Many people in Spokane Valley live with more than one mental health condition at the same time. When two or more mental health disorders happen together, this is known as co occurring disorders or a dual diagnosis.
These conditions can affect each other, making symptoms feel stronger or harder to understand.
Someone may think, “Why do I feel anxious and depressed at the same time?” or “Why do my panic attacks get worse when my mood drops?” These situations are common. When two conditions overlap, stress can increase, daily tasks can become harder, and people may struggle to understand what is happening.
This guide explains co-occurring disorders examples, the signs to look for, why dual diagnosis care matters, and how treatment at We Level Up Washington can help people feel more stable and supported.
What Are Co-Occurring Disorders?
Co-occurring disorders happen when someone has two or more mental health conditions at the same time. These conditions are not separate. Instead, they interact with each other, affecting thoughts, emotions, behaviors, and stress levels.
Some common combinations include:
- Depression + anxiety
- PTSD + depression
- OCD + anxiety
- Bipolar disorder + anxiety
- ADHD + anxiety
- Eating disorders + depression
These combinations are some of the most common co-occurring disorders examples, and they affect many people across all ages and backgrounds.
Co-occurring disorders are not a sign of weakness. They simply show that the brain is dealing with more than one challenge at once.
Why Co-Occurring Disorders Happen
No single cause explains why co-occurring disorders develop, but there are several common reasons.
1. Shared Risk Factors
Many mental health conditions share the same root causes, such as:
- Stress
- Trauma
- Genetics
- Childhood challenges
- Brain chemistry
Because these factors overlap, it is common for more than one condition to appear at the same time.
2. One Condition Can Trigger Another
For example:
- Long-term anxiety may lead to depression.
- PTSD can cause panic attacks.
- OCD may create feelings of hopelessness.
When symptoms grow stronger, a second disorder may develop.
3. The Brain Responds to Stress in Multiple Ways
Stress affects mood, sleep, thoughts, appetite, and energy. When stress is long-term, different mental health symptoms can appear at once.
4. Conditions Can Mask Each Other
Someone may think they only have anxiety, when depression is also present. Another person may think they have ADHD, when anxiety makes focus harder.
These overlapping symptoms make dual diagnosis important for accurate treatment.
Common Co-Occurring Disorders Examples
Below are the most common co-occurring disorders examples, written in simple English.
1. Depression + Anxiety
This is the most common combination. People may feel:
- Sad and worried at the same time
- Low energy
- Trouble sleeping
- Physical tension
- Feelings of dread
These conditions often increase each other’s symptoms.
2. PTSD + Depression
People with PTSD may feel:
- Flashbacks
- Nightmares
- Low mood
- Hopelessness
- Strong emotional pain
Trauma can make sadness, fear, and withdrawal grow stronger.
3. OCD + Anxiety
OCD thoughts increase anxiety, and anxiety increases OCD behaviors. People may feel stuck in a cycle of:
- Repetitive actions
- Fearful thoughts
- Worry that will not go away
4. Bipolar Disorder + Anxiety
People may experience:
- Panic attacks
- Worry during mood shifts
- Trouble calming their thoughts
- Strong emotional swings
Anxiety often appears before or during mood episodes.
5. ADHD + Anxiety
ADHD can cause:
- Trouble focusing
- Restlessness
- Feeling overwhelmed
Anxiety may appear when tasks feel too hard or stress builds.
6. Eating Disorders + Depression
People may feel:
- Sadness
- Low self-worth
- Anxiety about food or body image
- Trouble eating regularly
Depression often increases the emotional pain behind eating disorders. These examples show how co occurring disorders affect daily life.
How Co-Occurring Disorders Affect Daily Life
When multiple conditions happen together, symptoms can overlap and become confusing. People may notice:
- Trouble focusing
- Feeling “on edge”
- Low energy
- Feeling hopeless
- Panic or worry
- Sleep problems
- Trouble controlling emotions
- Difficulty keeping relationships
- Feeling overwhelmed easily
- Avoiding social situations
Life may feel harder because one condition increases the symptoms of another.
Why Dual Diagnosis Care Is Important
Treating only one condition may not work if another condition is also present. For example:
- Treating anxiety alone will not help depression.
- Treating depression alone will not fix PTSD flashbacks.
- Treating ADHD alone will not reduce anxiety.
This is why dual diagnosis and treatment is essential. When treatment focuses on both conditions at the same time, people see better results.
Dual diagnosis care helps people:
- Understand their symptoms
- Learn how conditions interact
- Build healthy coping skills
- Reduce stress
- Improve daily function
- Create more stability
- Prevent relapse of symptoms
At We Level Up Washington, treatment includes support for both conditions together.
How Dual Diagnosis Treatment Works
Dual diagnosis care focuses on healing both disorders at the same time. Treatment is personalized to match each person’s needs.
1. Assessment
A therapist or mental-health provider talks with the person about:
- Symptoms
- History
- Daily challenges
- Stress
- Trauma
- Current needs
This helps create a clear picture of both mental health conditions.
2. Therapy
Therapy helps people understand their symptoms and learn healthier ways to cope. It may include:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Emotion regulation skills
- Trauma therapy
- Anxiety management tools
- Depression support
- Mindfulness techniques
- Communication skills
Therapy is a key part of dual diagnosis and treatment.
3. Medication Support
Some people benefit from medication that helps:
- Reduce anxiety
- Improve mood
- Stabilize emotions
- Improve sleep
Medication depends on the person’s needs and is not required for everyone.
4. Daily Skills Training
People learn how to:
- Manage stress
- Create healthy routines
- Improve sleep
- Build confidence
- Set personal goals
These skills make recovery stronger.
5. Group Support
Group therapy provides connection and understanding from others who face similar struggles.
6. Aftercare Planning
Support continues after treatment through:
- Outpatient therapy
- Support groups
- Skill-building tools
- Wellness planning
Aftercare helps people feel safe and supported long-term.
Benefits of Dual Diagnosis Treatment
Dual diagnosis care helps people:
✔ Understand their conditions
Knowing how disorders interact reduces confusion.
✔ Reduce symptom intensity
Treating both conditions together improves long-term outcomes.
✔ Learn coping skills
Skills help reduce stress and emotional pain.
✔ Improve emotional balance
People begin to feel more stable and calm.
✔ Strengthen relationships
Better communication improves family and social connections.
✔ Build healthier routines
Healthy habits reduce triggers and increase support.
✔ Create long-term stability
Dual diagnosis care helps prevent symptom relapse.
Signs You May Need Dual Diagnosis Treatment
A person may need treatment for co occurring disorders if:
- Symptoms feel confusing
- Mood changes often
- Anxiety feels constant
- Depression feels heavy
- Trauma symptoms increase
- Anger or irritability becomes frequent
- Relationships are difficult
- Daily tasks feel too hard
- Sleep is disrupted
- Thoughts feel overwhelming
If more than one condition is affecting daily life, treatment can help.
How We Level Up Washington Helps
We Level Up Washington provides supportive mental health treatment for people experiencing multiple mental health conditions. Care is personalized and focused on helping clients feel safe, understood, and stable.
Our treatment includes:
The goal is long-term emotional balance and a healthier future.
- Dual diagnosis assessment
- Therapy for anxiety, depression, PTSD, OCD, and more
- Support for emotional regulation
- Tools for managing stress
- Coping skill development
- Daily groups and structured routines
- Medication support (when needed)
- Aftercare planning
FAQs About Co-Occurring Disorders
1. What are co-occurring disorders examples?
These include depression + anxiety, PTSD + depression, OCD + anxiety, ADHD + anxiety, and eating disorders + depression.
2. What is dual diagnosis?
Dual diagnosis is when someone has two or more mental health conditions at the same time.
3. Why do co occurring disorders happen?
They often share causes like trauma, genetics, or stress.
4. How do you treat co-occurring disorders?
With therapy, coping tools, medication support, and structured daily routines.
5. Can someone recover from dual diagnosis?
Yes. With the right care and support, people often see major improvements.
6. Is dual diagnosis and treatment different from regular therapy?
Yes. It treats both conditions together, not separately.
7. Does We Level Up Washington offer dual diagnosis care?
Yes. The program supports clients with co-occurring mental health conditions.
8. Who should get help?
Anyone who feels overwhelmed by more than one set of symptoms.
External Resources
- National Institute of Mental Health – Anxiety Disorders
- National Institute of Mental Health – Depression
- National Institute of Mental Health – PTSD
- National Institute of Mental Health – OCD
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – Mental Health
Take the First Step Toward Support
If you or someone you care about is living with more than one mental health condition, you do not have to manage it alone. Co-occurring disorders are common, and help is available. We Level Up Washington offers care that supports emotional balance, coping skills, and long-term stability.
To learn more or speak with our team, call (844) 597-1011 or contact us online. Support is available whenever you are ready.
