Mental health treatment has become an essential component of the treatment of drug & alcohol abuse disorders, because a considerably large number of individuals with substance abuse issues also suffer with a co-occurring mental health issue. The necessity for dual diagnosis treatment has become more and more apparent over the last several years, and many rehab programs in Gem now provide dual diagnosis treatment as part of a broader spectrum of services together with conventional and more progressive rehabilitation methods.
In many instances, mental health treatment starts with the initial diagnosis of the person's disorder, particularly when addiction is present. In many cases, the person doesn't initially even know they have an undiagnosed anxiety disorder or are struggling with depression until it is diagnosed in a mental health physician's office or treatment facility. Once diagnosed, steps can be taken to help the individual resolve issues and become more stable, and this might involve the use of specific counseling, therapies, and possibly medication or cessation of medication. In many instances however, individuals struggling with a dual diagnosis are self-medicating with substance use or possibly misusing their medications. In these circumstances, rehab staff and medical practitioners can determine medication records and propose steps which can be put forth to do away with the need for medication. Individuals can be harmlessly weaned off of medications which may be doing more harm than good, or those which they tend to abuse.