Co-occurring Disorders

Dual diagnosis sometimes referred to as “co-occurring disorder,” refers to experiencing a psychiatric condition and a substance abuse disorder simultaneously. In fact, we understand that many people unwittingly fall into patterns of substance abuse and are doing their best to manage unwieldy mental health conditions, including chronic depression, pervasive anxiety, and posttraumatic stress. Individuals with a dual diagnosis, therefore, require an integrated treatment plan that addresses both conditions.

Examples of dual diagnoses include:

• Alcohol addiction and clinical depression
• Meth addiction and bipolar disorder
• Addiction to a prescription anti-anxiety drug (like Xanax) and eating disorders

Some individuals who suffer from dual diagnoses first acquire substance use problems that then trigger mental health issues. Others first acquire mental health disorders that later trigger the desire to abuse substances. 

In either case, when entering treatment, both disorders within a dual diagnosis must be treated at the same time for a successful recovery.  Otherwise, the untreated disorder will trigger the reappearance of the treated disorder.  

At Ventura Wellness Behavioral Health in Thousand Oaks, our partial hospitalization program and intensive outpatient program treat both conditions together in one plan. Your length of stay depends on your clinical progress, not a fixed number of days.

If you need FREE help or have Medi-Cal or Medicaid insurance please contact the National Helpline about mental and/or substance use disorders, prevention, treatment, and recovery in English and Spanish.