Dual Diagnosis Treatment in Boston
When substance use and mental health symptoms overlap, it can feel difficult to understand what’s driving either concern.
You might drink to alleviate anxiety, then wake up feeling more anxious. Maybe you take stimulants to help combat feelings of depression, but the comedown leaves you even more depressed than before.
Newton Recovery Center offers effective care for adults facing both addiction and mental health challenges. If you’re seeking Dual Diagnosis Treatment in Boston or elsewhere in Massachusetts, our outpatient programs in Newton can help you begin your personal recovery journey.
Call (617) 830-9005 to speak with our admissions team about dual diagnosis treatment near you.
What Is Dual Diagnosis?
Dual diagnosis means a person has both a substance use disorder and a mental health condition.
Clinicians also call these co-occurring disorders. Someone may experience depression alongside alcohol use disorder, for example, or post-traumatic stress disorder alongside opioid use disorder.
The relationship varies from person to person. Mental health symptoms can develop before substance use becomes a problem. Substance use can also contribute to psychiatric symptoms or make an existing condition harder to manage. Stress and trauma may contribute to both. An assessment helps clinicians understand your history and plan appropriate care.
Why Treat Mental Health and Substance Use Together?
Mental health concerns can influence cravings and the circumstances surrounding substance use. At the same time, alcohol or drugs can affect mood and sleep. Addressing both allows your treatment team to consider how these patterns connect and what support may help you change them.
For example, someone who drinks before social situations may need help managing anxiety alongside alcohol cravings. A person with trauma-related distress may benefit from learning safer ways to handle reminders of painful experiences. Integrated treatment brings these needs into a coordinated care plan.
Signs You May Need Dual Diagnosis Care
You may already have a mental health diagnosis and notice that alcohol or drug use has become harder to control. Perhaps you’ve sought addiction treatment before, but ongoing emotional distress continues to affect recovery. These experiences are worth discussing with a qualified clinician.
An evaluation may be helpful if any of these statements describe your experience:
- You frequently use alcohol or drugs to manage emotional distress.
- Your mental health symptoms worsen around periods of substance use.
- You continue using substances despite problems at work or home.
- You struggle to reduce substance use even when you want to.
- Cravings become stronger when you feel overwhelmed.
- Previous treatment helped with one concern while another continued affecting daily life.
Co-Occurring Conditions We Address
Newton Recovery Center provides outpatient care for adults experiencing mental health concerns alongside substance use disorders. Our team develops treatment plans around your symptoms and personal history.
- Depression and Substance Use: Care can address persistent low mood alongside patterns of alcohol or drug use.
- Anxiety and Substance Use: Treatment helps you examine how worry or panic affects your use of substances.
- Trauma and Substance Use: Therapy can explore how distressing experiences influence emotional responses and coping habits.
- Mood Disorders and Substance Use: Clinical care can address mood symptoms while considering the effects of alcohol or drugs.
What to Expect From an Assessment
Assessment gives your team a fuller understanding of your health and circumstances. Clinicians ask about mental health symptoms and substance use, including when each began. They also review previous treatment and current medications. Honest information helps the team evaluate safety and identify appropriate services.
Some symptoms overlap with intoxication or withdrawal, which can complicate diagnosis. Your team may revisit its understanding as treatment progresses. The assessment also considers your living environment and responsibilities, helping clinicians recommend a level of care that fits your current needs.
Outpatient Dual Diagnosis Treatment in Massachusetts
Newton Recovery Center offers several outpatient programs at our Newton facility. Each provides a different amount of treatment time. Your clinical needs guide the recommendation, and your team can adjust the plan as those needs change.
Day Treatment
Day treatment follows a partial hospitalization model and provides our most intensive outpatient schedule. Clients spend a substantial portion of the day participating in care, then return home or to an appropriate living environment. This program may suit adults who need frequent clinical support.
Intensive Outpatient Program
Our intensive outpatient program, or IOP, provides regular treatment with more flexibility than day treatment. Clients continue living outside the facility and practice coping skills between sessions. Your team can help you consider how program participation fits with work or other responsibilities.
Outpatient Treatment
Outpatient treatment offers scheduled care for adults who need less intensive support. It can serve as an initial treatment setting or provide continued care after day treatment or IOP. Appointments help you address challenges as you apply recovery skills in daily life.
Therapies Used in Dual Diagnosis Care
Your treatment plan may include individual counseling and clinician-led groups. Individual sessions give you space to address personal concerns. Groups offer opportunities to discuss shared challenges and practice skills with feedback.
CBT examines connections between thoughts and behavior, helping you recognize patterns that contribute to distress or substance use.
DBT teaches skills for managing intense emotions and responding more safely during difficult situations.
ACT helps you make choices that reflect your values while working with uncomfortable thoughts and feelings.
This approach addresses the continuing effects of distressing experiences according to your needs and readiness.
Addiction Specialists
Meet Our Team
Our licensed clinicians, counselors, and medical providers bring years of experience in addiction and mental health treatment, and they’re here to support you at every step of your care in Newton.
Michael Leggiero
Co-Founder
Pamela Sullivan, LADC
Clinician
Casey Burke, LADC-II, CADC, BBA
Program Director
Jessie Beaton, LMHC
Clinical Director
Medication and Psychiatric Support
Psychiatric services can help evaluate mental health symptoms and determine whether medication may support treatment. Providers consider your substance use history and potential interactions when making recommendations. Follow-up care allows them to assess your response and discuss side effects.
Family Involvement and Continuing Care
Co-occurring disorders can affect trust and communication at home. When appropriate and with your consent, family therapy gives loved ones a place to discuss those concerns. Sessions may help clarify boundaries and build a better understanding of recovery.
Continuing care supports the changes you practice during treatment. Your team can help identify warning signs and plan responses to stressful situations. Ongoing therapy may provide additional support as you resume responsibilities. Newton’s alumni programming also offers a way to maintain a connection with the recovery community.
Accessing Care Near Boston
Adults exploring Dual Diagnosis Treatment in Boston can contact admissions to discuss outpatient care at this location. Newton offers complimentary insurance verification to help clarify benefits and potential costs.
Outpatient care requires sufficient stability between sessions. If you may need medically supervised detox or a higher level of psychiatric care, seek a clinical evaluation before stopping substances abruptly.
Immediate medical danger calls for 911. For suicidal thoughts or emotional crisis support, call or text 988.
Insurance Accepted at Newton Recovery Center
Newton Recovery Center works with many major insurance plans, including Aetna, TRICARE, Carelon, Magellan, and Blue Cross Blue Shield. Our admissions team will verify your benefits for free and walk you through your coverage before you start.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Many Days a Week Is an IOP?
IOP commonly involves treatment several days each week, although the exact schedule depends on the program and a client’s clinical needs. Your treatment team can explain the expected attendance schedule before you begin.
How Many Hours a Day Is an Intensive Outpatient Program?
The number of hours can vary depending on the program schedule and services involved. IOP generally requires fewer treatment hours than day treatment while still providing regular clinical care throughout the week.
Can I Work While Attending IOP?
Many people choose IOP because it can make continuing work possible. Your ability to maintain a work schedule depends on the program hours, job responsibilities, treatment needs, and personal circumstances. Some people may need to adjust their hours while attending treatment.
Do I Live at Home During Intensive Outpatient Treatment?
Yes. IOP is an outpatient level of care, so clients live at home rather than at the treatment center. A safe and reasonably stable home environment is an important consideration when determining whether IOP is appropriate.
Do I Need Detox Before Starting IOP?
Not everyone needs detox before entering IOP. Whether detox is necessary depends on the substance used, frequency and amount of use, withdrawal history, and potential medical risks. People who may experience dangerous withdrawal should receive appropriate medical evaluation and detoxification before beginning IOP.
Does Insurance Cover IOP Programs in Massachusetts?
Many insurance plans offer coverage for addiction and mental health treatment, but benefits differ by policy. Newton Recovery Center can verify your insurance benefits and explain what your plan may cover before treatment starts.
How Many Days a Week Is an IOP?
IOP commonly involves treatment several days each week, although the exact schedule depends on the program and a client’s clinical needs. Your treatment team can explain the expected attendance schedule before you begin.
How Many Hours a Day Is an Intensive Outpatient Program?
The number of hours can vary depending on the program schedule and services involved. IOP generally requires fewer treatment hours than day treatment while still providing regular clinical care throughout the week.
Can I Work While Attending IOP?
Many people choose IOP because it can make continuing work possible. Your ability to maintain a work schedule depends on the program hours, job responsibilities, treatment needs, and personal circumstances. Some people may need to adjust their hours while attending treatment.
Do I Live at Home During Intensive Outpatient Treatment?
Yes. IOP is an outpatient level of care, so clients live at home rather than at the treatment center. A safe and reasonably stable home environment is an important consideration when determining whether IOP is appropriate.
Do I Need Detox Before Starting IOP?
Not everyone needs detox before entering IOP. Whether detox is necessary depends on the substance used, frequency and amount of use, withdrawal history, and potential medical risks. People who may experience dangerous withdrawal should receive appropriate medical evaluation and detoxification before beginning IOP.
Does Insurance Cover IOP Programs in Massachusetts?
Many insurance plans offer coverage for addiction and mental health treatment, but benefits differ by policy. Newton Recovery Center can verify your insurance benefits and explain what your plan may cover before treatment starts.
