Comprehensive treatment for addiction and co-occurring mental health disorders in Houston, Texas. Our dual diagnosis program supports individuals experiencing substance use challenges alongside conditions such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, or bipolar disorder. Learn about our best addiction treatment programs in Houston and how integrated care can support lifelong healing.
What Is Dual Diagnosis?
Dual diagnosis occurs when a person experiences both a substance use disorder and a mental health condition at the same time. These co-occurring disorders influence one another, often worsening symptoms if left untreated. Effective recovery requires addressing both conditions together through integrated, evidence-based care.
Common co-occurring disorders include anxiety, ADHD, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, personality disorders, eating disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). For individuals experiencing depression, explore our guides on high-functioning depression and treatment for major depression.
Common co-occurring disorders include (but are not limited to):
- ADD/ADHD
- Anxiety disorders
- Bipolar disorders and other mood disorders
- Depressive disorders
- Eating disorders
- Personality disorders
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
What Causes Dual Diagnosis?
Dual diagnosis often develops when a person attempts to cope with untreated or poorly managed mental health symptoms on their own. Many individuals turn to alcohol or drugs to relieve anxiety, depression, trauma-related distress, or other overwhelming emotions. This pattern of self-medication may offer temporary relief, but over time it reinforces dependence and creates a cycle that worsens both conditions.
When substance use and mental health challenges occur together, each condition intensifies the other. For example, untreated depression may increase the urge to use substances, while substance use can deepen depressive symptoms. To learn more about how depression presents, explore our guide on high-functioning depression.
Because both conditions interact, healing requires an integrated dual diagnosis program—one that stabilizes mental health, reduces substance use, and addresses the underlying emotional, behavioral, and environmental factors contributing to both.
What Do Dual Diagnosis Treatment Centers Do?
Dual diagnosis treatment centers provide integrated care that addresses both substance use disorders and mental health conditions at the same time. Because these conditions interact and intensify one another, treating them separately is rarely effective. An integrated approach ensures that clients receive comprehensive support for the emotional, behavioral, and neurological factors contributing to both conditions.
At The Heights Treatment, each client receives an individualized treatment plan that considers their unique symptoms, history, and goals. Our clinicians use evidence-based therapies to stabilize mental health, reduce substance use, and build long-term coping skills. Treatment may include modalities such as CBT, DBT, neurofeedback, mindfulness-based interventions, and trauma-informed care.
For individuals exploring which level of care may be the best fit, learn more about our addiction treatment programs in Houston.
What Does Dual Diagnosis Treatment Look Like at the Heights Treatment?
At The Heights Treatment, we believe that each person must be self-empowered to overcome harmful behaviors and addiction. That’s why every one of our programs is created specifically for each individual in our care. Your treatment plan is tailored to your specific needs so that you have the absolute best chance at lifelong healing.
We treat the following disorders at our dual diagnosis recovery center:
Alcohol Addiction
Alcohol addiction often develops when individuals use alcohol to cope with symptoms of anxiety, depression, trauma, or overwhelming stress. Over time, the brain begins relying on alcohol for emotional regulation, leading to dependence. Our dual diagnosis program provides structured support, evidence-based therapy, and medical coordination to help you safely reduce alcohol use and address the underlying emotional causes of addiction.
Gambling Addiction
Gambling addiction is a behavioral addiction driven by the brain’s reward system. As cravings for risk and excitement intensify, gambling can interfere with finances, relationships, and daily functioning. Our clinical team helps clients understand the emotional roots of compulsive behavior while building healthier coping strategies and reducing impulsive patterns.
Love & Sex Addiction
Love and sex addiction involves compulsive patterns surrounding intimacy, relationships, or sexual behavior. These behaviors often develop as a way to avoid emotional discomfort or fulfill unmet needs. Treatment focuses on healthy boundaries, attachment patterns, emotional regulation, and repairing the impact on self-esteem and relationships.
Technology Addiction
Technology addiction may include compulsive social media use, gaming, internet dependency, or excessive device engagement. While technology is part of modern life, unhealthy use can fuel anxiety, isolation, and emotional dysregulation. Our program helps clients build healthier digital habits and address the underlying mental health factors contributing to overuse.
Co-occuring Mental Health Disorders
Many clients turn to drugs or alcohol to cope with untreated mental health symptoms such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, or bipolar disorder. When substance use becomes a primary coping mechanism, both conditions worsen. Our dual diagnosis treatment team stabilizes mental health through evidence-based therapy, holistic approaches, and structured support while guiding clients through safe recovery from substance use.
Evidence-Based Modalities for Dual Diagnosis Treatment
At The Heights Treatment, our dual diagnosis programs use evidence-based therapies backed by clinical research to help clients heal both substance use disorders and co-occurring mental health conditions. Because no two individuals experience addiction or mental health challenges in the same way, our therapists use a combination of individual counseling, group therapy, and specialized modalities tailored to each person’s needs.
Our integrated, holistic approach allows clients to build emotional resilience, develop healthier coping strategies, and create lasting changes in both thoughts and behaviors. Each therapy listed below plays a vital role in supporting long-term recovery and strengthening mental wellness. To learn more about how structured treatment programs work, explore our guide to the best addiction treatment programs in Houston.
Our therapies include:
We address the root causes of emotional distress, helping clients stabilize their mood, improve daily functioning, and build long-term mental wellness.
Specialized therapies help reduce depressive symptoms, regulate mood, and provide healthy coping skills. Many clients benefit from exploring high-functioning depression patterns.
We help clients understand triggers, reduce physical symptoms of anxiety, and develop strategies to improve emotional regulation and daily comfort.
Trauma-informed care supports clients in processing past experiences safely, reducing emotional reactivity, and building resilience.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) helps resolve trauma by reducing emotional distress associated with painful memories.
Therapy for families strengthens communication, repairs relationships, and builds healthier support systems for long-term recovery.
DBT teaches emotional regulation, distress tolerance, mindfulness, and interpersonal effectiveness skills for greater stability and balance.
CBT helps clients identify harmful thought patterns and replace them with healthier, more adaptive beliefs and behaviors.
Neurofeedback helps improve brain function by training neural pathways associated with attention, mood regulation, and emotional stability.
Working with horses promotes emotional awareness, trust-building, and grounding skills. It is particularly effective for trauma and anxiety.
Creative expression helps clients process emotions, reduce stress, and connect with inner experiences that may be difficult to verbalize.
Mindfulness practices encourage presence, reduce anxiety, and support emotional regulation throughout the recovery journey.
FAQs About Anxiety Disorder Treatment
We’ve answered some of your most common questions anxiety disorder treatment:
What is the most effective treatment for dual diagnosis?
There is no definitive answer to what the most effective treatment is for people struggling with dual diagnosis. Everyone’s path to healing is different. Many individuals who suffer from co-occurring mental illness and addiction find that they heal best with Art Therapy while others find that EMDR or family therapy is the most beneficial.
Your care team will monitor your progress closely and work with you to ensure that you are getting the most out of your therapies.
Is There a Cure for Dual Diagnosis?
There is no “cure” for dual diagnosis. Healing from dual diagnosis takes a multitude of treatment modalities and commitment to long-term healing. It is important to note that some mental health conditions can be overcome while others can be managed. Conditions like bipolar disorder or schizophrenia can be managed and treated but do not entirely go away.
Should I Live in Sober Living or at Home During Drug or Alcohol Rehab?
You should live in the place that is most conducive to your healing. While many patients choose to stay in sober living throughout treatment, if you feel more comfortable at home or cannot commit to living in sober housing, speak with your family members to ensure that your home is a recovery-positive environment.
What are Some Symptoms of Dual Diagnosis?
If you have a mental health issue that you have been managing by self-medicating with drugs or alcohol and cannot stop at will, you might be diagnosed with co-occurring addiction and mental health disorder.
If you find yourself struggling with either your mental health care, drug dependency or alcohol abuse, seek substance abuse treatment before either condition worsens.
What’s the Difference Between Residential Treatment and Outpatient Care?
Residential treatment, also known as inpatient care, requires patients to stay in the facility 24 hours per day throughout the duration of their treatment. An outpatient rehab center allows patients to live in their own homes or in sober living and attend therapies during the day.
Will My Insurance Cover a Rehab Program?
Many major insurance plans will cover addiction and mental health disorder treatment. When you speak to one of our admissions specialists, we will contact your insurance provider to discover your benefits.
Is Dual Diagnosis Treatment Better Than a Support Group?
Independent support groups are a fantastic complement to outpatient treatment, however, it is important to note that not all support groups are managed by experienced clinicians, whereas dual diagnosis disorder centers are. If you join a support group as an additional means of support and recovery, do your research or speak with your care team for recommendations.
The Heights: Dual Diagnosis Treatment Programs for Lifelong Healing
If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with addiction and a co-occuring disorder, you are not alone. At The Heights Treatment, we’re here to help you overcome drug addiction, alcohol addiction, and co-occurring mental health conditions.
There is a better way to live. Hope for the future begins at The Heights Treatment. Call and speak with our admissions specialists today.
