June 14, 2018
Family Interventions for Depression, Mental Health and Dual Diagnosis
Mental Health

Family Interventions for Depression, Mental Health and Dual Diagnosis

When a loved one is suffering from addiction, an intervention can be the first step they need to start their journey to recovery. Often, mental health issues and dependency go hand in hand, and treating one without the other can make healing impossible. When a loved one is suffering from a mental health issue and addiction, an intervention will not only steer them towards recovery, but it will also help them find treatment for mental disorders that fuel addiction. An intervention must take place with sensitivity, love and professional support to be successful.

Prevention Of Mental Health Problems

Mental health problems can show signs very early. Anyone can develop mental health problems, from children to the elderly. These issues can become larger problems, such as homelessness, addiction, and suicide. Mental health issues affect every part of the affected person’s life. The first step in preventing a mental health problem from developing into something larger is early recognition. Early intervention, especially in children and young people, can prevent a lifetime of much more serious issues.

Dual Diagnosis Intervention And The Importance Of Holistic Health

Though people don’t always realize it, mental health is just as important as physical health. Consider the ways these two are connected.

Physical Health

Physical health is tied to mental health. A person who is not getting enough sleep, malnourished, was exposed to toxic substances, or is experiencing extreme stress or grief will not have good mental health. This is the same for someone undergoing the stresses of substance detox. Their body is undergoing pain and stress, which is also debilitating their mental state. A person who experienced a brain injury, chronic illness, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, personality disorder, depression, or Post-traumatic stress disorder finds that both their body and mind and body require have been affected.

Safety And Security

The mind needs a healthy environment to operate correctly. Someone with an unsafe environment or someone that was previously living in an unsafe environment will operate at a high level of fear. Past abuses such as sexual abuse, domestic violence, and neglect affect the mental abilities of an individual to focus on details or respond in day-to-day life.

Resource Availability

When there is a stress on resources needed to survive, there is a stress on an individual’s mental health. Without physiological or psychological resources readily available, people have trouble in daily life. For someone to maintain good mental health they need readily available mental health services, food, and shelter.

Relationships

Having fulfilling and rewarding relationships is a cornerstone of good mental health. When an individual does not feel valued or loved, their mental health can deteriorate. The lack of relationships and the prominence of unhealthy relationships can become the foundation that mental health issues build upon.

Recognizing And Addressing Mental Health Problems

Serious mental health issues can wreak havoc on an individual’s life. Serious mental health problems include anxiety disorders, bipolar disorders, depression, eating disorders, personality disorders, postpartum depression, Post-traumatic stress disorder, and schizophrenia.

An individual can seek effective help when they recognize the signs of mental health issues early. Loved ones are especially important in these situations as someone suffering from mental health problems often cannot ask for help and do not know what kind of help they need. The best way for family and loved ones to respond is to set up a mental health intervention with the help of a professional interventionist. This way loved ones address problems with the individual in a safe space with love and respect.

Addiction And Mental Health

Addiction and mental health issues are often intertwined. Mental health issue intervention is just as crucial as addiction intervention. About half of those suffering with addiction issues fall within the spectrum of at least one mental health disorder. Such cases are called Dual Diagnosis. If there is a serious mental health issue in congruence with addiction, treatment will happen simultaneously in order to achieve full recovery. Bipolar intervention, depression intervention, and panic disorder intervention are just of a few of the mental health disorders that can co-occur with addiction.

Symptoms of addiction and mental health disorders and addiction both include depression, euphoria, social withdrawal, moodiness, sudden shifts in personality and attitude, and poor performance at school or work. The symptoms are one of many ways in which mental health issues and addiction are related. For some people that suffer from mental illnesses, substance abuse can help relieve their symptoms. For some people with substance abuse issues, mental illness develops in tandem with addiction. Addiction is also a mental health problem in itself.

A few of the most common mental health issues include:

  • Alcohol/Substance Abuse
  • Alcohol/Substance Dependence
  • Anxiety Disorders
  • Adult Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD/ADD)
  • Bipolar Disorder
  • Depression
  • Eating Disorders
  • Generalized Anxiety Disorder
  • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
  • Opioid Use Disorder Symptoms
  • Panic Disorder
  • Postpartum Depression
  • Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
  • Tourette’s Disorder
  • Transient Tic Disorders
  • Schizophrenia
  • Seasonal Affective Disorder
  • Social Anxiety Phobia
  • Dissociative Disorders
  • Anorexia Nervosa
  • Binge Eating Disorder
  • Bulimia Nervosa
  • Pica
  • Autism
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder
  • Antisocial Personality Disorder
  • Avoidant Personality Disorder
  • Borderline Personality Disorder
  • Dependent Personality Disorder
  • Histrionic Personality Disorder
  • Narcissistic Personality Disorder
  • Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCD)
  • Paranoid Personality Disorder
  • Schizoid Personality Disorder
  • Schizotypal Personality Disorder
  • Acute Stress Disorder
  • Adjustment Disorder
  • Agoraphobia
  • Alzheimer’s Disease

Intervention For Co-Occurring Disorders

The most important part of having a successful family intervention for a loved one with addiction and mental health issues is contacting a professional. Emotions will run high during the intervention and a professional interventionist will know what to say or how to deal with difficult situations. A badly handled intervention can leave the individual feeling attacked and will negatively affect the desire to seek recovery.

Rehearse with the interventionist to prepare for the big day. Remember to respond with love and care. The individual will need the support of family and friends to recover. By treating the individual with respect, the stigma around mental health issues to put aside. Mental health issues, like addiction, are not dirty words to be ignored. The best way to help is with positivity.

Intervention specialists can put families in touch with a professional. An intervention without a professional’s assistance can be disastrous and cause incredible amounts of damage. A trained interventionist will help a family on the road to healing.

Get Your Loved One on the Path to Successful Addiction Treatment

Mike Loverde

Mike Loverde is a Certified Intervention Professional with more than 10 years of experience, and he is the founder and president of Intervention Helpline. He believes in taking a family-first approach to every intervention, and he created Intervention Helpline with the primary purpose of saving each family’s loved one before it is too late.

Furthermore, he is the primary writer for the Intervention Helpline Blog. He is always eager to share his insight and expertise on interventions, addiction treatment programs, rehab insurance coverage, relapse prevention and many other related topics.

Read the latest blog articles from the desk of Mike Loverde here, and don’t hesitate to contact if you have any questions or need intervention help now.

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