Co-Occurring Substance Use and Mental Health Treatment

Research shows that there is a great deal of overlap among those experiencing substance use disorder (SUD) and mental health disorders. In these co-occurring disorders, both the mental health issue and the drug or alcohol addiction have their own unique symptoms that may get in the way of one’s ability to handle life’s difficulties, maintain a stable home life, function at work and relate to others. To make the situation more complicated, the co-occurring disorders also affect each other. When a mental health problem, such as anxiety or depression, goes untreated, the substance use disorder usually gets worse. Likewise, when alcohol or drug use increases, mental health problems usually increase too. Therefore, FGC takes an integrated approach to care, which is customized for the needs of each individual, addressing not only the substance use issues but also any underlying mental health conditions. Our team of qualified licensed psychologists, masters’ level licensed counselors and social workers complete a comprehensive assessment to begin understanding the challenges of each individual in order to create a personalized treatment plan to ensure that services simultaneously address both mental health and substance use needs.