What is Dual Diagnosis Treatment? Addressing Substance Use & Mental Health Challenges with Online Therapy for Teens

Many teens will face difficulties as their bodies and minds grow and change. That can include normal behaviors such as fast-ending relationships or brief periods of lashing out. It might also include experimentation with substances.

Some teens see their experimentation go too far. That is when it becomes an addiction. It takes hold of their life and becomes the most important thing. It can lead to difficulties in school or with friends. It can lead to outbursts at home. It can also lead to health problems.         

Many teams will also face mental health challenges in their teen years. The chemicals in their minds are changing and it causes challenges and issues, such as depression and anxiety.

The good news is that both can be addressed and treated like any other medical disease. Sometimes they can be treated together.

One benefit for teens in modern-day care is online therapy. This can be a useful tool for teens to get the help they need and get started on the road to recovery.

What Is Dual-Diagnosis Care?

Often we see that mental health challenges and substance abuse go hand-in-hand. Science can’t usually say what happened first, but we can see mental health issues lead to substances to try and numb the pain. We’ve also seen people who use substances develop a mental health condition.

One way is offering treatment is through dual-diagnosis care. This is done by a medical professional who can confirm the addiction along with any mental health conditions, such as anxiety, depression, ADHD or bipolar.

By treating both the addiction and underlying mental health conditions, we can offer details about triggers or why someone turned to substances. Counselors then can provide the tools needed to understand when stressors happen in real life and how to live without falling victim to the condition or the addiction. It is a way to treat both and allow a patient to start the road to recovery. By treating both, we can improve the odds of someone staying sober and safe throughout their life.

Benefits Of Online Therapy

While some people benefit from in-person therapy, many teens can benefit from online therapy. Online therapy is often cheaper and allows more privacy than traditional therapy models. Your teen doesn’t have to visit a facility to treat their addiction to drugs or alcohol or their mental health issues. It is also done from familiar or safe places, such as a living room or a bedroom. That can help teens feel protected and allow them to honestly share their feelings.

Many teens are also familiar with the internet and talking to a person via video chat, unlike older generations. They are more welcoming and able to use technology which allows them to trust online therapy a bit more and get the help they need.

Online therapy can be a great option for teens looking for dual-diagnosis care, to treat their addiction or help with a mental health condition.

If you are ready to break the cycle of addiction, reach out to our staff at Stonewater Recovery today. They can talk to you about care and the next steps toward sobriety.