Mental Health Treatment for Co-Occurring Substance Use in Orange County
Stillwater Behavioral Health Center is a mental health treatment center — our clinical focus is depression, anxiety, trauma, and related conditions. For some clients, those conditions are connected to substance use. When that's the case, we treat both together as dual diagnosis, in a track kept separate from clients who are managing mental health conditions alone.
Two Distinct Types of Care
Clients come to Stillwater with different needs, and we don't group them together by default. Broadly, we see two different situations:
- Multiple mental health conditions — Some clients are managing more than one mental health condition at once, such as depression and anxiety, or depression alongside another diagnosis, with no substance use component involved.
- A mental health condition and substance use — Other clients are managing a mental health condition connected to substance use, such as depression paired with substance use. This is what's clinically referred to as dual diagnosis.
These are treated as separate populations. Every client is placed based on a clinical assessment, so treatment — and who they're in the room with — reflects what's actually going on for them.
Find out if your insurance will cover the cost of treatment.
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What Is Dual Diagnosis?
Dual diagnosis refers specifically to a mental health condition occurring alongside substance use — for example, depression combined with substance use, rather than depression combined with another mental health condition like anxiety. The two are often connected: substances may be used to self-medicate emotional pain, and substance use itself can worsen or trigger mental health symptoms. At Stillwater Behavioral Health, dual diagnosis clients receive integrated treatment for both conditions together.
Common Signs of Co-Occurring Disorders
- Using alcohol or drugs to cope with anxiety, depression, or trauma symptoms
- Mental health symptoms that worsen or resurface during substance use or withdrawal
- Difficulty stopping substance use despite wanting to
- Previous treatment for one issue (mental health or substance use) without lasting improvement
- Escalating substance use alongside declining mood or functioning
How We Treat Dual Diagnosis
Dual diagnosis treatment addresses both conditions simultaneously, in a track kept separate from clients managing mental health conditions alone. The right level of care depends on how much support you need day to day:
PHP for dual diagnosis
For clients needing the most structured, daily support.
IOP for dual diagnosis
For clients needing significant support while maintaining daily responsibilities.
Outpatient therapy
For ongoing, integrated support at a lower frequency.
Where Treatment Takes Place
Care is provided at our Costa Mesa facility, serving clients throughout Orange County.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will my loved one be treated alongside clients with active substance use issues?
No. Clients managing multiple mental health conditions are kept separate from clients in dual diagnosis care. Every client is placed based on a clinical assessment, so your loved one's group sessions reflect their specific needs.
Is dual diagnosis treatment different from regular mental health treatment?
Yes — dual diagnosis treatment addresses mental health and substance use together, in a track kept separate from clients whose care doesn't involve substance use.
What if I'm not sure whether substance use is part of the picture?
That's exactly what the clinical assessment is for. You don't need to have it figured out beforehand — our team will help identify what's actually going on.