I’m looking for a therapist who can work with anxiety and substance use at the same time. I’ve tried focusing on one while ignoring the other, but that hasn’t worked very well. When my anxiety gets bad, I’m more likely to use, and then the using makes the anxiety and guilt worse.
I’m nervous about finding someone who won’t judge me or treat the substance use like it’s the only problem. I’d like help understanding the pattern, learning better ways to cope, and being honest about what’s actually happening. Has anyone found a good dual diagnosis therapist or treatment program?
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The anxiety leading to using, followed by more anxiety and guilt, sounds like a really difficult loop to break. It makes sense that treating only one side hasn’t helped much.
When you contact therapists, you could ask directly whether they provide integrated treatment for anxiety and substance use, and how they handle relapse or ongoing use. A good fit should be able to discuss both without making you feel shamed or reduced to one problem. Being honest about the pattern, like you said, can give them a much clearer place to start.
The part about guilt making the anxiety worse stood out to me. That can make it harder to be honest, even when honesty is exactly what would help a therapist understand the pattern.
When I was looking for help with overlapping problems, I found it useful to ask during the first call how they handle ongoing use and relapse. Their reaction told me a lot. If they sounded judgmental or only wanted to focus on one issue, I kept looking.