Studies show approximately 50% of people with a substance use disorder also have a co-occurring mental health condition. Treating only the addiction while leaving the underlying mental health condition untreated is a leading driver of relapse.
Source: SAMHSA, National Survey on Drug Use and HealthWhat Is Dual Diagnosis?
Dual diagnosis — also called co-occurring disorder — refers to the simultaneous presence of a substance use disorder and a mental health condition. Common pairings include: alcohol + depression; opioids + anxiety; meth + psychosis or ADHD; fentanyl + PTSD. The relationship is often bidirectional — people self-medicate mental health symptoms with substances, and substance use makes mental health conditions worse.
Why Integrated Treatment Matters
Treating addiction and mental health in isolation — separate providers, different programs, at different times — consistently produces worse outcomes than integrated dual diagnosis treatment. Licensed programs that address both conditions simultaneously with a coordinated clinical team show lower relapse rates and better long-term outcomes.
Conditions Treated Alongside Addiction
Licensed inpatient programs in the network have experience managing dual diagnosis presentations including: major depressive disorder + alcohol/opioid use disorder; anxiety disorders + benzodiazepine or alcohol use disorder; PTSD + opioid or stimulant use disorder; bipolar disorder + substance use disorder; ADHD + stimulant or alcohol use disorder; meth-induced psychosis; and complex trauma.
What Dual Diagnosis Treatment Looks Like
Licensed inpatient programs conduct psychiatric evaluation at admission. If a co-occurring condition is identified, treatment addresses both — individual therapy tailored to the specific combination, medication management for psychiatric conditions as needed, and integrated group programming. Call (213) 461-2298 to be matched with a program that has dual diagnosis capability.