It is not uncommon for mental illness to walk hand in hand with addiction. While not necessarily a guaranteed circle of cause and effect, many individuals facing challenges like depression, PTSD, OCD, anxiety, or bipolar disorder turn to drugs in an attempt to cope with symptoms or to make daily life bearable. Those facing mental health issues often feel they have limited resources for help available to them and yet, their issues stand in the way of normal life.
If you are struggling to live with mental illness and aren’t sure where to turn, help is here. Please contact Florida House Experience today to learn more about treating the mind and body alike in a mental health rehab program.
The Reality of Mental Illness in the United States
Approximately 18.5% of adults in the U.S. experience mental illness, while 4% experience a significant mental illness that stands in the way of work, school, relationships, or family life. Statistics are similar for children and young adults; nearly one in four American youths aged 13 to 18 live with a severe mental disorder at some point. Anxiety and depression are among the most common culprits, with nearly 7% of adults going through at least one major depressive disorder in the last year and 18% living through an anxiety disorder like PTSD, OCD, or specific phobias.
The Stigmatization of Mental Health
Despite growing research in mental health that indicates genetics and other biological factors are at the root of mental illness for many individuals, mental health still holds a strong stigma in modern society. Unlike physical disabilities and illnesses, mental disorders are still seen as lesser, weak, or fake, leading to judgment and discrimination in the workplace, in relationships, and even at home.
Until the passage of the Affordable Care Act, mental health did not have to be covered under most insurance plans, creating large holes in the accessibility of care. Even today, many employers do not see taking time off to treat mental illness in the same light as treating medical illness, leading to millions of employees nationwide who face potential punishment for seeing therapists or attending support groups. Finding appropriate help can be a challenge, too; as therapy can be cost prohibitive, those without insurance or with limited means may not be able to afford to see someone.
Unfortunately, due to the stigma still associated with mental health and the lack of available resources, many people in-need do not get the necessary support. An estimated 26% of homeless adults staying in shelters and 20% of both the prison and local jail population suffer from some sort of mental illness. Those who are able to often do not pursue professional assistance, either; only 40% of those with mental illness seek help, and just over 50% of children with mental health problems are properly treated.
What Is Mental Health Rehab?
For those working against the power of depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, or any of the other common mental illnesses in the United States, speaking to a therapist on occasion may not be enough. If comprehensive support may be more appropriate, mental health rehab can offer the stability and guidance necessary to facilitate meaningful progress.
Mental health rehab, similar to inpatient rehab for drug and alcohol abuse, is a treatment experience designed to help patients come to terms with their symptoms, explore motivations, and find a way for to live a normal life. As mental health disorders manifest differently from one patient to another, a customized treatment plan is at the root of a successful approach to therapy.
Mental Health Treatment at Florida House Experience
At Florida House Experience, our Mental Health Program is specifically designed to meet the needs of clients diagnosed with primary mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizoaffective disorder, and others.
We believe in providing a comprehensive approach to wellness. Our team of psychiatrists is available around the clock to provide counseling, psychopharmacology education, and medication management to help patients discover a treatment approach that works. Patients under our care will receive five mental health groups a week, daily check-ins with therapists and doctors, and neurotherapy sessions that encourage positive results and personal development.
Our personalized mental health services include Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills, mental health education, as well as supportive group therapy and practical coping skills. By blending a combination of clinical resources, like behavioral therapy, with holistic options, like massage and acupuncture, we can create treatments ideal to every patient.
Neurorehabilitation in Mental Health Treatment
Due to the nature of mental illnesses, it’s not always easy to connect the topics and skills learned in treatment with real-life behavior. Even patients who succeed in the early days or weeks of therapy may not be able to continue good habits outside of a group setting.
Neurorehabilitation is a form of neurological-based therapy that helps the brain heal in order to see improved performance in coping with stress, overcoming addiction, and managing symptoms associated with mental illness. By paying close attention to the function of the brain and central nervous system, we are able to identify problem areas within the brain’s activity in order to provide treatments that specifically target your unique thoughts and actions.
Our monitoring technology is cutting edge, taking into account brainwaves, heart rate, breathing, skin temperature, and muscle activity to help provide a clear picture of your mental behavior. Using this information, we can set a baseline for treatment, measuring improvement during treatment. We develop your treatment tailored to the specific manifestations of your mental illness. When combined with other avenues for mental health treatment, it’s possible to improve coping skills and improve outcomes, regardless of underlying issues.
The Connection Between Addiction and Mental Health
While 18% of Americans live with some form of mental illness, around 8.4% have a substance use disorder. And, tragically, approximately 8 million Americans live with both, struggling to work through both symptoms of mental illness as well as the effects of addiction. Unfortunately, addiction often worsens the symptoms of mental illness as well; in worst-case scenarios, drug or alcohol use can even amplify or trigger conditions, like hallucinogenic drugs contributing to schizophrenia or a psychotic break.
Statistically, those with mental health disorders are more likely to use drugs or alcohol, and are consequently more likely to develop an addiction. In many cases, this creates a vicious circle of sorts: without self-medicating, it’s hard to find relief from the sensations caused by mental illness, but this, in turn, makes it harder to quit. For this reason, it’s exceptionally important that those with a dual diagnosis, or the presence of both mental illness and addiction, to seek professional help specific to both substance use and mental health.
For those with co-occurring disorders, rehabilitation that ignores one aspect or the other can lead to treatment that fails to address the reality of the situation, causing ineffective therapies and a heightened risk of relapse. Instead, psychologists and psychiatrists should be prepared to address the root causes of illness and addiction as much as possible rather than focusing on the surface-level symptoms.
How Florida House Experience Can Help
With the prevalence of both mental illness and addiction in the United States, help that can guide patients in all walks of life is essential. Florida House Experience is a resource that supports, enriches, and uplifts, providing a path forward for those with mental illness, a substance use disorder, or a combination of the two. Through our program, we can provide a safe, stable place for participants to come to terms with their situation and take active steps toward improvement.
We pride ourselves in being on the forefront of mental health care, offering cutting-edge approaches that integrate the medical, psychiatric, and clinical components of treatment. Our experts firmly believe that any mental health disorder diagnosis should be quantifiable, giving us the freedom to create forward-thinking treatment plans for the benefit of every member of our community.
We realize that mental illness comes in all shapes and sizes, leading to the creation of programming and opportunities that can be customized to suit a wide range of needs. We are able to assist with:
If you or someone you love is trapped in a cycle of abusive, addictive, or problematic behavior with seemingly no way out, help is here. Florida House Experience is committed to providing personalized resources for those facing mental illness using proven techniques and cutting-edge innovations to pave a path to a brighter future.
Please get in touch with our intake team today at (855) 441-2449 or online via our contact form. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to help you lead your best life yet.
