Residential Treatment for Co-Occurring Disorders

Co-occurring disorders are very common and should be treated effectively. 7.7 million adults are affected by co-occurring mental and substance use disorders. 37.9.% of adults with substance use disorders have also been diagnosed with a mental illness. These statistics paint a picture that while substance use disorders and mental disorders are often discussed separately, they interact a lot and should be treated alongside each other. 

What Are Co-occurring Disorders? 

People who have both a mental illness and a substance use disorder are considered to have a co-occurring disorder. Common mental illnesses that are found to be co-occurring with substance use disorders include anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder. People with mental illness are more likely to develop a substance use disorder than those who are not diagnosed with a mental illness. This is because people with mental illness often use substances to self-medicate and cope with the symptoms of their mental illness. 

Signs of Common Co-occurring Disorders 

Here are some signs of common co-occurring disorders that you should be on the lookout for. If you feel you are struggling with these symptoms, please reach out to a mental health professional to be evaluated. 

Depression

• Feeling down or depressed most days of the week. It feels like you just can’t shake it off.
• Not being interested or getting pleasure from activities that you liked before.
• Neglecting self-care or other obligations because you just don’t have the motivation to complete them.
• Feeling like you can’t get out of bed. 
• Sleeping too much or not being able to get much sleep at all. 
• Overeating or having no appetite.
• Feeling tired all the time even though you got a full night of rest.

Anxiety

• Worrying about different things all the time, even when they’re small. You just can’t seem to control it. 
• Getting irritated very easily. 
• Feeling like your muscles are tensed up all the time. 
• Having trouble falling asleep or staying asleep because you can’t shut down the worry in your mind. 
• Feeling anxious or on-edge all the time. 
• Having trouble concentrating. 

Bipolar Disorder

• Feeling like you don’t need to sleep as much. 
• Feeling a noticeable change in your mood or energy that lasts more than a couple days. You might feel much more irritable or have a lot more energy than usual. 
• Racing thoughts or feeling like you need to keep talking. 
• Having impulsive behavior, such as excessive spending or hypersexuality. 
• Having a lot of plans to complete unrealistic goals

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

• Feeling jumpy all the time and watchful of other people.
• Feeling like you can’t trust anyone.
• Having flashbacks or recurring dreams about something traumatic that happened.
• Having a lot of negative emotions, like anxiety, fear, shame, sadness, or anger. 
• Having more self-destructive behavior that is not characteristic of yourself.
• Trying to avoid reminders of something traumatic that happened or avoid talking or thinking about what happened. 

Signs of Addiction

Common substances used by people struggling with mental illness include, but are not limited to alcohol, opioids, stimulants, marijuana, and prescription drugs. Signs of addiction to any of these substances that you should be aware of include: 

• Strong cravings or a strong urge to use the drug. 
• Feeling out of control with your use of the drug and noticing a progression in your use.
• Giving up relationships, events, or activities because you were preoccupied with using the drug or recovering from its effects. 
• Spending a lot of time or money to use, obtain, or recover from the drug. 
• Trying hard to stop your use of the drug and not being able to. 
• Continuing to use the drug even though you know it’s negatively affecting your health and well-being. 
• Continuing to use the drug despite negative consequences, such as legal issues, losing a job, or loved ones expressing concern about your use. 

Is there residential treatment for co-occurring disorders?

Treatment centers that are educated on the prevalence of co-occurring disorders and the necessity to treat them together will offer residential treatment for co-occurring disorders. Here at California Centers for Recovery, we offer treatment for people with co-occurring disorders as well as just substance use disorders. We have skilled staff that will help you create a treatment plan based on your individual needs. California Centers for Recovery offers 30-, 60-, and 90-day rehab options. Then, once you have completed your residential treatment, we have outpatient options as well so that you can continue your care with our skilled providers throughout your recovery process. 

Contact us today to learn more about how California Centers for Recovery can help you.