Drug Rehab Uses Anti-Depressants to Treat Dual Diagnosis

If you or someone you love is fighting a co-occurring problem like depression and drug abuse there is hope. The result of using a combination of therapies that treat both issues simultaneously has a higher long-term success rate. According to recent studies, by treating the depression and drug addiction together it is less likely that you will fall back into your old habits since, very often, psychological issues are masked by drug abuse.

The Canyon provides dual diagnosis treatments and helps you achieve freedom from addiction and release from psychological issues that hinder their success.

The Use of Antidepressant Medication in Drug Rehab to Treat Dual Diagnosis

There are many antidepressant drugs that aid in treatment for people with dual diagnosis issues. These include:

• Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, also known as SSRI's. These medications come with the brand names of Lexapro, Paxil, Zoloft, and Prozac. While the side effects are minimal, they do include insomnia, dizziness, weight gain or loss, stomach upset, sexual problems, and headaches.
• New medications that treat chronic pain in conjunction with depression include Effexor and Cymbalta. The side effects from these are also mild but may also increase risk for seizures and weakness.
• Some of the first medications used to treat depressions were MAOI's, Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors. The side effects with MAOI's tend to be more serious than with newer medications, hence the reason they are prescribed less frequently. If for some reason you can't take newer drugs available your doctor may prescribe an MAOI for you while supervising you closely.

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Tips to Succeed Using Anti-Depressants in Drug Rehab to Treat Dual Diagnosis

Remember first and foremost, you are not just a patient, you are your own best advocate. By working with your doctor as opposed to just being treated by your doctor you take an active role in your recovery. While depression can leave you feeling powerless at times, there are things you can do to take back your life so that you are in charge, not your depression.

• Be patient. Medications can take up to six weeks to give you the full benefit. Keep this in mind when you don't feel 100% in two weeks. Therapy also takes time. If there were magic words to make the world's ills go away we would all use them. The truth is, they don't exist and you owe it to yourself to be patient throughout this process of recovery.
• Take your medicine. It sounds elementary, but it is absolutely necessary to your recovery that you take your medicine regularly every day, preferably at the same time every day in order to get the full effect. Some take it when they brush their teeth every morning or just before bed. Get into a routine with taking your medicine and stick with it.
• Never, under any circumstances, abruptly stop the use of your medication. This should be done only under the supervision of your doctor. Many anti-depressants require that you wean off of them slowly. If your doctor feels this needs to be done he or she will instruct you how to do so safely.

Many people believe that because they are feeling better it is all right to discontinue their meds. If the medication helps you feel better then it makes perfect sense to continue taking them, not discontinuing your use of them.

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Dual Diagnosis and Drug Rehab at The Canyon

At The Canyon, our goal is to help you achieve a healthy, balanced, happy life. We want you to achieve your goals in relationships with others and yourself. By embracing traditional and non-traditional means of drug treatment The Canyon helps you take back your life and live it out to the fullest. A licensed facility, The Canyon recognizes the correlation between mental health issues and drug abuse and addresses both simultaneously to help you prosper in life and healing. We respect different spiritual philosophies and even use them as a part of your therapy along your road to recovery in conjunction with individual and group therapy, medication and 12 step programs. Contact The Canyon today at to get started.

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