Addiction often lives alongside a co-occurring mental health disorder. Those struggling with mental health conditions often look for ways to self-medicate rather than admitting they have a problem that they need help with and seeking that help. Drug use can mask a dual diagnosis and make it very difficult to get to the root cause of a mental health or co-occurring substance use disorder. Drug use of any kind is dangerous when not prescribed for a specific need. Illegal drug use—like cocaine—opens up the door for abusing other substances and complicates existing conditions like anxiety.
Call on The Arbor to learn more about how cocaine can impact anxiety and what the options for cocaine addiction treatment are in the Austin, Texas area.
Cocaine and Anxiety
While cocaine abuse can lead to a mental health condition like anxiety, it can also exacerbate an existing case of anxiety. Fortunately, if both conditions exist alongside each other—no matter which came first—they can be treated simultaneously at a professional treatment center like The Arbor. In fact, research shows that they should be treated together—versus separately—for the best recovery results.
Therapies will help determine the root cause of each disorder, but regardless, these are some of the reasons that they may exist together.
- Self-medication – it is common for those dealing with a mental health disorder, like anxiety, to use drugs like cocaine to numb the feelings they are having.
- Family history – genetics can come into play here, making these conditions more likely in certain people versus others.
- Chemical imbalances – these can exist in the brain, causing a predisposition for anxiety or addiction.
- Withdrawal – many trying to treat an addiction may experience anxiety as a symptom of withdrawing from drug use.
Treating both a mental health condition and substance use disorder simultaneously offers the best chance of achieving and maintaining recovery.
When Do You Need Cocaine Addiction Treatment?
When addiction sets in, it means that someone cannot control their drug use. At this point, the drug has taken control of their life. Quitting on your own is hard to do, has a very high relapse rate, and can be dangerous without the right support and supervision. This is why treatment at a professional treatment center like The Arbor is recommended. Dual diagnosis treatment for cocaine abuse and anxiety can be undertaken as part of a residential treatment program, intensive outpatient program (IOP), or a sober living program.
Dual diagnosis treatment allows the entire person—mind, body, and soul—to be treated. This holistic approach utilizes a combination of therapies, including traditional talk therapies, behavioral therapies, and experiential therapies. Contingency management has been shown to be especially helpful as a therapeutic intervention for cocaine addiction. It’s an incentive system that rewards those in treatment when they meet recovery goals. It has also been shown to help in remediating co-occurring mental health disorders.
Receiving treatment in the right environment is also essential. A peaceful, comforting, and safe location where supportive peers and professionals surround you will only benefit the entire process.
Enroll in Cocaine Addiction Treatment at The Arbor
The treatment team at Arbor takes an individualized approach to each person’s treatment plan. Various therapies will be used to create a custom plan unique to the person. This holistic approach provides a continuum of care from the moment the person enrolls in the cocaine addiction treatment program all the way through aftercare services that support lifelong recovery. Choosing between residential and outpatient treatment will depend on the severity of the addiction and what the person’s needs are.
Each person needs their own path to recovery, and the team at The Arbor is committed to getting them on that path. Call on the team today at 844.413.2690 or contact The Arbor online.