Coping with substance abuse is difficult enough on its own without having to also manage a mental illness. Co-occurring disorders are highly common and can be successfully treated at the same time at ITTR.
Co-occurring disorders, also known as comorbidity or dual diagnosis, is the diagnosis of two or more disorders or illnesses in the same person. Many people who have a substance use disorder end up developing a mental illness, too, while the opposite is also true.
ITTR uses an integrated treatment approach for co-occurring disorders and substance abuse to help patients experience a long-lasting recovery.
Integrated treatment for co-occurring disorders is found to be more superior to treatments that address each disorder separately.
Co-occurring disorders are usually treated using a combination of medication and behavioral therapy. Medications can be used to treat both drug use disorder and mental illness, while behavioral therapies teach patients skills that help them effectively manage and/or overcome both disorders.
Cognitive behavioral therapy helps patients modify harmful beliefs and drug-seeking behaviors, while integrated group therapy helps patients understand the relationship between drug use disorders and mental illness.
Other common treatments for co-occurring disorders include medical drug detox, dialectical behavior therapy, assertive community treatment, contingency management, and exposure therapy.
ITTR will develop a customized treatment program for each individual patient based on their type of drug use disorder and mental illness.
