What are the risk factors of dual diagnosis?

Common risk factors can contribute to both mental disorders and substance use disorders. These factors include genetics, stress, and trauma. Mental disorders can contribute to drug use and substance use disorders. For example, people with mental disorders may use drugs or alcohol to temporarily try to feel better.

Dual diagnosis is a common term used to describe a person with a mental health disorder and a substance use disorder. For example, if a person is diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and alcohol use disorder, they qualify for dual-diagnosis treatment. A dual diagnosis treatment center helps you with your mental health and substance use disorder at the same time. Dual diagnoses are also associated with financial problems, employment problems, housing problems, and legal issues.

Co-occurring disorders refer to people who are simultaneously faced with a combination of substance abuse and mental illness. Flowers Health Institute is a treatment center that offers a wide range of services for people with co-occurring disorders and dual diagnoses. Staff must be trained in Dual Diagnosis and provided with appropriate education and learning opportunities. For example, research shows that the brain chemical dopamine is involved in both addiction and certain mental illnesses and, therefore, could contribute to a dual diagnosis.

Both disorders have overlapping health consequences, and a dual diagnosis of both conditions indicates that a person is at increased risk of developing various diseases. For example, alcoholism therapy is administered individually or as a group by one or more alcoholism counselors, while psychiatric treatment (including counseling and medication management) is administered by a psychiatrist. With multiple risk factors associated with a dual diagnosis, it seems that the causes of this condition are complex. There is no single factor that guarantees that a person will experience or not, dependence on alcohol or other drugs, as well as another mental health condition.

While there are services available to treat a dual diagnosis, the behavioral health community has not always recognized people with a dual diagnosis. To properly treat a dual-diagnosed patient, each disorder must be accurately diagnosed and treated separately. The groups most at risk of developing a dual diagnosis are those with lower economic status, military veterans, and those who are predisposed to mental illness. Mental health and alcohol and other drugs services must be able to respond to the needs of people with dual diagnosis.

At a dual-diagnosis treatment center, you get help for substance abuse while dealing with underlying mental health problems.