Condition · Texas
Substance Use and Mental Health in Texas
Substance use disorder is a pattern of use causing significant impairment or distress, ranging from mild to severe. It very frequently occurs alongside depression, anxiety, PTSD, and ADHD, and treating the two together produces better outcomes than treating either alone.
Clinically reviewed by Dr. Akinwande Akintola, MD · Last reviewed July 2026 · Next review January 2027
Understanding substance use disorder
Sequential treatment fails people. Being told to get sober before mental health treatment starts, or to stabilise mental health before addressing drinking, leaves most people stuck. Integrated treatment addresses both at once.
Some withdrawals are medically dangerous. Alcohol and benzodiazepine withdrawal can be life-threatening and require medical supervision. That is a detox and medical service, not something to attempt alone or through outpatient telehealth.
Severity varies widely, and so should the response. Not everyone needs residential rehabilitation; many people do well with outpatient treatment, medication for alcohol or opioid use disorder, and treatment of the mental health condition underneath.
Symptoms and when to seek an evaluation
- Using more, or for longer, than intended
- Repeated unsuccessful attempts to cut down
- Cravings and preoccupation with the next use
- Continuing despite consequences to health, work, or relationships
- Tolerance and withdrawal symptoms
- Drinking or using to manage anxiety, sleep, or low mood
Seek an evaluation when these symptoms have lasted for weeks, are getting worse, or are affecting your work, sleep, or relationships. If you are thinking about harming yourself, call or text 988 now.
What your first visit involves
- Substances used, quantity, frequency, and duration
- Withdrawal history, including seizures or delirium, which changes the setting of care
- Screening for depression, anxiety, PTSD, ADHD, and bipolar disorder
- Level-of-care decision: outpatient, intensive outpatient, or medically supervised detox
First appointments run longer than follow-ups so there is time to take a full history. You leave with a working diagnosis, a plan, and a follow-up date rather than a prescription and no explanation.
Therapy, psychiatry, and combined care
- Integrated treatment of mental health conditions alongside substance use
- Medication for alcohol use disorder where appropriate
- Referral for medically supervised withdrawal when it is required
- Coordination with intensive outpatient programmes and mutual-aid groups
- Relapse-prevention planning that treats lapses as clinical information
Therapy and psychiatry are delivered in-house by clinicians licensed in Texas and share one chart, so a prescriber and a therapist working with you are looking at the same notes. Many people do best with both.
What we do not treat here
- Lyte does not provide detoxification or medically supervised withdrawal
- We do not provide residential rehabilitation or intensive outpatient programmes
- Buprenorphine and methadone treatment for opioid use disorder is not provided at Lyte
Care options at Lyte
Clinicians who provide this care
Insurance and cost
Lyte is in network with several Texas plans, and coverage depends on your specific plan and benefits. We verify your benefits before the first visit so you know your expected cost in advance. See which plans we accept.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to be sober before mental health treatment?
No. Integrated treatment of both at once produces better outcomes than requiring sobriety first. That requirement is one of the most common reasons people never get treated at all.
Is it dangerous to stop drinking on my own?
It can be. Alcohol and benzodiazepine withdrawal can cause seizures and can be life-threatening. If you drink heavily every day, get medical advice before stopping rather than doing it alone.
Does Lyte provide detox or rehab?
No. We do not provide detoxification, residential rehabilitation, or opioid treatment programmes. We provide psychiatric assessment and treatment and coordinate referral to those services.
What if I relapse?
It is treated as clinical information, not as failure. Relapse is common in the course of recovery, and what matters is what the plan changes in response.
Related conditions
- Depression: depression alongside drinkingDepression and alcohol use maintain each other and are treated together.
- PTSD: using to manage trauma symptomsSelf-medication after trauma is common and changes the treatment sequence.
- Anxiety: drinking to take the edge offAlcohol relieves anxiety briefly and worsens it substantially over time.
- ADHD: ADHD and substance useUntreated ADHD raises substance use risk, and treatment planning must account for both.
- Bipolar Disorder: substance use during mood episodesUse often escalates during mania and complicates diagnosis.
This page is for general education and is not medical advice or a substitute for care from your own clinician. If you are in crisis, call or text 988 (the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline), and for a medical emergency call 911.
Book an integrated substance use and mental health assessment
Lyte Psychiatry sees patients by secure telehealth across Texas and in person at our Pantego clinic in the Dallas–Fort Worth area.
Book an appointment