Dual Diagnosis Treatment

Dual diagnosis treatment is a comparably new innovation in the field of substance rehabilitation. Dual diagnosis is the term used for co-occurring mental illness and substance abuse problems. Drug rehab centers often address these complex cases with specialized care.

Dual diagnosis covers a broad range. It can range from a person developing mild depression because of alcohol consumption or a person who has symptoms of bipolar disorder abusing drugs more relentlessly during periods of mania. Normally dual diagnosis patients use substances while facing other personal problems like alcohol addiction.

• Personality disorders
• Depression
• Anxiety disorders
• Schizophrenia

Risk Factors for Dual Diagnosis

Some people have generally greater risk factors for dual diagnosis. Some of the risk factors known for dual diagnosis include:

• Genetic vulnerabilities to either a mental illness or addiction: These coincidental genetic vulnerabilities can make a person inclined to dual diagnosis, or can raise a person’s risk of developing secondary problems when the initial one appears.
• Environmental triggers: Exposure to traumatic experiences or stress can lead to both addiction and mental problems.
• Brain disorders: Parts of the brain that respond to stress or chemical compensation may not function well and could make people susceptible to addiction.
• Life stages: Both mental illness and addictions commonly manifest during adolescence when the brain is quickly changing. Adding drugs and alcohol to the mix can do more damage and leads to mental illness.

Common Symptoms of Dual Diagnosis

The deciding characteristics of dual diagnosis are that both a mental illness and substance abuse disorder develop simultaneously. Because there can be numerous combinations of disorders that can emerge, the symptoms of dual diagnosis differ widely. Some common symptoms of substance abuse may include:

• Unusual change in behavior
• Social disengagement
• Use of substance under threatening conditions
• Engaging in unsafe behaviors when drunk or high
• Loss of control over substance abuse
• Unusual habits to maintain substance abuse
• Fostering tolerance and withdrawal symptoms
• Feeling the need for drugs in order to function

The symptoms of a mental health problem can differ per person. Early warning signs include:

• Extreme mood swings
• Confused thinking
• Concentration problems
• Avoidance of friends
• Avoidance of social activities
• Thoughts of suicide

“When you have a choice to make it and don’t make it that is in itself a choice.” – William James

Detoxification

The initial stage that people with dual diagnosis have to pass through is detoxification. During a dual diagnosis program, a patient’s detox will be overseen by the dual diagnosis facilities. During this stage, withdrawal may be alleviated via titration (lessening the amounts of the drug) or a replacement medication such as Valium (alcohol withdrawal) or methadone (opiate withdrawal).

Inpatient dual diagnosis treatment centers for men are typically more efficient than outpatient for starting sobriety. This is mainly because they provide a recovery-oriented atmosphere and take the person away from exposure to people and places where he can obtain the substance.

Residential Treatment

A person who is suffering from mental disorder and dependency patterns can benefit from dual diagnosis residential treatment centers. It is where he can receive rehabilitation that is focused on medical and mental care. Dual diagnosis men’s inpatient treatment centers provide the needed therapy, support, medication, and health services needed for treating addiction and its hidden causes.

Medications

Medications can be a suitable aid in the treatment of various mental disorders. A variety of mental health medications can be used to help you in your recovery. They can also be helpful for people who suffer from substance abuse in a way to ease withdrawal. They oftentimes produce the same effects in the body as some addictive drugs, so they are best used only in extreme cases.

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy plays an important role in an efficient dual diagnosis treatment plan. Information on your disorder and how certain beliefs and behaviors affect your thoughts has been proven to decrease the symptoms of both mental and substance disorders.

Behavioral Therapy is exceptionally effective in supporting people who have a dual diagnosis. The treatment teaches them how to cope and remove inefficient thought patterns.

Support Groups

A dual diagnosis problem can be challenging. Support groups give members the time to disclose their problems, frustrations, successes, and stories. They bind friendships and encourage patients to stay clean of substance and alcohol abuse.

“Happiness is not the absence of problems; it’s the ability to deal with them.” – Steve Maraboli

Discerning the Need for Treatment

Denial is a common reaction to inquiries for people suffering dual diagnosis. When a patient’s consciousness has been modified by mental illness, his personal caretaking can be compromised.

Additionally, depression affects your self-esteem and can give you a sense that your life is not worth saving. When anxiety or depression sets in, it can drive you away from your family and friends. The symptoms of mental disorder can be so overwhelming that many patients gravitate towards alcohol and substance abuse and away from their friends and families.

Dual diagnosis can be difficult to treat, but we can help you get assistance entering recovery. His House knows it is important to have a thorough psychiatric evaluation and more importantly an integrated treatment plan for both mental health issues and substance abuse conditions.

“You can’t change what’s going on around you until you change what’s going on within you.” – Unknown