A Majority of People Seeking Treatment for Addiction, Also Have Co-occurring Disorders in Fort Lauderdale, Florida

In recent years, some drug and alcohol addiction treatment centers in Fort Lauderdale, Florida understand the importance of diagnosing and treating co-occurring disorders. These addiction recovery programs and treatments for folks addicted to drugs and alcohol also include an examination for co-occurring disorders in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The most frequent of these co-occurring disorders is some form of trauma. These are traumatic events that may have happened during the addict’s lifetime, possibly going as far back as infancy. But there are many other types of co-occurring disorders that may impact addiction. Some of those may include serious mental illnesses such as;

• Bi-polar
• borderline personality disorder
• schizophrenia
• PTSD

As inhumane as it sounds; years ago, people who were diagnosed with mental illness and addiction may have been locked up in an asylum or even a hospital / prison for the criminally insane. In many cases they were deemed as untreatable. Fortunately, studies conducted throughout the 70’s and 80’s began to shed a different light on addiction. What was once thought of as deviant behavior slowly began to evolve into today’s belief that addiction is a medical disease – no different than cancer or heart disease.

The Importance of Recognizing Co-occurring Disorders in Fort Lauderdale

In a large percentage of cases, victims of addiction seeking rehabilitative treatment have no conscious knowledge of their Co-occurring Disorders in Fort Lauderdale. In fact,  The National Institute on Drug Abuse recently stated, 

“Multiple national population surveys have found that about half of those who experience a mental illness during their lives will also experience a substance use disorder and vice versa.”

However; armed with the most up-to-date research; most drug and alcohol addiction treatment centers in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and in the US recognize that excessive drinking or drugging is usually a symptom of a more serious underlying condition.  Addiction experts and professionals agree that treating symptoms without treating the underlying conditions is a formula for constant relapse. This is why the majority of addiction treatment and recovery centers now employ multiple therapies that address multiple issues.

Treating Trauma – The Most Common of Co-occurring Disorders in Fort Lauderdale

As a mental health disorder, Trauma and its cousin, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) were not considered mainstream contributors to addiction. This went on until soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan began to show a much higher than average chance of becoming addicted.  It was further studied and determined that some of these returning soldiers also had mental health issues that may have been contributing to their addictions.  To illustrate this case and point; The US National Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health reported the following in an article written in 2016 by John P. Allen, Ph.D., M.P.A., Eric F. Crawford, Ph.D., and Harold Kudler, M.D.

“Many service members and veterans seeking treatment for alcohol problems have experienced the life-threatening stress of combat, many have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and many service members and veterans seeking treatment for PTSD have alcohol or other substance problems.”

On a similar note, many of these soldiers sought treatment for their Co-occurring Disorders in Fort Lauderdale. It was through the addiction treatment that their PTSD was uncovered.  And that is the way it goes for many non-military victims of addiction.  They do not become fully aware of their traumatic issues until they begin to explore themselves through both individual and group therapy sessions.

Trauma VS Congenital Mental Health Illness in Recovery

For those with a congenital mental health illness combined with addiction, treatments are more likely to include medication to go along with individual and group therapy. Most addiction treatment centers have a Medical Director and a Psychiatrist that can assist with prescriptions and medications. In addition to traditional treatment and recovery programs; there are some treatment centers that only focus on the more severe mental health issues. 

This may be necessary because victims of illnesses like borderline personality disorder and schizophrenia may also display violent tendencies, particularly when combined with drugs or alcohol. These treatment centers for drug addiction may be required to place locks on doors and have a higher level of security on the premises.

State-of-the-Art Therapies can Help Resolve Co-occurring Disorders in Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Along with time tested therapies including individual and group sessions, there are many newer types of therapy that are showing excellent results. EMDR is one that quickly comes to mind. EMDR which stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing is being used to help clients and patients overcome specific instances of trauma. This treatment has been found to be particularly effective treating victims of childhood abuse.  Studies have indicated that,

“EMDR therapy shows that the mind can in fact heal from psychological trauma much as the body recovers from physical trauma.”

A significant benefit of EMDR is that in just a few sessions, some people have demonstrated similar benefits to having spent 2 years in traditional psychotherapy.

Another of these groundbreaking therapies is called Rapid Resolution Therapy (RRT). RRT was developed beginning in the late 1980’s by Dr. John Connelly. When properly administered, RRT can reshape the way the mind remembers certain events.  It’s considered to be effective in treating a multitude of trauma related conditions including,

• PTSD
• Anxiety
• Anger
• Panic
• Grief
• minor and major stress
• depression
• addiction
• guilt
• shame
• and much more.

The best treatment centers for drug addiction that are on the cutting edge are making use of both RRT and EMDR while treating Co-occurring Disorders in Fort Lauderdale.

In addition to the more modern treatments, treatment centers for drug addiction are using some of the more traditional occupational therapies to address certain co-occurring disorders. Art Therapy, for example is an occupational therapy that has been used for decades to assist the physically impaired improve motor skills.  More recently, many drug rehab centers programs have incorporated art therapy into their curriculums. As an addict in treatment, while the client works on an art project, they become more relaxed and reveal more of themselves than when sitting and being questioned by a therapist.

Music therapy is another successful activity that occupational therapists have depended on for years.  Now, in certain addiction treatment centers, music has become a primary focus.  Not only are there countless professional musicians in recovery; but many of them are willing to visit treatment centers. Some either perform private concerts or invite musically inclined clients to sit in and jam along! Some treatment centers for drug addiction also have dedicated “music rooms” where clients can form their own recovery bands

The Many Faces of Drug Addiction with Co-occurring Disorders in Fort Lauderdale

In this article, we have discussed the fact that drug or alcohol addiction is in most cases a symptom or other Co-occurring Disorders in Fort Lauderdale. The different types of trauma, including PTSD are the most common co-occurring disorders. However; we also discussed the presence of congenital mental health issues and how they can contribute to addiction. There are many therapies used in treating these dual diagnoses including some of the cutting edge therapies that continue to show increasingly promising results.

If you are suffering from addiction and think that you may fall into the category of having one or more Co-occurring Disorders in Fort Lauderdale, The Source Treatment Center may be able to help. Contact them today for more information at (800) 204-0418.