The link between substance abuse and mental health

Substance abuse and mental illness are frequently engaged in a mutually detrimental dance. A person with a mental disorder like anxiety or depression can easily turn to drug and/or alcohol abuse for relief. There’s an unfortunate perception in society
that pills and alcohol can help troubled people cope with problems. This does a tremendous disservice to those people. Not only do drugs and alcohol make mental issues worse, it too easily dismisses the seriousness of mental disorders. Depression and anxiety disorders are far more serious than mere sadness and nervousness.

Self-medication can easily lead to addiction. As drugs and alcohol are abused, the tolerance to them grows, creating dependency on them. A person may realize he or she need a morning drink or a line of crushed pain pills, and they need them not to get drunk or high, but to simply function. Meanwhile, the condition driving addiction goes untreated and worsens.

A dual diagnosis approach to rehab treats both problems, handling both substance abuse and the underlying mental problems which often drive it. Treating substance abuse is the first step to a happier, healthier, more fulfilling life. Detoxing from substances can take place in a hospital or a detoxification facility, and often includes medication to make the withdrawal process less severe.

Detoxing allows the patient to fully focus on his or her recovery and to deal with both substance abuse and any mental problems. Dual diagnosis allows the patient to receive treatment for both problems, and to have the best chance at recovering fully without relapse.

Sovereign Health of Texas

Anyone who’s repeatedly tried rehab and become frustrated when the program failed should consider a dual diagnosis treatment program. Sovereign Health of Texas thoroughly assesses its patients, treating any and all problems they may have. We provide patients with co-occurring conditions lasting recovery and real solutions.

As a company proudly serving the people of Texas and the southwest, Sovereign’s El Paso facility is equipped with bilingual staff members who can work with both English and Spanish-speaking patients. We strive to ensure that language is no barrier to receiving treatment which is often desperately needed.

The Sovereign Health Group is one of the leading treatment providers in the United States. Our programs include techniques like cognitive testing and brain wellness testing. Cognitive testing allows our clinicians to get a complete picture of their client’s needs, while brain wellness testing allows the client to actually rebuild his or her brain, healing the areas damaged by substance abuse while resetting areas of the brain which caused bad behavior and made mental health disorders worse.

All of Sovereign’s treatment centers are based on a simple principle we call The Sovereign Way. It’s a philosophy which recognizes our patients for the individuals they are, providing them with treatment plans personalized to particular needs. Unlike many other rehab providers, we do not only offer therapy to rehabilitate the brain’s function. We also educate our patients, teaching them life skills and tools they can use to lead better, healthier lives and avoid relapsing in the future.

To learn more about our programs, the admissions process and any financial options available to you, please call our 24/7 helpline.