NorthStar Regional

As experts in addiction treatment, our licensed professionals at NorthStar Regional understand that mental health problems are difficult to face, and some people turn to alcohol, drugs, or other behaviors to distract themselves or ease their pain. Continued use can lead to destructive habits, patterns, and addictions. Mental health problems and alcohol or drug related disorders often occur side-by-side. The mental health disorder and the substance abuse disorder interact with each other and commonly increase the severity of both. The term co-occurring disorder, also called a dual-diagnosis disorder, refers to having a mental health and substance use disorder at the same time. Substance use behaviors of any kind can be described as an intense effort to fill an underlying hunger. This is not a hunger for food or nourishment, but rather for comfort, approval, and a yearning to fill an emotional emptiness. The goal of alcohol or drug use is often to bring comfort to the sad and depressed, calm the anxious, and act as a distraction for the angry person. But the misuse of any substance or activity only brings temporary satisfaction. Addictions do not touch the important underlying emotional issues and can create long-term physical and mental health consequences, which is where our addiction treatment programs can help.