Dual Diagnosis Treatment Los Angeles

Many people experience a cycle where mental health challenges and substance use affect each other. Dual diagnosis treatment addresses both together, not separately.

This may feel familiar if things have been harder to manage, even when you’ve tried to address one side of it.

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Did you know, nearly 36.5% of those who struggle with substance use disorders (or addiction) also struggle with anxiety disorders, major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, trauma, personality disorders, and schizophrenia? These are known as co-occurring disorders or a dual diagnosis.

While dual diagnosis may be more complicated than one condition, the fact here is that substance use and mental health concerns exacerbate and worsen each other, like a pernicious, toxic cycle. So, treating only one condition leaves your healing journey unfinished - making recovery harder and the risk of relapse higher.

Create Recovery Center’s dual diagnosis rehab in Los Angeles uses evidence-based, personalized methods to offer a well-rounded path to a lasting recovery. Our dual diagnosis treatment is delivered through partial hospitalization programs, intensive outpatient programs, and even virtual or hybrid options where appropriate.

We see you, we hear you, and we ensure the care you receive is for the WHOLE YOU.

What is a Dual Diagnosis?

Dual diagnosis, or co-occurring disorders, refers to the presence of a substance use disorder and a mental health condition together. Common examples of dual diagnosis can be:

Alcohol use disorder and anxiety disorders

Alcohol and cannabis use disorders and major depressive disorder (depression), as well as bipolar disorders

Prescription misuse and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD

Cannabis use disorder and trauma/post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

While substance use and mental health can develop independently of each other or lead to one another, peer-reviewed studies have revealed that there is a high risk that substance use increases the risk of mental health concerns. The opposite is also true. This has mainly been attributed to a combination of factors, such as genetics, trauma, and stress.

In real life, this often looks like using substances to cope with emotional distress, while that same substance use makes those feelings more difficult to manage over time.

Signs Someone May Need Dual Diagnosis Treatment

Here are some signs you or someone you know may need dual diagnosis treatment:

Signs of a Substance Use Disorder

Intense, frequent cravings and urges to use substances

Sudden behavioral changes, like secrecy or lying

Risky actions, like driving under the influence

Social withdrawal and isolation

Feeling dependent on substances to cope with stress, anxiety, depression, trauma, or other concerns

High tolerance for substances

Experiencing withdrawal symptoms in the case of cutting down or stopping substance use.

Signs of a Mental Health Condition

Mood swings that worsen with substance use

Confusion or disorientation

Difficulty focusing

Dropping performances in academics or a job

Social withdrawal

Self-harm or suicidal thoughts.

When these patterns overlap, they don’t operate separately; they reinforce each other.
This is often where people feel stuck: managing symptoms on both sides without a clear path forward.
If anybody is experiencing suicidal thoughts or ideation, call 9-8-8 in the U.S. or the national helpline number immediately.
Co-occurring disorder treatment in Los Angeles focuses on treating both these symptoms and conditions at the same time in both residential and outpatient settings, depending on how severe your symptoms are. While it may take longer than treating one condition at a time, it lays the strong foundation you need for a lasting recovery.

Why Treating Both Conditions Matters?

While substance use may not directly lead to mental health disorders or vice versa, there is a connection between the two. Drug and alcohol use worsen mental health symptoms and may also increase the risk of developing a mental health disorder. Treating only one or the other makes this cycle a difficult one to break.

It is crucial that you receive treatment for both conditions at the same time. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) also underlines this by noting 50% of those who receive combined addiction and mental health treatment can achieve and maintain recovery, even in light of the fact that relapse rates for substance use disorders can run as high as 40% - 60%.

This is why integrated care models, most commonly addiction and anxiety treatment or addiction and depression treatment, focus on addressing both substance use and mental health patterns together instead of treating them separately.

As dual diagnosis treatment needs to be personalized to your symptoms and needs, you will collaborate with a licensed mental health specialist to figure out a path that will lead to lasting recovery.
This is why treatment that focuses on both at the same time tends to be more stable and sustainable long-term.

How Dual Diagnosis Treatment Works?

Dual diagnosis treatment is not just about adding more treatment, it is about coordinating care so both conditions are treated together, not separately. Create Recovery’s Dual diagnosis treatment in Los Angeles is personalized to your substance use and mental health disorders. Typically, it will involve:

Behavioral Therapies

Behavioral therapies like motivational interviewing, cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, and contingency management are used to change unhelpful thinking patterns and reduce self-destructive behaviors like substance use.

Medication Management

Board-certified physicians or psychiatric practitioners will prescribe medication for one or both conditions. For instance, medication-assisted treatment (MAT) is used to treat alcohol and opioid use disorders, while anxiolytics, antidepressants, mood stabilizers, and antipsychotics are used to alleviate mental health symptoms.

Holistic Practices

As dual diagnosis treatment in Los Angeles seeks to strengthen your mind, body, and spirit, holistic practices are used to complement clinical practices and lay the foundation for a lasting change. Nutrition, exercise, sleep, meditation, and mindfulness are used to build a lifestyle that prioritizes your recovery and mental health.

Peer Support

Group therapy and peer support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), Narcotics Anonymous (NA), Dual Diagnosis Anonymous (DDA), and SMART Recovery are highly useful in providing the community you need in your sobriety and mental health journey.

Dual Diagnosis Support in Outpatient Programs

Dual diagnosis treatment is provided in residential and outpatient settings. While some cases may require 24*7 hospitalization, it is not always the case that everyone with a dual diagnosis needs overnight hospital stays.

For many, dual diagnosis treatment does not require inpatient care.

Structured outpatient programs like PHP and IOP allow you to receive consistent clinical care while living at home or in a supportive environment.

Dual diagnosis support is provided in outpatient programs through:

Partial Hospitalization Programs (PHPs)

Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOPs)

PHPs are highly intensive outpatient programs - they run for 6 - 8 hours per day and 5 days per week. You can return to your home or a sober living after.

PHPs can be effective standalone options or can also be step-down levels of care after residential treatment to maintain your recovery and ease your transition to daily life.

IOPs are of lesser intensity than PHPs. They run for 9 - 15 hours per week and allow for more flexible scheduling and independence. You can return to your home or sober living after, and you can maintain your daily responsibilities while focusing on your recovery, too.

IOPs can be effective standalone options for mild or moderate dual diagnosis symptoms, but they are often integrated with PHP as a step-down option to maintain your recovery.

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Common Mental Health Conditions Treated Alongside Addiction

As substance use disorder co-occurs at a high prevalence rate with a range of mental health conditions, we commonly treat the following mental health conditions alongside addiction:

Anxiety disorders

Panic disorder

Major depressive disorder

Bipolar disorders

Chronic stress

Trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

Borderline personality disorder

Antisocial personality disorder

Schizophrenia

When It Does Not Feel Like Just One Problem?

Many people do not immediately recognize dual diagnosis because it does not always present clearly.

Instead, it often feels like:

Using substances to manage anxiety, stress, or emotional overwhelm

Feeling temporary relief, followed by worsening mental health symptoms

Trying to address one concern, but the other continues to surface

Cycles of improvement followed by setbacks that feel hard to explain

If this feels familiar, it may not be two separate challenges, but one interconnected pattern that needs to be treated together.

Uncertain about behaviors or if you’re starting to recognize these patterns, you don’t need to have everything figured out before reaching out.
Many people begin by simply understanding their options.

Does Insurance Cover Dual Diagnosis Treatment in Los Angeles?

Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) of 2010, your private insurance policy must ideally cover substance use and mental health disorder treatment. However, the coverage can depend on your insurance provider and policy.

If you want to verify your insurance, you can reach out to your insurance provider or even reach out to us at (866) 584-2788, and our insurance experts can confidentially verify your insurance.

Check Your Coverage Within Minutes!

Why Choose Create Recovery?

At Create Recovery, you receive the care you need and deserve for both substance use and mental health at the same time, so treatment focuses on the full picture rather than just one concern. This integrated treatment pathway focuses on your underlying challenges rather than just outward symptoms to lay a stronger foundation for recovery.

Our licensed and experienced clinical team provides structured outpatient programs that offer consistent clinical structure and care while still allowing you the flexibility to manage academics, jobs, or family responsibilities.

We create a confidential and non-judgmental healing environment for you, where the focus is on stability and developing the tools and skills you need to move forward at a steady, realistic pace.

Not Sure If Dual Diagnosis Treatment Is Right for You?

You do not have to navigate this alone.

A confidential conversation can help you:

Understand how both conditions are connected

Explore what level of care fits your situation

Take a clear next step forward

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Frequently Asked Questions About Dual Diagnosis Treatment in Los Angeles

What is dual diagnosis treatment?

Dual diagnosis treatment focuses on treating both substance use and co-occurring mental health disorders together rather than one condition or the other, separately.

Can addiction and mental health conditions be treated together?

Addiction and mental health conditions can be treated together with behavioral therapies, medication management, and peer support.

What programs offer dual diagnosis treatment?

Both residential and outpatient programs offer dual diagnosis treatment. At Create Recovery, you receive dual diagnosis treatment through partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient programs.

How long does dual diagnosis treatment typically last?

While recovery timelines may vary, dual diagnosis treatment typically lasts for several weeks to a few months.

Is dual diagnosis treatment covered by insurance?

Many private insurance policies fully or partially cover dual diagnosis treatment. You can call us at (866) 584-2788 to quickly check your coverage.