What is Dual Diagnosis Treatment?

For successful treatment, it is essential to stop using alcohol or drugs. People with a dual diagnosis should address both conditions. Treatment options may include behavioral therapies, medications, and support groups. These provide emotional and social support, as well as tips on how to manage daily challenges.

A dual diagnosis is when someone has both an addiction and a mental health condition. Unfortunately, the addiction is often treated while the mental health condition goes untreated. Ashish Bhatt explains the importance of accurately diagnosing and treating patients with a dual diagnosis. A person with a dual diagnosis has both a mental illness and a substance use disorder. North Carolina rehabilitation centers offer premier dual-diagnosis treatment centers to help people recognize the signs of a dual-diagnosis disorder.

These include withdrawing from family and friends, difficulty managing daily tasks, and an inability to control substance use. Treating a dual diagnosis (depression and addiction present simultaneously) is difficult. It can be hard to determine which condition is causing the symptoms. To get an accurate diagnosis, it is important to consult a specialist experienced in dual diagnosis treatment. When someone has co-occurring disorders, they must fight both mental illness and addiction at the same time.

These conditions can feed off each other in a negative cycle. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) can help people with dual diagnoses learn how to cope and change ineffective thinking patterns, which can increase the risk of substance use. In outpatient rehabilitation programs, clients with disabilities can continue to work, attend school, and care for family members while receiving mental health treatment and therapy. It is essential to find a personalized treatment plan that addresses both disorders simultaneously, rather than treating them separately. Supportive housing such as group homes or sober living houses can help people who are recently sober or trying to avoid relapse. Dual diagnosis was first identified in the 1980s among people with severe mental illness and coexisting substance abuse disorders. Addiction treatment specialists with a psychiatric history are best to consult for a definitive diagnosis.

In that case, you may be able to receive medical treatment that is diagnosed with both a psychological disorder and a physical illness. By establishing diagnostic criteria, researchers can accurately develop appropriate treatments for identified co-occurring mental and substance-related disorders. Drug or alcohol abuse can trigger and cause mental illness in people with a specific dual diagnosis. Have a completely free and confidential conversation with a treatment provider about your financial options.