Dual diagnosis describes a mental health condition, such as anxiety or depression, co-occurring with a substance use disorder. This involves determining a teen’s substance use is problematic, excessive and/or compulsive and chronic. At Visions Adolescent Treatment Centers, our dual diagnosis treatment for teens offers a holistic approach to addressing all aspects of substance abuse and co-occurring disorders. Substance use can exacerbate mental disorders, and teens with a history of mental health issues are more susceptible to using drugs or alcohol. Dual diagnosis refers explicitly to cases of a diagnosis of mental disorder and a substance use disorder, which describes a problem with drug use, misuse or abuse, including signs of compulsive use, withdrawal, and substance related behavioral issues.
Visions’ Teen Dual Diagnosis Treatment Centers
While mental health problems and addiction occur separately, the two affect each other heavily. Drug use, particularly among young teens, can change the way the brain works. Certain drugs can worsen the symptoms of mental health disorder, causing more frequent panic attacks, stronger depressive episodes, and more. Recurrent drug use can alter pathways in the brain important for mental health treatment, and cause lasting cognitive and behavioral issues. Teen dual diagnosis treatment centers and programs must focus on both addiction and mental health concurrently.
TEEN ADDICTION TREATMENT
When we treat a teen with dual diagnosis, we help them through the withdrawal process and walk them through the first stages of rehab, while providing professional therapeutic guidance for their co-occurring mental health problems.
TEEN MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT
Talk therapy, experiential therapy, and group counseling are just some of the ways we tackle mental health disorders, always mindful of a teen’s circumstances and needs. Our team of specialists and therapists rely on a large repertoire of treatments, identifying effective methods via a thorough starting assessment.
LONG-TERM TREATMENT
We work with teens to develop effective coping mechanisms, get started on healthier habits, address problematic behaviors, and foster the creation of a lasting support network of friends and relatives. We involve the family in every step of the way, helping them better understand their teen’s problems, and in turn finding ways to adjust a teen’s environment when they come back home.
Common Teen Dual Diagnosis Disorders
Drugs affect different pathways in the brain and worsen certain conditions, necessitating a different approach for each combination. Some substance use disorders benefit from medication to help reverse the addiction, while other disorders cannot be treated pharmacologically. At Visions Teen Dual Diagnosis Treatment Centers, many of the patients we treat are involved in:
At Visions Adolescent Treatment Centers, our dual diagnosis treatment for teens offers a holistic approach to cases, combining treatment modalities to target teens’ drug use and their co-occurring disorders. We help teens at every step of the way, from safely preparing them for rehab to working with them through the worst stages of withdrawal, targeting the issues contributing to their drug use and helping them find a variety of alternatives to better cope with their mental health, and involve their family in the long-term treatment and management of their dual diagnosis. The way forward for teens at our Visions Dual Diagnosis Treatment Centers heavily lies in a sturdy support network and long-term care, rather than shame and stigma.
