Understanding a Dual Diagnosis: Challenging, But Treatable

Feeling overwhelmed or confused about your emotions and behaviors is more common than you might think—especially when mental health struggles and substance use happen together. If you’re wondering what’s wrong or why treatment hasn’t worked in the past, it might be because you’re facing what professionals call a dual diagnosis. This means you have both a mental health condition and a substance use disorder happening at the same time.

The good news? Compassionate, integrated dual diagnosis care can make all the difference. By treating both issues together, you can get the understanding and support you deserve—helping you regain control, find clarity, and start your journey toward lasting recovery. You’re not alone, and help is available that truly sees the whole you.

What Is a Dual Diagnosis?

Also known as a co-occurring disorder, it’s the simultaneous presence of both a mental health disorder and a substance use disorder. This condition is common, with many individuals experiencing both types of disorders concurrently.

Common mental health disorders associated with dual diagnosis include:

Anxiety disorders
Bipolar disorder
Depression
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Schizophrenia

Substance use disorders in dual diagnosis may involve:

Alcohol
Illicit drugs
Prescription medications

Unfortunately, some people with dual diagnoses often face challenges in accessing appropriate medical care, as many treatment facilities aren’t designed to address both conditions simultaneously.

How a Dual Diagnosis is Determined

According to results from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health released in 2024, approximately 20 million adults in the United States have a co-occurring disorder. People with mental illness are at a higher risk of developing substance use disorder (SUD) or alcohol use disorder (AUD) compared to those without mental illness. Similarly, individuals with SUD or AUD are particularly vulnerable to developing primary conditions or chronic diseases.

Medical professionals and addiction specialists use various methods to identify both mental health and substance abuse issues. When you know how the process is supposed to go, there’s less uncertainty. Here are just a few ways they get to the heart of your specific health condition.

Comprehensive Clinical Interviews

These are detailed conversations with you to gather information about your symptoms, history of mental health concerns, substance use patterns, family history, and social environment.

Standardized Screening Tools and Questionnaires

Tools such as the Addiction Severity Index (ASI), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) for depression, Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7 (GAD-7), and the CAGE questionnaire for alcohol use help clinicians assess the presence and severity of both mental health and substance use disorders.

Diagnostic Criteria

Clinicians use the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders guidelines to systematically evaluate symptoms and determine whether you meet certain criteria for specific mental health disorders and substance use disorders.

Physical and Laboratory Assessments

Medical exams and lab tests—like blood work or toxicology screens—help rule out medical causes of symptoms and confirm substance use.

Observation Over Time

Sometimes symptoms of mental illness and substance use can overlap or mimic each other. Professionals monitor how symptoms change with sobriety to distinguish between substance-induced symptoms and independent mental health disorders.

Multidisciplinary Team Evaluation

Input from psychiatrists, psychologists, addiction counselors, and medical doctors provides a holistic understanding of your condition, increasing the accuracy of your diagnosis.

Don’t be put off by the jargon or what appears to be numerous steps in the process. These combined approaches ensure a thorough and accurate identification of dual diagnosis disorders, which is crucial for developing an effective, integrated, and customized treatment plan that helps you.

Why Does Integrated Treatment Matter?

Rather than treating a mental health condition separately or sequentially from SUD or AUD, it’s critical to address them at the same time. Otherwise, they often compound the negative effects of both medical issues.

For example, untreated anxiety might lead to increased substance use as a form of self-medication, while substance misuse can exacerbate or even trigger damaging mental health symptoms. Treating both at once breaks this harmful cycle, improving recovery outcomes for both conditions. Additionally, integrated treatment recognizes your whole self, addressing emotional, physical, psychological, and social factors together rather than in isolation.

At a dedicated care facility like Fair Oaks Recovery Center that specializes in dual diagnosis treatment, your individualized plan might include the following:

A coordinated care team. Psychiatrists, therapists, addiction counselors, and medical professionals work collaboratively to create and implement a unified treatment approach.
Combined therapies. Methods such as cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, and motivational interviewing are tailored to address SUD, AUD, and mental health symptoms.
Medication management. When appropriate, your care team may prescribe medication to stabilize mental health conditions and support substance withdrawal or cravings, and carefully monitor your progress to avoid adverse interactions.
Holistic support. Integrated treatment often includes group counseling, family therapy, relapse prevention, life skills training, and support for physical health and social reintegration.
Continuity of care. Ongoing monitoring, aftercare planning, and alumni support help maintain gains made during treatment and reduce the risk of relapse.

In short, integrated treatment provides a comprehensive, compassionate, and effective approach that recognizes the complexity of dual diagnosis and gives you the best chance for sustained recovery and improved quality of life.

Turn to Fair Oaks for the Co-Occurring Disorder Treatment You Deserve

There’s no need to struggle in isolation. Fair Oaks Recovery Center in Sacramento, California, is a licensed Chemical Dependency Recovery Hospital—a status issued by the California Department of Public Health to addiction rehabilitation and dual diagnosis/mood disorder treatment facilities. Our board-certified professionals help people discover various evidence-based care methods that provide hope, healing, and a solid foundation for lasting recovery. If this is the solution you’ve been searching for, contact our admission team today.

For more information about programs offered at Fair Oaks Recovery Center, including our intensive outpatient program in Sacramento, please call us today at (888) 576-0222.