Dual Diagnosis: Insomnia

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What is Dual Diagnosis with Insomnia, and What is an Insomnia Addict?

Dual diagnosis insomnia is a form of insomnia that occurs in conjunction with a substance abuse disorder. A person who suffers from these is known as an insomnia addict. Insomnia is a sleep disorder that makes it difficult for individuals to fall asleep or stay asleep. These individuals wake in the middle of the night, struggle to achieve deep sleep, or find themselves unable to rest at all. As a result, those who have insomnia are frequently sleep-deprived.

And this medical issue is more common than many realize. Research suggests 30% of adults experience some symptoms of insomnia, with 10% experiencing insomnia that results in daytime impairment and distress.

Furthermore, insomnia, mental health issues, and addiction often exist together. For example, anxiety, depression, and PTSD can result in insomnia, impairing work performance, relationships, and emotional well-being.

Individuals may seek an escape from their sleeplessness through the effects of substances, such as alcohol, sleeping pills, or other depressant drugs. An insomnia addict can struggle with depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues. Thus, the addiction worsens insomnia and the subsequent emotional battle the person experiences.

Soon this becomes an almost inescapable cycle, which can result in self-harm or even suicide. But relief is possible. And the qualified, compassionate team at Resurgence Behavioral Health can help you find the rest and freedom you deserve.

Effects of Dual Diagnosis Insomnia

Research shows that insomnia and addiction can have a “complex, bidirectional” relationship. These two mental health issues can quickly become linked – each worsening the impact of the other. This link places those who struggle with being an insomnia addict in a place of physical and psychological torment.

By itself, insomnia can be a serious health issue requiring medical attention. Chronic sleep deprivation can result in heart disease, heart failure, paranoia, impaired cognitive function, erratic behavior, high blood pressure, diabetes, and stroke. There is also an increased risk for serious, sometimes fatal accidents, such as machinery and automobile accidents.

These symptoms can lead to job loss, relationship issues, isolation, and an increased likelihood of addiction. Exhaustion and a desire to improve struggling relationships due to sleeplessness create desperation for help. But since insomnia requires a clinical diagnosis and may require extended treatment, some individuals may feel that self-medication is the best approach.

As a result, they may begin by taking an additional sleeping pill or drinking an alcoholic drink before bed. These behaviors may seem harmless at first and may even appear to result in a restful night. However, addiction, heartbreak, and increased emotional pain can happen as the effects of being an insomnia addict begin to spiral out of control.

Mental illness and Dual Diagnosis Insomnia

While genetic factors can increase the likelihood of experiencing insomnia, mental health issues are a known precursor to sleeplessness. Stress, depression, and recent trauma can all result in insomnia. And when the resulting insomnia is a dual diagnosis with substance abuse, these effects are magnified.

For example, alcohol is widely known to worsen depression, but it also worsens insomnia. While a “nightcap” may make it easier to fall asleep, it interferes with the body’s ability to engage in a deep sleep. Lack of deep sleep perpetuates the addicts’ struggle with sleep deprivation.  An individual may be reluctant to seek help for insomnia due to the stigma of mental health conditions.

This individual is unlikely to seek help as the effects of substance abuse addiction set in. Therefore it is easy for individuals who have insomnia to become trapped in a cycle of self-medication, denial, and sleep deprivation. These factors result in compromised health, undermined judgment, and serious medical consequences. But you do not have to suffer alone. Even the chains of dual diagnosis insomnia break with proper treatment and care.

Treatment for Dual Diagnosis with Insomnia

Insomnia is more than occasional sleeplessness. As a potentially serious medical condition, insomnia requires a professional diagnosis. If left untreated, insomnia can result in a variety of negative physical and emotional health consequences. However, with appropriate help, insomnia can be treated, as can any co-occurring conditions that worsen its effects.

Treatment for an insomnia addict can be highly involved and will likely require inpatient or intensive outpatient care. This care is required because, while insomnia is a sleep disorder, sleeplessness is part of a bigger physical and mental picture. Effective treatment requires a therapist first diagnose and treat the underlying causes of insomnia, which can be physical and psychological.

For example, insomnia caused by depression may entail working through the issues or incidents associated with depression. These can be traumatic incidents, as well as chemical balances that need stabilizing. This process may initially worsen symptoms before fixing the underlying causes.

Immediate Placement in Dual Diagnosis Rehab

With this in mind, those recovering from dual diagnosis insomnia will likely have a close, ongoing relationship with a treatment team. Any substance addictions will also need to be addressed, which may entail medical detoxification. This process will take place in a supervised setting and may take several days. However, clinicians’ presence will help ensure that the process takes place safely and without unnecessary discomfort.

After a successful detox, individuals are clear-headed and free from the chemical effects of any substances that contributed to insomnia, depression, and anxiety.   Additionally, prescription of non-addictive medications as well as behavioral interventions improves the restfulness of sleep. A trained counselor may teach behavioral interventions, such as relaxation therapy.

Those struggling with dual diagnosis insomnia can finally obtain the peace of mind they deserve when placed in the right environment. This environment includes proper support systems and empowering approaches to mental health, sleeplessness, and personal wellness.

Payment Information

Welcome to Resurgence Behavioral Health. We share your vision for a future free from addiction, and it is our goal to remove barriers to your recovery. At Resurgence, we believe you should be focused on your recovery, not worrying whether you can afford your treatment. And to help, we offer payment plans and options to fit almost any budget.

We accept most PPO insurance and private forms of payment and will even communicate with your insurance provider on your behalf. You can also pay for admission online. Call Resurgence Behavioral Health at 855-458-0050, and let your recovery begin.

How to Get Help

On behalf of all of us at Resurgence Behavioral Health, we are proud of you for taking the next step in your recovery. Your journey begins today, and you will not be alone. Dual diagnosis insomnia is painful, and our compassionate team understands that no two recovery stories are the same.

We respect your individuality and are ready to provide the time and attention you need to achieve health, wellness, and sobriety. Our experienced staff and caregivers understand what you are facing and will cheer for you along the way. With locations in Costa Mesa, Fountain Valley, Huntington Beach, and Fullerton Hills, and an Outpatient Campus, your recovery is closer than you think.

We assist with prescriptions, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to treat underlying thought patterns, and counseling to help with depression and sleeplessness. There are group therapies to help you experience support and many more strategies to help you achieve the recovery you deserve.

Our evidence-based programs will empower your recovery and help you finally rest easy. Call Resurgence today. Recovery awaits.