Help for Mental Illness and Substance Abuse is Available at a Dual Diagnosis Treatment Center

Everyone is familiar with the term addiction and associates it with a person being dependent upon drugs and alcohol, but what is dual diagnosis and how does it apply to an addict?  Dual diagnosis is a phrase which means a person is suffering from a mental illness and a substance abuse problem simultaneously.  Dual diagnosis clients make up a large percentage of the addicted community, but little is known about this condition for those that do not practice in the rehab field.  For this particular type of addiction problem, a person requires the specialized assistance of a dual diagnosis treatment program in order to successfully diagnose, treat and conquer the condition.

When a person must deal with a substance abuse problem it is never easy, but the struggle is made even more difficult with the presence of a mental illness.  However, with proper treatment, medications and other supportive therapies, it is possible to get the mental illness under control and then treat the addiction problem.  Another term for dual diagnosis is co-occurring disorders, and it can include depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder, coupled with a drug or alcohol addiction.  Both addiction and mental illness have separate symptoms, and for an untrained professional, it can be hard to make an accurate diagnosis.

One of the most common reasons why it is so difficult to detect dual diagnosis is because the symptoms of the mental illness can mimic the symptoms of substance abuse or the addiction can mask the mental illness.  When a mental health disorder goes without being treated, the substance abuse problem can become much worse and as use of drugs and alcohol increases, the psychological disorder in most cases will become more pronounced.  Dual diagnosis is a mysterious disorder and as such, it can only be treated successfully with help from a dual diagnosis treatment center.

It does not matter if the mental illness or substance abuse problem occurred first, for a person to recover, both conditions must be treated or it will only get worse.  People dealing with a dual diagnosis condition are able to recover, but it takes entering into a specialty treatment center which provides psychological and medical services.  Having a definite dual diagnosis requires being evaluated and assessed by a qualified psychiatric professional and a medical physician, and treatment may encompass medications to control the mental health conditions and therapy to deal with the issues which caused the disorder, as well as rehabilitation for the substance abuse problem.

There is hope for people suffering from the crippling affects of dual diagnosis; it requires time, courage and commitment on the part of the individual.  It can take a long time to find the right combination of medications, therapy and other services, but people dealing with dual diagnosis can and do make a successful recovery every day.  The best chance a dual diagnosis victim has is combined treatment for the mental health disorder and once the condition has been stabilized, the person can then proceed onto dealing with the substance abuse problem.  Treating one condition and not the other is medically and ethically irresponsible, which is why dual diagnosis treatment must be specialized and multidisciplinary in nature in order to work properly.

Some dual diagnosis clients will experience a relapse, which can be an unfortunate part of the recovery process, but is by no means a reason for a person to give up.  Setbacks are entirely normal and to be expected, nobody is perfect, but the important thing to remember is to never give up, no matter what.  Slip ups in sobriety can happen and when it does, a person receiving help from a dual diagnosis treatment center can refocus and rededicate themselves with a renewed sense of purpose and move forward in recovery.
Addiction is a very common problem with mentally ill individuals, but although each condition is similar and closely identified with each other, one is not responsible for causing the other.  A dual diagnosis victim will often use drugs and alcohol to self-medicate the symptoms of depression and anxiety and this does not help, but rather aggravates the mental illness.  Abusing drugs and alcohol can actually increase the chances a person has of developing an addiction problem and if a person is at risk, substance abuse only makes it much worse. 

The first step in treating dual diagnosis is to have the person go through a detoxification program to allow the body to become clean.  Detox should always be facilitated under medical supervision and it can take anywhere from a matter of days to a few weeks, depending upon the type of substances abused and the severity of addiction a person experiences.  When detox is performed in a dual diagnosis treatment center, it is safer and less traumatic on the addict, which is the best way to begin helping the person recover.

Once the individual has successfully detoxed from the substances, the phase for dual treatment begins, which includes rehabilitation for the substance abuse and treatment for the mental condition.  The best way to treat dual diagnosis is by using an integrated approach, where both conditions are handled at the same time.  At a dual diagnosis treatment center, a person will receive medical attention, mental health services, therapy, counseling, and basic education about the disorders and any related problems.  Treating dual diagnosis is a real challenge, but over time and with effort, it is possible for the victim to regain a stable mindset, become clean and sober and manage to live a happy, productive future.