📞 Need help right now? Call us at Archangel Centers — (888) 464-6182
Getting Clear on Treatment Options
If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction, you’re probably trying to figure out what kind of treatment actually works. One phrase you might keep seeing is “dual diagnosis treatment.”
But what exactly is it—and how is it different from traditional addiction treatment?
Understanding the difference could be the key to choosing a program that actually helps you heal.
What Is Traditional Addiction Treatment?
In a traditional addiction treatment setting, emotional and behavioral issues are addressed—but primarily through the lens of how they affect substance use. For example:
- You may explore how stress triggers drinking or using
- You might identify negative thinking patterns that lead to relapse
- You’ll likely work on emotional regulation, conflict resolution, and healthy coping skills
This work is important and often effective. Traditional programs help many people understand their addiction and begin the process of rebuilding their lives.
But here’s where it can fall short: What if your emotional distress isn’t just a trigger—what if it’s a diagnosable condition? What if the behavior patterns aren’t just bad habits, but symptoms of trauma or mental illness?
That’s when dual diagnosis treatment becomes essential.
What Is Dual Diagnosis Treatment?
In addition to all the emotional and behavioral work done in a traditional setting, dual diagnosis treatment also focuses on:
- Treating clinical depression, anxiety, PTSD, bipolar disorder, and more
- Addressing the emotional impact of childhood trauma or neglect
- Helping clients process grief, abandonment, or chronic shame
- Teaching skills for managing emotional dysregulation, panic, or dissociation
You’ll still learn how to cope with cravings. But you’ll also learn how to:
- Recognize and challenge distorted thoughts
- Build emotional resilience
- Work through root causes of suffering, not just symptoms
Here’s a simplified science breakdown: your brain relies on neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin to help you feel stable, calm, and motivated. Substance use messes with this balance—your brain either stops making these chemicals or stops responding to them. If you already have a mental health condition, this imbalance can be even more intense.
Dual diagnosis treatment helps repair those pathways, offering real healing—not just temporary relief.
Why This Difference Matters
Reflections from a Recovery Dual-Diagnosed Addict.
Let’s put it into perspective:
“Early sobriety was worse than active alcoholism. When I was three months sober, I told my mom I was never having kids because I never wanted another person to feel the way I do. It would be cruel. Thank God she talked me into seeking more help. I would likely not be alive and definitely wouldn’t be sober had I not begun anxiety and depression treatment.”
That moment changed everything for me. Up until I treated my depression, I thought sobriety was a penance to be miserable for the rest of my life. I knew I would always feel awful and agonizingly uncomfortable in my own skin. But if I stopped drinking and using, at least I would stop hurting other people. Treating my co-occurring disorder gave me the gift of sobriety and mental wellness. It gave me the gift of wanting to be alive, present, coherent in my own skin (a brand new experience for this addict!)
If I only suffered from addiction, I think this is the part where I would say “recovery gave me my life back.” But, it didn’t.
Recovery– dual diagnosis treatment, specifically– gave me a life for the first time. A life that wasn’t ruled by a compulsion to drink, narrated by heavy depression and driven by anxiety. For me, dual diagnosis was salvation.
How to Know If You Need Dual Diagnosis Treatment
“I didn’t know it was anxiety—I just thought I was broken.”
Co-occurring disorders are more common than you might think. And there’s no shame in treating mental illness. In fact, treating mental illness is responsible! A missed co-occurring disorder can be the difference between long-term recovery and constant relapses. It can be the difference between a life you survive and one that you love. Here are a few signs you might need more than standard addiction treatment:
- You use substances to cope with anxiety, depression, or trauma
- You’ve tried to get sober before but struggled with emotional instability
- You’ve been diagnosed (or suspect) a mental health condition
- Sobriety makes you feel worse emotionally instead of better
If any of these sound familiar, you may benefit from dual diagnosis treatment.
🔗 Explore our integrated treatment programs
What You Can Expect at Archangel Centers
At Archangel, we understand how complex dual diagnosis can feel. That’s why our treatment doesn’t stop at group therapy and sobriety goals. We offer:
- CBT and DBT therapy to help reframe thoughts and manage emotions
- Trauma-informed care for those with a history of PTSD or abuse
- Peer support groups specifically for co-occurring disorders
- Medication management when needed
- Holistic wellness like mindfulness, nutrition, and movement
We meet you where you are—and help you build a foundation that lasts.
Don’t Guess—Get the Right Help
Choosing a treatment program is a big decision. You deserve to know what kind of support you really need—and to get it from a team who truly understands co-occurring disorders.
📞 Call us at (888) 464-6182 to talk about your options or visit ArchangelCenters.com to learn more.
You are not too complicated. You are not too far gone. And with the right care, you can get better.
