Persons experiencing mental health conditions may turn to substances, like drugs and alcohol, as a way of self-medicating their symptoms. Over time, this could become an addiction which negatively impacts daily life; continuing use can alter behavior, relationships with others and physical effects such as headaches or stomachaches.
When diagnosed with substance abuse or addiction disorders, professional help will likely be required in order to overcome them. Treatment programs may involve behavioral therapies, group counseling sessions, individual therapy and medication management programs. Many individuals seeking treatment for drug addiction have co-occurring mental health problems – known as “psychiatric comorbidity or dual diagnosis”. Such conditions can interfere with an individual’s ability to function at work or school as well as manage daily activities and maintain a healthy home life.
Drug addiction treatment seeks to equip individuals with various skills that they can utilize daily in their lives and use to manage symptoms associated with their disorder and reduce drug or alcohol usage, eventually returning them to productive, normal lives.
Drug treatment offers many advantages for those struggling with substance addictions; however, quitting may not come easily or quickly enough. Addiction often leads to negative repercussions such as DUI convictions or other legal offenses.
As part of an effective addiction recovery program, it is vital to address co-occurring mental health conditions as well as the root causes of addiction. An assessment may be conducted by a licensed clinician, counselor or social worker familiar with your individual’s circumstances.
An assessment should cover both mental health history and substance abuse history of clients, along with family and social support systems. Furthermore, therapists or counselors may assess for trauma-causing events which led to drug use or addiction.
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Treatment Impact DUI Sentencing
Two key components that influence DUI sentencing include an individual’s participation and effectiveness of treatment programs for substance abuse and mental health conditions. Treatment programs should aim at helping individuals understand and accept the reasons for their behaviors while developing skills to improve quality of life, identifying causes of those behaviors, and preventing recurrences.
Drug rehabilitation programs may be voluntary or mandated by the criminal justice system. Engaging in drug rehab shows a serious effort by offenders to address their substance or alcohol use problems and provides essential documentation of rehabilitation progress, which could influence sentencing or probationary requirements as well as help a defense attorney achieve the best outcome for their client.
