To provide help and support for those suffering from mental health issues related to addiction, at Ken Seeley Rehab in Palm Springs, California, our partial hospitalization program (PHP) for mental health, includes a fully-customized mental illness and addiction treatment plans to address and manage the specific needs and risk factors of our patients. 

Dealing with substance abuse (alcoholism or drug addiction) is never easy, and it’s even more difficult when you’re also struggling with mental health problems. When mental illness and addiction occur simultaneously, this is called dual diagnosis or a co-occurring disorder. Comorbidity is another term often used, which means two diseases are present. 

As a result, our main goal and purpose of the PHP program are to identify mental illness and addiction, treat them both with high-quality care, so that everyone has the best chance at a successful recovery, most importantly, one that leads to a healthy lifestyle and long-term sobriety. 

Partial Hospitalization Program For Mental Health

Partial hospitalization programs (PHP) were established to provide an intensive level of care to people suffering from substance abuse and addiction. Individuals who have a mental disorder resulting in addiction, it has been proven through extensive evidence-based research and studies, that they benefit from PHP services greatly.

At Ken Seeley Rehab, our addiction specialists provide high-quality partial hospitalization care, which is designed for candidates who meet the following qualifications:

• People who have already completed inpatient/residential treatment at a rehab facility for mental/behavioral health disorders and substance use disorder.
• Good candidates for a PHP will benefit from having structure and routine, but also, maintaining an independent lifestyle at home while attending treatment, similar to outpatient treatment.
• People who don’t need an intensive treatment plan. They aren’t severe enough to require 24-7 monitoring and medical and psychological treatment. PHP candidates can live at home or in a safe environment and do not have to live at the rehab facility itself. They just attend treatment when required.

Those who participate in a partial hospitalization program are often treated a five-days-a-week for up to 4-6 hours. As everyone’s situations and needs are different, the level and duration of treatment will vary.

Mental Health Prevalence

According to several reports published within the Journal of the American Medical Association, co-occurring substance abuse, and mental health problems are more common than people actually realize. You are not alone.

The National Survey on Drug Use and Health reported that in 2018, approximately 9.2 million adults in the United States suffered from both a mental illness and addiction. Roughly 50 percent of people with mental disorders are affected by substance abuse. Those who are mentally ill, 29 percent of them, abuse either alcohol or drugs.

Patients suffering from common mental health disorders, such as bipolar disorder, anxiety, and depression, also commonly suffer from addiction to drugs and alcohol. Research by MedlinePlus states that some of the most common mental health disorders diagnosed in combination with a substance use disorder include:

• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Schizophrenia
• Eating Disorders
• ADD/ADHD

Did you know that 37 percent of alcoholics and 53 percent of drug abusers have at least one serious mental illness? The prevalence of mental health is not a mystery, but people don’t realize how linked mental health and substance abuse really are. Therefore, we wanted to put it into perspective for you.

Understanding the Link Between Substance Abuse and Mental Health

Mental illness is defined as a set of disorders that affect mood, thinking, and behavior. Substance abuse and addiction are when someone abuses drugs and alcohol to the point that it takes complete control over all aspects of their life. In terms of alcohol, it is when someone binge drinks or drinks an excessive amount in a short period of time, but it controls you. Same with drugs.

When diagnosed with co-occurring disorders, both mental illness, and drug or alcohol addiction each have their own set of symptoms and risk factors associated with them. This often affects a person’s ability to function in their daily life routines, such as work and school. This also makes it extremely difficult for people to maintain various relationships, handle and cope with common life situations and issues that often occur.

To make the situation even more complex, co-occurring disorders affect one another. Many times, dual diagnosis cases are left undetected because symptoms do not always show up right away, and also, the medical professional may not be able to identify which condition, the mental illness or addiction is the dominant condition. As said before, one usually precedes the other.

In other words, either the substance use disorder or mental illness may present itself first. The development of one disorder does not necessarily mean that one’s risk of developing a dual diagnosis increases.

People can have a substance use disorder and addiction without having a mental illness, and a person with a mental illness does not always have an addiction problem. However, when a mental disorder does exist and is the dominant condition, the lack of treatment of symptoms often increases one’s risk of turning to drugs and alcohol as a means to cope. Then, the risk and probability of developing dependency and addiction are very high.

When mental illness is left undiagnosed, symptoms become worse simultaneously with one’s substance abuse problem. Understanding the link between substance abuse and mental health helps medical professionals effectively and accurately diagnose people with co-occurring disorders.

Signs You May Have A Co-Occurring Disorder

As mentioned above, it can often be difficult for medical professionals to properly diagnose substance abuse and mental illness together. Everyone is unique and so are their symptoms. Therefore, what occurs for one person will not be the case for another.

In addition, some various signs and factors could lead to someone being defined as an alcoholic, a drug abuser, or mentally ill. Signs and symptoms vary also depending on a person’s family history, the mental health problem, and the type of drug being abused, and for how long.

For example, the signs of depression and alcohol abuse could look very different from the signs of schizophrenia and alcohol abuse. Here are some general warning signs or questions to ask as a possible determinant that you may have a dual diagnosis, and need treatment in a PHP:

• Do you use alcohol or drugs to cope with unpleasant feelings, mood swings, or to face fears?
• Have you noticed a significant change in your relationship with the substance of your choice (drugs or alcohol) and your mental health? For example, when you drink, do you tend to get depressed often?
• Is there a history of mental illness or substance abuse in your family? It is genetic.
• Do you feel depressed, anxious, or have extreme mood swings even when you are sober?
• Have you previously been treated for addiction or any mental health issues in the past? If so, was treatment unsuccessful because of complications from your mental health issues or vice versa?

Symptoms of substance use disorder and mental illness may include:

• Sudden changes in behavior, mood, and thinking pattern
• Using substances under dangerous conditions
• Engaging in risky behaviors you wouldn’t otherwise do
• Withdrawal from friends and family
• Crazy use of substances
• Developing a high tolerance and withdrawal symptoms
• Feeling like you can’t function without drugs or drinking alcohol

Symptoms of a mental health condition can vary greatly. Warnings signs, such as extreme mood changes, confused thinking or problems concentrating, avoiding friends and social activities and thoughts of suicide, are all reasons to seek help. Waiting will result in worsening of complications, overdose, and death.

If you believe you or a loved one could have substance abuse or mental illness, or even both, treatment may be necessary to help manage your co-occurring disorder, and teach you how to cope with any obstacles that may arise.

Dual Diagnosis Treatment: Partial Hospitalization

There are many combinations of dual diagnosis that can occur. This means that symptoms vary widely. To ensure a more accurate diagnosis of co-occurring disorders, mental health clinics and rehabs are beginning to use drug and alcohol screening tools to help identify if people are at high risk for substance abuse.
To treat our patients with dual diagnosis, the specialists at Ken Seeley Rehab believe in the power of combining mental health and addiction treatment methods, such as therapy and medication to effectively treat both conditions.

We believe in helping you or a loved one also learn how to manage mental illness while balancing work, relationships and other aspects of everyday life. Our PHP program provides a support system as you learn to manage and take control over the symptoms of the mental illness, including the everyday challenges that arise. Our programs teach important life skills like problem-solving, communication and coping skills so our patients are able to effectively live with their mental illness. Most importantly, this will provide them with the resources they need to abstain from drugs and alcohol, and maintain long-term sobriety.

Partial hospitalization care may be the best option for you and your mental health illness. Treatment options include the following components:

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy is the use of psychological methods to help a person modify behaviors, thought patterns, and to overcome problems in various ways.

Medication Management

People who have mental health and behavioral health disorders benefit from medication management as part of our PHP. When a PHP participant has been prescribed medication, he or she may meet with a psychiatrist and/or nursing staff members for medication management services during therapy.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

DBT is a type of cognitive-behavioral therapy. Cognitive means thinking. Its main goals are to teach people how to live their lives, including how to cope healthily with stress, regulate emotions, and improve relationships with others.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT is a goal-oriented therapy treatment that takes a hands-on approach to problem-solving. The goal is to find people’s underlying difficulties, with the way people think and behave. With the use of coping strategies, therapists and mental health experts can help to change the negative feelings that people may have, by examining these thought patterns. This method helps improve overall mental health.

Family Therapy

Mental health doesn’t just affect the person going through it, but their families as well. Family therapy helps a family cope with one’s mental illness and helps mend relationships to help the affected individual be able to feel a sense of support so they can stay motivated to recover and reach sobriety.

Group and Individual Therapy

Everyone is going through a battle, some more than others. Group therapy is therapy sessions that are done in a group of people suffering from mental illness and addiction. In the sessions, people are able to tell their stories, struggles, triumphs. It creates a sense that you are not alone and that you are in this battle together.

Group therapy often motivates people to not give up and keep going. Individual therapy is often you and a therapist or mental health specialist talking about your mental illness, medication management, and your progress. During group and individual therapy, your condition is monitored and adjusted as needed. The goal is always to provide support and to help one be able to manage and cope with their illness a little bit easier.

Ken Seeley’s Partial Hospitalization Can Help!

If you or a loved one has a co-occurring disorder, meaning a mental illness and addiction combined, treatment at Ken Seeley Rehab is necessary. We can help you manage your illness and addiction, so, you can live a healthy and sober lifestyle that you always wanted. Don’t wait! Contact us today at (855) 425-8094 to see if our PHP is right for you.

References

https://www.mentalhealthcenter.org/treatments/mental-health-php/
https://www.nami.org/learn-more/mental-health-conditions/related-conditions/dual-diagnosis
https://www.helpguide.org/articles/addictions/substance-abuse-and-mental-health.htm
https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/psychotherapy