Addiction and mental health conditions go hand-in-hand. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) estimates that about 20% of people with a substance use disorder also have a mental health condition like depression or anxiety. When you’re struggling with addiction, it can be difficult to find the help you need.
Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) clinics provide a range of services for those seeking help with addiction, including personalized treatment plans tailored to meet individual needs. Whether you or your loved ones are seeking support, you can trust MAT Clinic to offer a comprehensive approach to recovery with a variety of treatment options available. If you are looking for one, Confidant Health is an online MAT clinic that provides an accessible medication-assisted treatment that is tailored to your needs.
This article will explore the ways in which a MAT clinic can facilitate long-term recovery by addressing co-occurring mental health conditions.
Table of Contents
Understanding the Relationship Between Mental Health and Addiction
It is important to understand the relationship between mental health and addiction. You must know how both mental health and addiction relate, as this will help you deal with addictions effectively.
Addiction affects both the mental health and physical health of many individuals. A recent study published in the Journal of Psychiatry and The Journal of Addiction Medicine shows a strong relationship between addiction and mental illness.
Almost half of all people with a mental health condition also struggle with substance abuse or addiction. Addiction treatment can help individuals suffering from both addiction and mental health issues.
Common Mental Health Conditions That Co-Occur with Opioid Use Disorder
The general population has a high incidence of co-occurring mental health conditions in individuals with substance use disorders. Opioid use disorder is associated with other mental health conditions, including:
Depression
Studies have shown that people with this disorder are more likely to experience depression than people who are not abusing prescription drugs or heroin.
Anxiety
Anxiety disorders are often distressing withdrawal symptoms from opioids and can be treated with medication or behavioral therapy.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
People with PTSD may relive the trauma through nightmares and flashbacks, have difficulty sleeping, experience feelings of detachment or estrangement, feel depressed and anxious, and have angry outbursts.
Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar Disorder is a common mental health condition that co-occurs with opioid use disorder. People with Bipolar Disorder struggle with extreme mood swings and periods of mania or depression where they feel euphoric or hypersexual and manic. About 40% of people who abuse alcohol and about 80% of those who abuse illicit drugs experience chronic depression or bipolar disorder.
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a chronic mental health condition that affects how a person thinks, feels, and acts. Hallucinations, delusions, and confusion can accompany it. Schizophrenia affects 1% of the US adult population during their lifetime, with 1 in 4 adults encountering it at some point. Individuals may experience distress from these mental health conditions in isolation or as part of their opioid use disorder.
Integrated Treatment Approaches for Dual Diagnosis Patients
Dual diagnosis is a term that refers to the co-occurrence of two different psychiatric disorders. It is estimated to affect over 60% of psychiatric disorders. Integrated treatment approaches enable providers to address the complex nature of patients with dual diagnoses.
By using multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary teams, patients may receive care from providers from different specialties with varying perspectives, leading to more personalized treatment plans. Patients can also benefit from greater understanding and awareness of their conditions, leading to enhanced communication between those providing care.
The Role of Counseling and Therapy in Addressing Mental Health and Addiction
Counseling is important in helping people with mental health or addiction issues. It is the therapy of choice for many facing mental health and addiction challenges.
In fact, research shows that counseling helps clients feel more connected to others, improves their relationship quality, helps them develop better coping skills, can increase self-esteem, and just make people generally happier.
It can include working with individuals who suffer from substance use disorders to ensure they get support to stop using drugs or alcohol and those whose mental illnesses are magnified by their substance use.
Research indicates that people with substance use disorders made more significant improvements in treatment if they also received psychosocial therapies such as individual or group counseling.
Overcoming Stigma and Seeking Help for Co-Occurring Conditions
Stigma is a powerful force that can prevent people from seeking the help they need because of shame and fear. People living with co-occurring conditions may face a double stigma from their mental illness as well as from their substance use issues.
But stigma is associated with less treatment engagement and poor treatment outcomes, which makes it even more important for professionals working with this population to be aware of its impact on patients.treatment
Many people with co-occurring conditions have difficulty relying on each other for support. One of the biggest struggles is overcoming the stigma often attached to these conditions, which makes it challenging for friends or loved ones to understand what it’s like to live with mental illness or substance use disorders.
A MAT clinic can provide a safe and supportive environment for patients to receive evidence-based treatment, including medication-assisted treatment, counseling, and behavioral therapies.
By addressing both mental health and substance use disorders, patients can succeed tremendously in their recovery and improve their overall quality of life. It’s important to remember that seeking help is a sign of strength, and MAT clinics can help patients overcome the stigma and barriers to care that may be preventing them from getting the help they need.
