Imagine the difficulty of living with not only a substance use disorder, but suffering with a mental health disorder at the same time. Co-occurring disorders, the presence of both a substance use disorder and a mental health issue, are affecting a growing number of people. In fact, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, […]
co-occurring disorders
Living with Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder is a complex mental illness that significantly impacts the lives of more than 6 million American adults each year. The primary characteristic of bipolar disorder is the presence of extreme moods swings, alternating from depressive episodes to manic episodes. The symptoms of the disorder are quite disruptive to the individual, which may result […]
Is it Apathy or Something More?
Apathy is a word we hear a lot around recovery, however, it might be something that we don’t entirely understand. There is an inherent idea that compares it to depression or casts it as only a symptom of another mental health diagnosis. Apathy is a challenge all on its own and it can be difficult […]
Emotional De-regulation
We hear a lot in the recovery space today about dual diagnosis and co-occurring mental health issues when substance use disorder is brought up, 45% of people fall into this category. While true that many who suffer from substance use struggle with another mental health disorder, it does not always take a secondary diagnosis to […]
One Size Does Not Fit All
Recovering from addiction is a lifelong undertaking. It also requires shining a light over the past and examining things with the help of others who have been through similar experiences. It often needs outside help or treatment for co-occurring issues, mental or physical. The continuing recovery process includes work in matters mental, physical, emotional, and […]
What Else Co-Exists with Substance Use Disorder?
People with mental health issues often suffer from more than one diagnosis at a time. Dual diagnosis is when a mental health disorder co-occurs with a substance use disorder. They are typically classified together since many of their symptoms impact each other. As such, treatment for any individual with a dual diagnosis should be integrated […]