In the US, 21.2 million adults have an SUD and a co-occurring mental health disorder [1]. Dual diagnosis is a form of treatment for mental health disorders and substance use disorders (SUD). It’s not a medical diagnosis, but refers to the combination of diagnoses.
Finding the right care for mental health and an SUD separately can be challenging; finding care to treat them both at the same time can feel harder. But it does exist, it is effective, and research shows that treating disorders simultaneously is beneficial: around 50% of people with co-occurring disorders respond well to a combined treatment program [2].
Here’s how you can find the best dual diagnosis treatment in Florida.
What Is Dual Diagnosis?
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, dual diagnosis is “when someone experiences a mental illness and a substance use disorder simultaneously” [3]. Treatment looks at how SUDs and mental health are connected and impact one another. It aims to help you recover and abstain from addiction, and manage or overcome a mental health disorder.
Dual diagnosis can be delivered at different levels of care, but it consistently integrates evidence-based therapies such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), medication management, and wellness activities like yoga and meditation. It’s been ranked the number one best practice for co-occurring disorders by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) [4].
What’s a Co-Occurring Disorder?
A ‘co-occurring’ SUD means that you have an addiction at the same time as a mental health disorder, for example, alcohol abuse or drug addiction. A ‘co-occurring’ mental health disorder means that you have a mental health condition at the same time as an SUD, for example, bipolar disorder, depression or anxiety.
The order of the disorders doesn’t matter; you could develop an SUD while having a mental health disorder, or vice versa, and that still qualifies as co-occurring. The combination of the two disorders is what defines co-occurring.
How Does Dual Diagnosis Treatment Help?
Whereas some programs only focus on treating an SUD or a mental health disorder, dual diagnosis treatment addresses both in tandem. Treatment isn’t compartmentalized into ‘care for the mental health disorder’ and ‘care for the addiction’; instead, it encompasses both elements and aims to treat the root link between the two.
Substance use and mental health disorders have a complex relationship. People who have SUDs are up to 3 times more likely to have a mental illness [5]. Meanwhile, people with some mental illnesses are more vulnerable to developing a substance use disorder. Individuals who have a mental illness consume roughly 38% of all alcohol, 44% of all cocaine, and more than half of opioid prescriptions in the US [6].
Dual diagnosis treatment helps by providing the following care:
- Evidence-based therapies such as 1:1 counseling, trauma-informed therapy, group therapy, and family therapy.
- Medication management, including Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) when needed to alleviate severe withdrawal symptoms.
- Wellness activities such as yoga, meditation, and breathing exercises.
The idea is to treat you for, and beyond, your symptoms. By targeting the SUD and mental health disorder, treatment can contribute to deeper, longer-term recovery.
What Are the Benefits of Dual Diagnosis?
Receiving a dual diagnosis can bring you clarity about what you’re facing and how you can begin to heal. Many people feel like they can understand how they developed an addiction due to their mental health disorder, or how their mental health worsened because of an SUD.
Treatment has many benefits, too. Evidence-based therapies can teach you how to cope with and change negative thinking patterns. It can also lower self-harm behaviors and improve self-esteem.
Group therapy and the general community in dual diagnosis programs provide emotional and social support that helps you stay sober and connected to people. Medication management ensures that you take the right medication safely. MAT can help you be more comfortable during withdrawal and lower cravings.
Wellness activities promote good physical and mental health, and can encourage you to build healthy routines outside of treatment.
Considerations When Looking For Dual Diagnosis Treatment
There are several factors to consider when searching for dual-diagnosis treatment in Florida. Like any form of care, it should meet your needs, provide tailored support, and be clinically certified.
When looking for the right program, ask yourself these questions:
- Have I received care for either, or both, disorders before? What was my experience? What worked and what didn’t?
- What are my recovery goals?
- Am I able to function on a daily basis? Do I need 24/7 supervised care?
- Are the care team members all licensed medical professionals? What are their credentials?
- Does the facility specialize in dual diagnosis care?
- Is care personalized to each individual?
- Was my mental health disorder or SUD caused by trauma?
- Does the facility offer management for the medication I’m taking?
- Do I want to be close to home? Do I want to be near nature?
- Does the facility accept my insurance?
If you’re unsure about committing to a dual diagnosis treatment program, speak with your physician first or reach out to the facility’s admission team. They can advise you about the best path forward for you, factoring in your medical history and disposition.
Dual Diagnosis Treatment at Sprout Recovery, FL
We have a team of licensed experts who lead our dual diagnosis treatment, delivering care that helps you develop healthy thought patterns and behaviors. We personalize all our approaches around your history, needs, and hopes, and we do it from our calm, comfortable facility in Fort Myers, FL.
We use both traditional and innovative approaches to facilitate your healing. We integrate common strategies such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) with modern techniques such as neurofeedback and Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS). We also offer medication management to monitor and adjust your dosage as necessary.
We see you as a whole person, and our treatment reflects that. Reach the stability you deserve. Contact our admissions team today.
Sources
[1] SAMHSA. (August 2025). National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). samhsa.gov.
[2] U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2009). Integrated Treatment for Co-Occurring Disorders. Building Your Program. samhsa.gov.
[3] National Alliance on Mental Illness. (October 2017). Understanding Dual Diagnosis. nami.org.
[4] U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2009). Integrated Treatment for Co-Occurring Disorders. The Evidence. samhsa.gov.
[5] The Centre For Addiction and Mental Health. Mental Illness and Addiction: Facts and Statistics. camh.ca.
[6] National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2020). Common comorbidities with substance use disorders: research report. Rockville, MD: National Institute on Drug Abuse.