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When individuals suffer from addiction and co-occurring mental health disorders, treatment for both becomes a challenge. This is largely due to the double impact of alcohol or drug cravings compounded by a desire to feel “normal”. If the cravings are reduced to a level where they are no longer a trigger, this can greatly improve chances for successful therapy.

Tarzana Treatment Centers has found success in treating dual diagnosis sufferers with Vivitrol. This monthly Naltrexone injection reduces cravings for alcohol or opiates, like heroin or prescription drugs. Patients eligible for Vivitrol treatment have experienced longer terms of sobriety, making therapy more effective.

Substance use and mental health disorders can be difficult to treat on their own. When they co-occur with an individual, both need to be treated as primary problems. Each disorder will work against treatment of the other. So treatment must be equally focused on both disorders or patients will almost certainly fall into a cycle of chronic relapses. They must remain sober and clear-headed during therapy and, at the same time, resist the psychological urge to self-medicate with alcohol or drugs.

Providing medications to treat mental health disorders only works as long as patients are willing to take them. Even if they do take them and begin to feel better, they may decide that they can handle a drink or go back to using drugs. Relapses hinder therapy for mental health disorders because patients might disappear for some time or, at least, they won’t be able to focus on the core issues that make them abuse alcohol or opiates.

Vivitrol is highly effective in this area due to the fact that it only needs to be administered once every 30 days. Patients don’t need to think about it. And, once they get the injection, they can’t decide to stop taking it after a few days. A window of 30 days is open to the patient and therapist where they can make great strides in the work they need to do. And when patients see progress in those 30 days, they are more likely to continue with the monthly injections.

Tarzana Treatment Centers has seen patients achieve several months of sobriety and improved lives after Vivitrol treatment, when they had previously struggled to stay clean and sober for only a couple of weeks. Please contact us today for more information.

Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles provides a full array of health care services including adult and youth alcohol and drug treatment. We specialize in treatment for mental health and substance use disorders, and have two primary medical care clinics in the San Fernando Valley and Antelope Valley and specialized services for HIV/AIDS care. If you or a loved one needs help with alcohol dependence, drug addiction, or co-occurring mental health disorders or from other services we offer, please call us now at 888-777-8565 or contact us using our secure contact form.

Telemedicine services are also available with online medical care, online mental health treatment, and online alcohol and drug treatment.

Tarzana Treatment Centers has locations all over Southern California in Los Angeles County. Other than our central location in Tarzana, we have facilities in Lancaster in the Antelope Valley, Long Beach, and in Northridge and Reseda in the San Fernando Valley.