If you are looking for help with mental health issues and substance abuse, you must seek appropriate treatment. According to Dylan Maggiacomo, it can be difficult to figure out whether mental health issues came first or substance abuse issues came first. Indeed, mental health issues include substance abuse and addiction problems. There are some situations where people may get depressed due to substance abuse, and there are other situations where substance abuse can develop because someone is trying to cope with the pressure. What are some of the best practices for trying to manage substance abuse and mental health issues?

Ask for Help From the Right Person

First, people need to seek care from the right person. According to Maggiacomo, this often means reaching out to a primary care doctor first. Then, someone with substance abuse and mental health issues should be referred to a dual diagnosis treatment center. What this means is that this is a center that can treat both mental health issues and substance abuse at the same time. For example, someone may have alcohol addiction and depression. Another person may have anxiety and drug abuse issues. A dual diagnosis treatment center can simultaneously tackle both issues, which will help the recovery process.

Have a Strong Support System at Home

No matter how great the treatment location is, people need to have a strong support system. Many people start the recovery process at an inpatient program. Unfortunately, they will relapse when they leave the center if they do not have a strong support system at home. During the treatment process, professionals should ask about family members and friends at home. If they need social services to get them out of a difficult environment, their treatment experts should be responsible for coordinating that plan.

Ongoing Therapy Is a Must

Finally, going to therapy is also a must. No matter how long someone has been sober, performing maintenance therapy with an outpatient specialist is still beneficial. Therapy is important because it helps people deal with cravings, understand why they develop addiction issues in the first place, and identify situations that could cause them to relapse before they do. There are also situation where prescription medication can be beneficial for certain people with mental health and substance abuse issues, but therapy is the most important part during every step of the addiction recovery process.

Treat Mental Health and Substance Abuse Issues Comprehensively

Mental health is one of the most pressing issues facing our society today. The most important thing that people need to remember is that they do not have to go through this process on their own. Some professionals are willing to lend a helping hand to those in need. Regardless of whether someone has depression, anxiety, or substance abuse issues, they need to ask for help. That way, a professional can develop a treatment plan that has been customized to meet their needs.