May is National Mental Health Month, a month designated for educating and raising awareness about mental health, research, and treatments. There remain many misconceptions among the general public about mental health disorders, from depression and anxiety to bipolar disorder, PTSD, substance use disorders, and more. Pennsylvania Adult & Teen Challenge (PAATC) treats addiction as well as co-occurring mental health disorders. So often, more than one mental health condition is present at the same time, making a dual diagnosis treatment the most effective.
If you’re interested in addiction rehab, professional mental health therapy, or a self-harm treatment center, reach out to PAATC by calling us at 844.442.8673 or using our online form. We want to help you find mental health and live a life of recovery. Help us honor National Mental Health Month by starting your mental health journey today.
National Mental Health Month
The stigma that surrounds mental health is a barrier that prevents far too many people from receiving the care they need and living the healthy lives they deserve, free from mental health challenges that hold them back. During Mental Health Month, we celebrate the many evidence-based approaches to treating mental health diagnoses that are available today. Organizations and their supporters raise funds to expand access to care as well as enable research, and people rally around the cause of spreading accurate information to correct the many misconceptions that still interfere with understanding, compassion, and help-seeking.
Mental Health Awareness
During Mental Health Month, the focus is on mental health awareness. Awareness is half the battle and can help people:
- Recognize how they are affected by mental health disorders
- Learn about the services that are available to them
- Advocate for expanded care in their communities
- Learn the facts about mental health and mental illness in order to fight against stigma
- Have good conversations about mental health with people in all settings and from all walks of life
- Be part of the mental health support network on a family, community, and even national level
- Reach out to their loved ones and friends in support of getting them the help they need
In addition to all of the above, Mental Health Month amplifies the messaging of and supports fundraising for many organizations and nonprofits devoted to helping people and spreading accurate information.
Dual Diagnosis Treatment for Co-Occurring Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders
Mental health and addiction are inevitably intertwined. About a quarter of people with a mental health disorder also have a substance use disorder.
Perhaps you started using substances to self-medicate the symptoms of a mental health disorder, either undiagnosed or untreated. On the other hand, you may be struggling with mental health challenges that emerged because of your substance abuse. Evidence-based therapies provided in a dual diagnosis treatment program can make a big difference in your recovery.
At one time, psychologists and addiction specialists believed that addiction and mental health disorders should be treated separately and sequentially. When experts finally realized that a coordinated approach to the treatment of both disorders simultaneously was far more effective, the field of dual diagnosis treatment developed and expanded.
In a dual diagnosis program, you will encounter many of the same therapies that you would in a regular rehab or mental health treatment scenario, only your team will be aware of the nature of your dual diagnosis and able to treat both, coordinate care, and support you as you leave drugs and alcohol behind and address your mental health at the same time.
PAATC Honors National Mental Health Month this May
Let May be the month when you reach out to learn more about how PAATC can help you with your addiction as well as co-occurring (among others):
- Depression
- Anxiety disorder
- Bipolar disorder
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
- Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI)
Call us at 844.442.8673 or submit this online form. We are ready to answer your questions and help you understand that you deserve help and support as you reach for mental health and wellness.
