Our clinical staff provides therapies such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and interpersonal therapy, these therapies help individuals address the root causes of their depression and learn coping strategies.
Depression and substance abuse disorders are two of the most common mental issues that have been plaguing Americans for the past few decades. In 2021, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) revealed that at least 20.4 million Americans had a substance abuse disorder, and only 10.3% of that number received any kind of treatment for the condition.
Mental Health America (MHA), on the other hand, notes that almost 50 million Americans suffer from one form of mental health issue or another, with at least 10% of the entire populace suffering from depression.
Depression is a mental health disorder that causes persistent feelings of intense sadness, a general loss of interest in most things, and a preference to engage in self-isolation. People who suffer from depression usually experience “bouts” of it or periods that could last for anywhere between a few days to several months.
This disorder may cause significant emotional and psychological effects that could interfere with everything in daily life, such as getting up in the morning, eating, going to school or work, interacting with people, and even trying to sleep at the end of the day. It may also manifest physical symptoms such as unexplained pain, disruption of sleeping and eating patterns, significant weight gain or loss, and a persistent lack of energy.
Depression may become increasingly debilitating for many people, as they become unable to concentrate, are overcome with feelings of complete worthlessness, get bothered by excessive guilt, or even fall victim to recurring thoughts of death or suicide. Other symptoms of depression may include:
Psychologists stress that no one is born with depression, although there are people who are born with an increased risk of developing it at some point. This mental health condition is not limited to typical factors attributed to a “depressing” life, such as poverty, chronic illness, abuse, or lack of good opportunities. Some factors are being seen as instrumental in the possibility of a person developing depression, including:
The disruption of the natural chemical balance of the brain is known to produce marked alterations in behavior, mood, and even personality. This disruption often leads to numerous disorders such as anxiety, depression, personality shifts, and other issues. Thus far, medications have proven to be effective at some point to restore a semblance of balance to people who suffer in this manner, as demonstrated by those who take antidepressants and antipsychotics to prevent the more pronounced symptoms of their condition.
Studies into the medical history of people with mental health issues have shown that there is a high probability that depression could be inherited if a first-degree family member has it. While the genetic markers that determine this probability have not been accurately mapped out yet, there is more than enough evidence to suggest that depression could be inherited, or at the very least, the high tendency to develop it. These genetic markers are also seen as indicators of other mental health issues that are passed down through the generations in the family lineage.
While many have argued that using the environment as a determiner for certain negative developments is prejudicial and unfair, exposure to violent events, great loss, neglect, or chronic abuse has always proved to be significant markers for negative outcomes. This is also seen as a major influence on the development of depression in a person. This is particularly true if the person was never able to fully process whatever negative environmental factors they were exposed to. The best examples are the war veterans who have seen and experienced the horrors of combat and death firsthand. People who have suffered a significantly tragic event in their lives such as an accident or the loss of something or someone they considered to be irreplaceable have also been observed as developing depression after some time.
A person who has the misfortune of suffering both a mental health issue, such as depression, and a substance abuse disorder at the same time is said to have a dual diagnosis. Researchers and medical experts are desperately trying to determine the reason why more and more people are suffering from co-occurring mental health issues and addiction, as having to deal with one is already immensely difficult, let alone having both together.
This condition is becoming more of a problem today as it appears to be occurring more frequently. Both conditions need to be treated, as treating only one before the other could only make the other condition even worse.
In the case of a dual diagnosis, trying to determine which condition occurred first could prove to be extremely difficult since the prevailing and most prominent symptoms of one condition could be masking or “overlapping” with the other. Many experts believe that in dual diagnosis, having one condition does not necessarily mean that it is the cause of the other, although there are instances wherein this is the case.
There is a standing belief in the medical profession that while mental health conditions might not directly lead to substance abuse, they could become a major contributing factor. This is supported by data taken from treatment centers that suggest substance abuse tends to be twice as prevalent among those who already have particular mental health issues, as a symptom of these mental issues includes a desire to self-medicate. In these instances, self-medication is seen as a way to keep their condition a secret.
A dual diagnosis will require mental health and substance abuse treatment that allows both conditions to be addressed at the same time, as treating only one condition at a time could make it more difficult, or even impossible to treat the other condition later. In some cases, the successful treatment of only one condition could cause the other condition to bring back the condition thought to have been treated at a later time.
There is a need for specific psychotherapy approaches that address the perception of the problem and also help in the development of coping mechanisms in instances of dual diagnosis treatment in Colorado.
Individual therapy is a form of psychotherapy where a trained professional works with an individual in working through mental health issues. This approach is an effective treatment for various emotional difficulties and mental issues as the person is given the full attention of the therapist, in an environment that is most conducive to one-on-one talk therapy. Individual therapy sessions give people a comfortable environment that allows them to talk about their issues.
This approach involves multiple patients receiving treatment at the same time. Group therapy can be used for a variety of conditions including emotional trauma, anxiety, depression, and even alcohol and substance abuse disorders. This type of treatment is widely accepted as being very effective as it removes the feeling of isolation from the participants. It also assures them that they are not alone in what they are going through.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is an approach that is based on the premise that a person’s thoughts, feelings, and actions are interconnected. It also suggests that negative thoughts and feelings can imprison a person in a negative cycle where they repeat the process of doing something bad, suffer from it, and then do it all over again. CBT aims to isolate these negative thoughts and behaviors so that they may be addressed and so that the negative cycle may be broken.
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is a type of psychotherapy that is based on CBT and is aimed at helping people recognize destructive emotions and regulate these emotions. This approach works on the premise that people often do things they regret because they are unable to deal with their emotions, with these emotions causing the person to act irrationally and in a destructive manner.
Unconventional issues, such as a dual diagnosis, could require unconventional methods of treatment. This is what we specialize in at Jaywalker in Carbondale, CO. We use a combination of innovative approaches, an excellent environment, and the natural healing aid of nature in dealing with the concerns of our patients.
Our strategy is firmly rooted in evidence-based treatment, and we have every confidence that we could help you with your concerns as much as we have helped the countless others we have seen through to recovery. Talk to us now.
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