WhiteSands Alcohol and Drug Rehab Helps Raise Awareness for Mental Health Awareness Month

Tampa, Florida -

Tampa, FL - Each year in May, organizations and individuals across the country join forces for Mental Health Awareness Month. Established in 1949 by Mental Health America, Mental Health Awareness Month brings a wide range of affiliates together to reach out to millions of Americans through media, health screenings, and local events. The goals of Mental Health Awareness Month include raising awareness of the prevalence of mental health issues in America, providing resources to help people address their mental health, and working to break the stigma around discussing mental health and seeking treatment for it.

Nearly one in five Americans live with a mental health disorder like anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or post-traumatic stress disorder. In 2021 the Covid-19 pandemic has only made matters worse. Social isolation, grief, sickness, job loss, financial strain, food instability and the general disruption of people’s daily lives has significantly impacted the mental health of millions of Americans.

People experiencing mental health challenges are also far more likely to develop alcohol or drug addiction. Recent data shows that 7.7 million adults have co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders. This doesn’t necessarily mean that one condition causes the other. Mental health and substance abuse intersect in multiple ways.

Alcohol and drugs can cause people who abuse them to experience symptoms of mental health conditions. Mental health issues can lead people to use drugs and alcohol in an attempt to cope, or “self-medicate”. And mental health disorders and substance use disorders share many of the same underlying causes such as traumatic life experiences, genetic factors, and changes in brain composition.

WhiteSands Alcohol and Drug Rehab in Tampa is proud to join forces with those working to break the stigma and raise awareness around mental health this May. WhiteSands is an addiction treatment center that provides specialized dual diagnosis treatment for individuals suffering from co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders. Dual diagnosis treatment addresses mental health and substance abuse at the same time, helping to heal the root causes of both conditions so that patients can achieve lasting change.

Many people with dual diagnoses are unaware that they’re coping with a mental health condition. Either their mental health disorder has gone undiagnosed or has been misdiagnosed in the past. WhiteSands maintains board-certified psychiatrists on staff who perform a detailed assessment and make a proper diagnosis when a patient first arrives for treatment. If a mental health condition is diagnosed it will be treated. In some cases medication is appropriate, in all cases, psychotherapy and cognitive behavioral therapy help clients cultivate better mental health.

WhiteSands also provides educational programs for patients and their families to better understand the connection between mood disorders and alcohol or drug addiction. Helping facilitate conversations in a safe and healing environment helps families process and move through the pain caused by substance use disorder.

A strong and supportive aftercare program also helps clients make a smooth transition back into daily life without returning to drugs and alcohol. Staying connected to a strong support network and the sober community helps WhiteSands patients succeed long term.

For anyone who has noticed signs of a mental health disorder, addiction, or both, WhiteSands is available to help. Their professionally trained team members can answer questions about their dual diagnosis treatment program, their philosophy, and the therapy options they offer. Call (877) 640-7820 or find them online at www.whitesandstreatment.com.