There is a purpose for everything, and medication has many good purposes but is often misused and many are hurt by it.
One reason the co-occurring approach is used and quite often abused is that treatment facilities are able gain longer insurance coverage if they diagnose a mental disorder and put the person on psych medication. This has become the industry norm, and the ones most affected by these unethical practices are the clients, as they are forced to live with the long term effects the medication may have on them.
Truth be told, most people afflicted with an addiction have emotional issues and in almost all situations, the emotional problems existed long before the substance abuse began, and most likely, led to it.
Depending on the substance used, strange behaviors are not uncommon, and in most cases, are temporal and will subside after detox, some sleep, food and proper therapy. If psych medication is unnecessarily introduced, the ability to reach the emotional issues that contributed to or instigated the problems will only be buried deeper making them harder to locate as the recovery process moves forward.
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Emotional problems are not going to be resolved with medication. Some symptoms may subside, but their cause is rarely touched. With medication, the cause is suppressed and the only change taking place is how the problem manifests outwardly. If the oil light in your car came on, you wouldn’t cover it to properly address the cause. It would be best to find out why the light came on. Similarly, when we are experiencing anxiety, it would be best to address the cause rather than attempting to cover it up (e.g. medicating it).
At New Life Spirit Recovery, it is not uncommon for person to show up for treatment with numerous psych meds seeking freedom. An average of eight out of ten people that participate in our co-occurring program leave med free and set free. In most cases, it’s a physiological or spiritual issue, or a combination of, causing and contributing, rather than merely a mental issue.
If you are, or someone you know is struggling, don’t be hasty. Properly reach your need and the options available. Always get references and second and third opinions. Your life, or someone you love’s life is worth the effort.