A mental illness can impact the way a person thinks, feels, relates to others and copes with everyday life. These are serious illnesses that stem from chemical changes in the brain, and as a result, they can’t be overcome through simple willpower. Instead, people with mental illnesses often need to obtain targeted help from dedicated professionals in formal treatment programs. At Michael’s House, we provide care for people who have both mental illness issues and addiction issues. These are the treatments we use, and the conditions we focus on.
Dual Diagnosis
According to statistics released by the National Alliance on Mental Illness, about 1 in 17 Americans live with a serious mental illness. Some of these adults know about their conditions, and they work closely with their doctors on treatment programs that could provide relief. Many other people, however, are unaware that they have a mental disorder, and they may look for reasonable ways to help reduce their distress and allow them to feel slightly more hopeful about their lives. Sometimes, these people turn to drugs or alcohol in their quest for relief. Unfortunately, addictions and mental illness tend to reinforce and strengthen one another.
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- Lack of employment
- Fights with family members or friends
- Frequent visits to the emergency room
- Arrests or incarceration
While addictions can exist next to almost any mental illness, they’re quite commonly found in people who also have a diagnosis of depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, eating disorders or post-traumatic stress disorder. Left untreated, these conditions can bring about devastating consequences. For example, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that the rate of both intentional and unintentional injuries in those with a mental illness is two to six times higher than the rate found in the general population. Statistics like this make it clear that mental illnesses are too dangerous to ignore.
Treatment Programs
Mental illnesses were once treated solely with medications, but often, a person needs more than pills in order to truly recover. This might be especially true of people who have both addictions and mental health issues. These people need comprehensive, integrated treatment programs that are designed to treat both conditions at the same time. This is the kind of care we provide at Michael’s House.
Some clients benefit from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy approaches, in which they’re asked to focus on the thoughts and beliefs that can lock them into a cycle of poor health. Through therapy, they can change the way that they think and the way they view the world, and this can allow them to keep symptoms of mental illness, and symptoms of addiction, at bay. Other clients benefit from Dialectical Behavioral Therapy in which they’re asked to compare the way they’re acting and the way they’re feeling with the way society expects them to act and feel. In time, a middle way that represents the client’s personality and societal expectations can be found.
People with mental illnesses sometimes benefit from group therapies, in which they’re provided with the opportunity to practice their new skills in a supportive environment, but other people find these group environments too threatening or overwhelming. Our therapists work closely with clients, ensuring that their wants and needs are respected, and that they aren’t pushed into situations in which they don’t feel comfortable.
A brief overview like this can’t possibly explain how our programs work. In fact, our programs are so tailored that providing a generalized description of a treatment program is almost impossible. Each person is provided with an individualized path toward recovery, and one person’s treatment plan might not look anything like the treatment plan another person follows.
ADHD
People with ADHD may feel cut off from everyone around them, and they may feel misunderstood and persecuted due to their illness. Meanwhile, they may be so impulsive that they’re willing to try almost anything that even looks like it might help with the disorder.
ADHDAnxiety
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, some 40 million Americans have anxiety disorders like this. Some of these people turn to drugs or alcohol in a desperate attempt to resolve their destructive feelings.
AnxietyBipolar Disorders
The complexities of co-occurring disorders are still not universally understood across the medical and mental health professions. Bipolar treatment usually involves a combination of mood-stabilizing medication and therapies including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). At Michael’s House we’ve had great success in helping people with both bipolar disorder and substance abuse.
Bipolar DisordersDepression
Evidence suggests depression and addiction share some of the same genetic markers. Both conditions seem to be inherited through the family line. At Michael’s House we address underlying depression because we understand how undertreating this condition can impact your chances of long-term recovery.
DepressionPTSD and Trauma
By addressing childhood or adults traumas – whether that be abuse, unexpected losses, or violence – we help you develop the tools needed to improve your life without relying on alcohol or drugs.
PTSD and TraumaSchizophrenia
Many people with schizophrenia abuse substances to ease their symptoms. At Michael’s House we approach each client’s care with the goal of teaching ways to ease symptoms and manage your mental health issue without abusing illicit drugs.
SchizophreniaStart the Journey Today!
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