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Trauma-Informed Mental Health & Addiction Care

Luxury Dual-Diagnosis Treatment Center in California

What is Dual-Diagnosis?

Put simply, dual-diagnosis describes having both a mental illness and a substance use disorder. People with a mental health condition frequently will have a comorbid addiction or substance abuse disorder.

About half of people with a mental disorder struggle with substance use disorder sometime in their lifetime. Although mental health conditions don’t always cause substance use disorders or addiction, they can contribute to it.

Signs and Symptoms of Dual Diagnosis

There are many signs and symptoms that can point to a dual diagnosis, including the following.

Why Take Dual Diagnosis in California?

There are several reasons to go to a dual diagnosis treatment center in California. For one, if you live in California, your travel to the center will be much shorter than going overseas or to another state in the U.S.

Some people may wish to seek dual diagnosis treatment in California — even if they don’t live in the state. There are a number of pros to this, including the fact that recovering in an unfamiliar environment can take away some of the stresses or triggers of your everyday life.

California is also a large state. Because of that, you’ll have a variety of California dual-diagnosis treatment centers to choose from.

Mental Health Matters When Treating Addiction

Someone who struggles with a mental health (whether diagnosed or undiagnosed) condition is more likely to have a drug or alcohol addiction than those who do not have a mental health condition. This is known as dual diagnosis and can be composed of various combinations (for example, alcoholism and depression, painkiller dependence and anxiety disorder, marijuana addiction, and bipolar disorder, etc.). Although there is no concrete research to confirm “one causes the other,” it is clear that the symptoms and challenges related to one can worsen or hasten the onset of symptoms for the other. Data provided by The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), of the nearly eighteen million Americans over age eighteen who struggled with a mental health disorder in the past year, approximately four million (or almost 25%) also struggled with the symptoms of drug or alcohol dependency. Unfortunately, most of the people who have a co-occurring disorder do not get treatment for both disorders. They tend to seek help for just one or the other; generally, the condition with the symptoms that present the most acute and unpleasant distress. According to the same research by The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, more than fifty percent of those living with a dual diagnosis did not receive any form of treatment to aid in their recovery. For those who did, only about twelve percent received treatment for both disorders, while thirty-four percent received only mental health treatment, and less than two percent seek addiction treatment services.

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Is Dual Diagnosis Treatment Necessary

For many years, the concept of dual diagnosis treatment was not common in medical or mental health communities. Until recently, there was an unfortunate yet strong belief that someone with a dual diagnosis needed to address each concern separately, in separate treatment programs. As a result, those who struggled with one of many mental health conditions never received treatment for a co-occurring substance use disorder and vice versa. The ongoing misconceptions tied to this train of thought highlight how closely tied mental health and addiction are. They share many of the same symptoms, and often, the efforts to alleviate symptoms of one results in worsening or newly occurring symptoms of the other. Also, trying to detox from alcohol or drugs, especially without the assistance of a medically assisted detox program at a dual diagnosis treatment center in California, can lead to new or worsening mental health symptoms. Fortunately, the viewpoint and ability to treat dual diagnosis conditions have changed and improved in recent years. Today, both the medical and mental health communities understand that addiction and mental health are not separate and distinct struggles. Conversely, they are deeply connected psychologically, physically, and behaviorally. Because of this connection, the best outcomes are often achieved when addiction treatment programs integrate addiction treatment models and mental health treatments into a comprehensive, evidence-based program. When someone struggles with a dual diagnosis, their symptoms meet the diagnostic criteria for a mental health disorder and a substance use disorder. Dual diagnosis conditions often share overlapping symptoms making it difficult and highly impractical to attempt to treat one condition without addressing the concerns brought about by the other. The best option for treating your dual diagnosis is to complete a treatment program at a Santa Barbara treatment facility where professionals are trained to address co-occurring disorders. Completing dual diagnosis treatment is crucial because it ensures both the individual and their treatment team focus on all areas of the problem, providing the best opportunity for holistic healing. The best dual diagnosis treatment center in California will identify and address mental health concerns that you may struggle with and the psychological and behavioral components that may have led to maladaptive coping behaviors such as self-medicating. All too often, this is how substance use disorders develop for someone with a dual diagnosis. A skilled dual diagnosis treatment program can help you learn more about the challenges related to self-medicating while providing education on safer and healthier coping strategies. Dual diagnosis programs like ours at Stillwater in Santa Barbara, California, integrate traditional evidence-based addiction therapies with alternative treatment models such as yoga, massage, art therapy, music therapy, and meditation practices to provide the most comprehensive and supportive treatment program possible.

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What to Expect at a California
Luxury Dual Diagnosis Center

There are numerous benefits to attending a residential inpatient program like the ones in Southern California at Stillwater Behavioral Health. Some of these crucial benefits associated with inpatient treatment includes:

Detoxification

Healing the body.
Learn more about our on-site, sub-acute detoxification programs.
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Residential Inpatient

Healing the mind.
Discover how our residential inpatient program can help you recover.
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Unique Therapies

Learning to live again.
We use the best therapies available to help you recover at Stillwater.
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Dual Diagnosis

Mental health matters.
We offer extensive treatment for co-occurring mental illness.
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Drug Addiction

Understanding the disease.
Explore the different substances of abuse we treat.
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Alcoholism

Quit drinking for good.
Find out how to overcome an alcohol problem and get sober for good.
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Addiction and mental health are struggles unique to the individual, and therefore, treatment programs must be created to be equally as such. Everyone who struggles with an addiction or mental health disorder will experience symptoms and challenges unique to their struggle. For this reason, cookie-cutter programs designed to address the substance over the person are often unsuccessful, and relapse frequently occurs. During your intake assessment, your treatment team will work with you to learn more about your medical history, mental health history, and your history with addiction and addiction treatment. This process will help them better understand the needs you have as you progress through treatment. Depending on the severity of your addiction, the detox process may take three to five days or up to two weeks. Although often unpleasant, detox is essential to help you wean off drugs or alcohol in a safe, supported setting. Once detox is complete (if detox was a critical first step in your treatment process), it is possible to transition to a comprehensive therapy program designed to address both your mental health and addiction symptoms.

Getting Help is Easy

Stillwater Behavioral Health works with most major insurance carriers who offer out-of-network benefits. This typically includes PPO and POS insurance plans, but if you are unsure of the type of insurance you have, contact us for a free consultation and verification of benefits today.

1. Talk to Us About Your Problem

We've been in your shoes. Let us know what's going on and how we can help by contacting us today via phone, email, chat or by filling out a form.

2. Get a Free Assessment

One of our caring admissions coordinators will contact you for a free pre-assessment so we can find you the best treatment options.

3. Prepare to Enter Treatment

Once we verify your benefits and arrange intake, it's a smooth and easy process to enter our program and begin your journey to lasting recovery.

What to Do If You Need Dual-Diagnosis
Treatment in Southern California

As noted above, a comprehensive dual diagnosis treatment program like at our drug rehab in Santa Barbara will provide a uniquely designed program that integrates traditional, evidence-based treatments with alternative therapies to provide the most comprehensive treatment program possible. During therapy sessions, you will participate in a wide range of therapy settings, including individual, group, and family counseling sessions. Our luxury dual diagnosis program also provides access to 12 step programs, nutritional services, fitness facilities, large spacious rooms, and a serene, peaceful setting to help you achieve healing in the most effective and healthy way possible. As your stay in our home-like environment comes to an end, your treatment team will work with you to provide an aftercare program that includes vital ongoing recovery elements, including ongoing therapy, follow-up medical appointments, support group meeting schedules, and other support functions to assist you in the earliest and (often) most challenging days of recovery.

If you or a loved one are among the millions of Americans who struggle with a dual diagnosis, it is essential to seek treatment at a treatment center where specialized dual diagnosis treatment is available. There are thousands of addiction treatment centers across the nation and hundreds right here in California; however, they are not all created equally. Despite the overwhelming number of people who manage the symptoms of a co-occurring disorder, many treatment centers remain unequipped to address the unique needs of dual diagnosis illnesses. Therefore, it is crucial to choose a program that meets all of your treatment needs and goals while addressing the symptoms associated with your mental health and substance use disorder.

Dual diagnosis symptoms can present added challenges on your journey. Still, with the proper co-occurring disorder treatment, a life free of mental health and substance use symptoms and challenges is within reach. There will never be a day better than today to decide to take the first step on your journey to recovery, and the team at Stillwater is ready to provide support, compassion, and guidance throughout every stage. We look forward to helping you completely heal at our Southern California dual diagnosis treatment center in Montecito.

Find Your Path to Freedom at Stillwater

At Stillwater, our highly trained, caring, and compassionate treatment staff understand the importance of dual diagnosis treatment as a part of your recovery journey. Mental health and addiction are so closely intertwined that when you struggle with one, it is unlikely you can successfully achieve sobriety or recovery while ignoring the symptoms of the other. A failure to adequately address dual diagnosis is likely to lead to relapse and the need for future treatment for your mental health condition, your addiction symptoms, or both. If you are ready to begin your journey to recovery, reach out to our Santa Barbara admissions rehab team today.

Dual Diagnosis FAQs

If you’re looking at the best dual diagnosis treatment centers in California, you probably have some questions. Here are answers to the most commonly asked ones.

It’s hard to say exactly what causes mental illness, substance use disorder, or dual diagnosis. That’s because these conditions generally have a variety of causes and can’t necessarily be pinpointed to a single one.

On the other hand, some research suggests that both mental illness and substance disorders can stem from genetic or environmental factors. You may be at higher risk if you have a family history of these conditions.

Some of the most common co-occurring disorders include ADHD and alcohol abuse, depression and cocaine, and eating disorders and appetite suppressants.

Of course, these are not hard-and-fast rules — a person can have different mental illnesses and substance use disorders. Either way, you can get help at a dual-diagnosis treatment center in California.

It’s estimated that about 7.7 million adults have both a mental illness and a substance use disorder.

As mentioned earlier, about half of people with mental illness also experience substance use disorder at least one time in their life.

These terms are sometimes used interchangeably, but they are different in slight ways. For one, dual diagnosis is a general term referring to someone that has a substance addiction and a mental illness concurrently.

On the other hand, the term “co-occurring disorder” refers to diseases or medical conditions that can commonly occur with drug or alcohol abuse. The difference is subtle, but there is a difference.

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