What are the signs of dual diagnosis?

For many people, it can be difficult to tell if you have a dual diagnosis, especially if you have not already been diagnosed with a mental health condition. While the best way to tell if you would benefit from specialized dual diagnosis treatment is to consult an addiction professional, there are some signs that you can look for in yourself. The most common signs that you may have a dual diagnosis include: Sudden changes in behavior or habits Isolating yourself from social situations Participating in risky behaviors while using drugs or alcohol, such as driving under the influence or having unsafe sex Using drugs or alcohol as a way to self-medicate your mental health symptoms Having little or no control over how much or how often you use a substance Mood swings Extreme weight loss or weight gain Having to use more and more of a substance in order to feel its effects Craving substances when you are not using them or believing that you need them in order to function Experiencing withdrawal symptoms if you try to stop using substances There is no one reason why someone ends up with a dual diagnosis. Both mental health conditions and addiction share common causes, including genetics, trauma, and stress. No matter whether your mental health issues or addiction came first, getting treatment that is designed to address both of these concerns is pivotal in achieving and maintaining your treatment goals. Contact Wave Treatment Centers for additional information.

What makes dual diagnosis treatment different?

Dual diagnosis treatment focuses on treating both your addiction and your mental health symptoms. Mental health issues have a huge impact on a person’s quality of life, as well as their ability to cope with normal stressors. They can also affect your personal relationships, your performance at work or school, your behavior, and more. If your mental health symptoms are left untreated, you are far less likely to be successful in maintaining your recovery for the long term. The specialized treatment offered for dual diagnosis focuses on treating all of your mental health concerns along with your addiction, helping you to see how the two affect each other, as well as your ability to stay sober. Your treatment will likely involve a variety of behavioral therapies and may also include medications when appropriate. Getting help for both your addiction and your mental health makes it much less likely that you will experience a relapse once you have completed your treatment program. Contact Wave Treatment Centers for additional information.

How is dual diagnosis treated?

The main component of most dual diagnosis treatments is behavioral therapy, which helps to address the underlying reasons for your addiction. Therapy also gives you tools to help you deal with cravings and avoid your drug use triggers. While each person’s needs are different, some of the most commonly offered behavioral therapies for dual diagnosis treatment include: Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) – MAT combines both medications and counseling to treat a dual diagnosis. This approach is very effective at treating not only the withdrawal symptoms of substance dependence such as alcohol and opioids but also restoring abnormal physiology by regulating the involved brain receptors with medications to maintain normal physiology. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) – CBT works to help patients identify the things that trigger their drug use. Once patients can recognize these triggers, they will learn how to avoid them or how to deal with them in situations where they are unavoidable. Contingency Management (CM) – CM gives patients small rewards, such as cash, vouchers, or small gifts, for positive behaviors. This can include going to your therapy sessions, sticking with your treatment plan, and maintaining your treatment goals. Trauma Therapy – We are a trauma-informed program. This means that we have an understanding of how trauma can drive behavior and can provide support. This is not to say that we provide trauma therapy which has its own specific track outside of the scope of our program. The other component of dual diagnosis treatment will be medication. The medication you are prescribed will depend on your mental health symptoms, what you are addicted to, and even how long you have been abusing drugs or alcohol. The most frequently prescribed medications for dual diagnosis treatment include: Anxiety Medications Antidepressants Antipsychotics Mood Stabilizers Stimulants Contact Wave Treatment Centers for additional information.

Does insurance cover dual diagnosis treatment?

While every insurance plan is different, your insurance company may offer coverage for dual diagnosis treatment. If you are considering treatment for dual diagnosis, our caring staff will help you determine what your options are for insurance or other payment plans. Contact Wave Treatment Centers for additional information.

Dual Diagnosis

Dual Diagnosis Treatment

Treatment of Co-Occurring Disorders in Chestnut Hill

An estimated fifty percent of all people with an addiction to drugs or alcohol also have at least one mental health condition. These conditions can range from more common ones like anxiety and depression to less common ones like post-traumatic stress disorder and schizophrenia. When someone has both an addiction and a mental health condition, they are said to have a dual diagnosis.

The combination of addiction and an untreated mental health condition can lead to many serious issues, including a higher risk of death by overdose or suicide. For those with a dual diagnosis, having their mental health symptoms treated at the same time as their addiction is critical to achieving their long-term goals.

Wave Treatment Centers in Chestnut Hill, PA will work with you to treat both your substance dependency and any underlying mental health disorders, to make sure you have a solid, secure framework in place to finally enjoy sobriety and a better quality of life.

Dual Diagnosis FAQ >>

"Sometimes helping you get off drugs is enough to resolve mood disorders — and sometimes patients are trying to self-medicate mood disorders with drugs. As an addiction psychiatrist, you have to look for both and treat both for recovery to be possible."

Dr. Jonathan Beatty, Founder

A man in a blue shirt and tie is smiling for the camera.

Dr. Jonathan Beatty

Founder

Start your healing journey

Dual Diagnosis FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the signs of dual diagnosis?
For many people, it can be difficult to tell if you have a dual diagnosis, especially if you have not already been diagnosed with a mental health condition. While the best way to tell if you would benefit from specialized dual diagnosis treatment is to consult an addiction professional, there are some signs that you can look for in yourself. The most common signs that you may have a dual diagnosis include:
- Sudden changes in behavior or habits
- Isolating yourself from social situations
- Participating in risky behaviors while using drugs or alcohol, such as driving under the influence or having unsafe sex
- Using drugs or alcohol as a way to self-medicate your mental health symptoms
- Having little or no control over how much or how often you use a substance
- Mood swings
- Extreme weight loss or weight gain
- Having to use more and more of a substance in order to feel its effects
- Craving substances when you are not using them or believing that you need them in order to function
- Experiencing withdrawal symptoms if you try to stop using substances
There is no one reason why someone ends up with a dual diagnosis. Both mental health conditions and addiction share common causes, including genetics, trauma, and stress. No matter whether your mental health issues or addiction came first, getting treatment that is designed to address both of these concerns is pivotal in achieving and maintaining your treatment goals.

Contact Wave Treatment Centers for additional information.
What makes dual diagnosis treatment different?

Dual diagnosis treatment focuses on treating both your addiction and your mental health symptoms. Mental health issues have a huge impact on a person’s quality of life, as well as their ability to cope with normal stressors. They can also affect your personal relationships, your performance at work or school, your behavior, and more. If your mental health symptoms are left untreated, you are far less likely to be successful in maintaining your recovery for the long term.

The specialized treatment offered for dual diagnosis focuses on treating all of your mental health concerns along with your addiction, helping you to see how the two affect each other, as well as your ability to stay sober. Your treatment will likely involve a variety of behavioral therapies and may also include medications when appropriate.

Getting help for both your addiction and your mental health makes it much less likely that you will experience a relapse once you have completed your treatment program.

Contact Wave Treatment Centers for additional information.
How is dual diagnosis treated?
The main component of most dual diagnosis treatments is behavioral therapy, which helps to address the underlying reasons for your addiction. Therapy also gives you tools to help you deal with cravings and avoid your drug use triggers.

While each person’s needs are different, some of the most commonly offered behavioral therapies for dual diagnosis treatment include:
- Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) – MAT combines both medications and counseling to treat a dual diagnosis. This approach is very effective at treating not only the withdrawal symptoms of substance dependence such as alcohol and opioids but also restoring abnormal physiology by regulating the involved brain receptors with medications to maintain normal physiology.
- Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) – CBT works to help patients identify the things that trigger their drug use. Once patients can recognize these triggers, they will learn how to avoid them or how to deal with them in situations where they are unavoidable.
- Contingency Management (CM) – CM gives patients small rewards, such as cash, vouchers, or small gifts, for positive behaviors. This can include going to your therapy sessions, sticking with your treatment plan, and maintaining your treatment goals.
- Trauma Therapy – We are a trauma-informed program. This means that we have an understanding of how trauma can drive behavior and can provide support. This is not to say that we provide trauma therapy which has its own specific track outside of the scope of our program.
The other component of dual diagnosis treatment will be medication. The medication you are prescribed will depend on your mental health symptoms, what you are addicted to, and even how long you have been abusing drugs or alcohol. The most frequently prescribed medications for dual diagnosis treatment include:
- Anxiety Medications
- Antidepressants
- Antipsychotics
- Mood Stabilizers
- Stimulants
Contact Wave Treatment Centers for additional information.
Does insurance cover dual diagnosis treatment?

While every insurance plan is different, your insurance company may offer coverage for dual diagnosis treatment.

If you are considering treatment for dual diagnosis, our caring staff will help you determine what your options are for insurance or other payment plans.

Contact Wave Treatment Centers for additional information.

I have been a patient with Dr Beatty for nearly five years now and have had nothing but wonderful experiences with him and his staff. Dr. Beatty and his physicians assistant Lauren go a long way in making me feel comfortable talking about whatever issues I may be having and coming to them for anything I need. When it comes to mental health having a treatment team you can rely on is the biggest key in long term success and Dr. Beatty’s team is the best you’ll find not just in Philadelphia but anywhere else.

Jake J.