. Dual diagnosis treatment programs for men incorporate various treatment approaches depending on each person’s needs.
Treatment facilities offer different modalities and services to provide the most effective care possible for each person who comes into their program. The following are some of the primary therapies and treatment modalities used to support a specialized dual diagnosis treatment program.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Cognitive behavioral therapy is one of the most widely used therapeutic modalities. It focuses on addressing, challenging, and changing negative thought patterns which results in changed behavior.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Dialectical behavior therapy is a more specialized form of treatment that focuses on disruptive emotions and behaviors. It teaches four core skills to help individuals change their lives: mindfulness, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness, and emotion regulation.
Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT)
Medication-assisted treatment involves the supervision and management of medications that provide relief from symptoms of mental health disorders and substance use disorders.
Group Therapy and Peer Support
Group therapy and peer support are critical components of a dual diagnosis treatment program for men. They connect men with others facing similar challenges so they can share openly and honestly about their struggles to help and be helped by other men who understand.
The Role of Support Networks in Dual Diagnosis Recovery
Addiction and mental health recovery do not happen in a vacuum; having a support network is also crucial. Men have a difficult time asking for help to begin with and they need ongoing support once they decide to seek treatment. The support of their family and friends is irreplaceable during the early weeks and months of recovery and continues to be an important part of life well into the years. Strong support networks not only provide encouragement but also offer accountability, reduce isolation, and restore self-esteem and confidence so men can maintain long-term recovery.
Many treatment facilities offer family therapy services that begin the process of rebuilding and mending the relationships that break down during active addiction and the darker times of mental health disorders. It isn’t easy to work through the long periods of destruction that co-occurring disorders can cause, but initiating the process is the first step toward overcoming those difficult times. Support networks need support, too, and the right treatment program offers services to family members as well.
Treatment Programs for Co-Occurring Disorders
Finding a local dual diagnosis treatment program is the first step for any man hoping to overcome his co-occurring disorders. A program like New Origins is a great choice for men in Redlands, CA, and the surrounding area. Our outpatient dual diagnosis treatment program for men ensures you receive the life-saving and life-giving care you need while still being able to handle your existing responsibilities.
We offer individualized treatment services tailored to your needs at times that fit your schedule. To learn more about the programs available at New Origins, reach out to us at 855-984-1788 or submit an online contact form. Our admissions specialists are ready to answer questions and help you find the right program for you so you can start rebuilding your life as soon as you are ready.
