Living with constant worry, stress, or fear is exhausting. When you’re also struggling with substance use, it can feel like there's no way out. If this feels familiar, know that you're not alone, and there is a way forward. Anxiety and addiction can be connected, each making the other worse. Spring Grove Recovery provides co-occurring anxiety treatment to help you overcome addiction and manage anxiety at the same time. Our Colorado Springs center is a place to start a new beginning rooted in hope.
Understanding co-occurring anxiety and addiction
When you have both an anxiety disorder and a substance use disorder, you have co-occurring disorders or a dual diagnosis. It’s very common (around 17% of people in one study had both), and it’s not a sign of weakness or a personal failing.
How anxiety and substance use fuel each other
For many, substance use begins as a way to cope. The intense discomfort of anxiety—the racing thoughts, the pounding heart, the sense of dread—can lead you to use alcohol or drugs to find temporary relief. This is often called self-medication. While a substance might seem to quiet the anxiety for a short time, it almost always makes it worse in the long run.
As the substance wears off, you can experience rebound anxiety that is even more intense than before. You might try to use more to find relief again, creating a dangerous and exhausting cycle. Over time, your brain will become dependent on the substance, leading to addiction, while the underlying anxiety gets worse.
Signs of co-occurring anxiety
It can be hard to see where anxiety ends and substance use begins. Here are some common signs that you might be struggling with both:
- Using alcohol or drugs to manage feelings of worry, panic, or fear in social situations.
- Feeling a surge of anxiety, irritability, or panic as the effects of a substance wear off.
- Finding it difficult to keep up with work, school, or family responsibilities due to both anxiety and substance use.
- Experiencing withdrawal symptoms that include heightened anxiety, restlessness, or panic attacks.
- Needing to use more of a substance to get the same anxiety-relieving effect you once felt.
You're not alone. Call us for help in Colorado Springs.
Why integrated treatment matters for dual diagnosis
If you've gotten treatment before, you might have been told to get sober first, then address your anxiety later. We know this approach is far less effective. Treating both conditions at the same time, in the same place, by the same team, is the gold standard of care. This is called integrated treatment.
The evidence for dual diagnosis treatment
Research clearly shows that an integrated approach leads to better adherence to treatment. When you receive coordinated care for both anxiety and addiction, you also have a greater chance of reducing substance use, improving your mental health, and building a strong foundation for long-term recovery. It’s about healing the whole person, not just treating separate symptoms.
Our approach to co-occurring anxiety treatment
At Spring Grove Recovery, our entire program is built on a foundation of integrated, person-centered care. Here’s how we approach your care:
Comprehensive evaluation:
Your journey begins with a thorough and compassionate assessment. We take the time to listen to your story and understand your unique history, symptoms, and goals.
Differential diagnosis:
Our experts carefully determine the nature of your anxiety. We distinguish between substance-induced anxiety and a pre-existing anxiety disorder to create a better treatment plan.
Personalized care plan:
We'll work with you to create a tailored treatment plan with clear, measurable goals. This is your roadmap to recovery, and you are a partner in its creation every step of the way.
Medication management:
Our on-site psychiatric team can prescribe and manage medications to help stabilize your anxiety, allowing you to engage more fully in therapy.
Individual and group therapy:
You’ll participate in therapies that address the thought patterns and behaviors behind both anxiety and addiction.
Stress management & self-care:
We teach you practical, real-world skills for managing stress, regulating your emotions, and building resilience.
Integrated relapse prevention:
Our strategies address triggers for both anxiety and substance use, equipping you to handle challenges without returning to old habits.
Care coordination:
Your multidisciplinary team—including therapists, psychiatrists, nurses, and case managers—works together, ensuring you receive seamless care.
Skills and therapies that create lasting change
Our co-occurring anxiety treatment program uses therapies to teach you skills that empower you to manage your anxiety and maintain sobriety long after you leave our care.
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT): Identify, challenge, and change the negative thinking patterns that fuel both anxiety and the urge to use substances.
- Motivational interviewing: Connect with your own internal motivation for change, empowering you to take ownership of your recovery journey.
- Distress tolerance skills: Learn how to navigate overwhelming emotions and intense cravings without feeling like you have to turn to substances for relief.
- Interpersonal skills: Build healthier communication habits and repair relationships that may have been damaged by addiction and anxiety.
- Cognitive restructuring: Challenge and reframe anxious thoughts, reducing their power over you.
- Behavioral activation: Re-engage in positive, rewarding activities that can combat the avoidance and isolation that often come with anxiety.
- Relapse prevention: Develop a specific, actionable plan to identify and cope with triggers for both conditions.
What to expect on your journey to healing
1. Admissions
Your journey begins with a simple, confidential phone call. Our caring admissions coordinators will listen to your story, answer your questions, and verify your insurance benefits.
2. Levels of care
Your path may start with medically supervised detox, where our team will help you manage withdrawal symptoms safely and comfortably. From there, you will move into our inpatient residential program, an immersive therapeutic environment where you can focus completely on your healing.
3. A multidisciplinary team
During your stay, you’ll be supported by a team of professionals who collaborate on your care. This includes your primary therapist, psychiatric providers, registered nurses, and case managers, all working together for you.
4. Planning for a life in recovery
From day one, we are focused on your future success. We use outcome monitoring to track your progress and adjust your care plan as needed. Before you leave, we'll create a comprehensive aftercare plan to ensure a smooth transition. You will also gain access to our supportive alumni community, connecting you with peers who understand your journey.
Ready to take the first step? Our admissions team is available 24/7.
We're committed to high standards
Our team is dedicated to providing a safe, respectful, and effective environment for your healing.
- Licensed & accredited: Spring Grove Recovery is licensed by the state of Colorado and accredited by The Joint Commission, a symbol of our commitment to the highest national standards in healthcare.
- Experienced dual diagnosis providers: Our clinicians are not just addiction experts; they specialize in treating co-occurring disorders, providing the expert care you need.
- Culturally inclusive & compassionate: We are proud to offer a welcoming and affirming environment for people from all walks of life, identities, and backgrounds.
Frequently asked questions
It is integrated. Instead of treating your addiction and anxiety separately, our team addresses both in a coordinated way. Your therapy, medication, and wellness activities are all designed to heal you as a whole person.
Yes. Our on-site psychiatric team can perform a full evaluation and, if appropriate, prescribe and manage medications to help control your anxiety symptoms as part of your comprehensive treatment plan.
The length of treatment is not a one-size-fits-all timeline. It is personalized based on your unique clinical needs and the progress you make on your recovery goals. Most people spend about 30 days in our residential program.
Our inpatient residential program requires a full-time commitment to allow you to fully immerse yourself in the healing process. Our team can provide the necessary documentation for you to take medical leave from work or school, and your aftercare plan will support you in your return to daily life.
It's time to find your path to peace
You don't have to live in the exhausting cycle of anxiety and addiction any longer. Recovery is possible, and a calmer, healthier future is within reach. Spring Grove Recovery is here to listen to your story and guide you on the path forward. All it takes is one confidential call.
