People with a dual diagnosis have a higher risk of relapse or long-term maladaptive behaviors, even after treatment. For the same reasons discussed above, a person with a dual diagnosis may focus on treating one aspect of a psychological problem or addiction without regard to the anxieties, trauma, or thinking patterns underlying the behavior. Dual-diagnosis cases require more extensive treatment than typical cases of substance abuse. It's vital that people struggling with dual diagnoses seek treatment right away and find a treatment center that can address their mental health needs.
Unfortunately, it can be difficult for untrained family members to distinguish between a mental health disorder, a substance abuse problem, and a combination of both. The support and experience of a professional interventionist can play an important role in guiding your loved one to the help they need. Isolation, mood swings, depression, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, and suicidal thoughts may worsen with a dual diagnosis. However, knowledge of the multiplicity of genetic, psychosocial and other factors is important for the diagnosis and treatment of the individual patient (Roy et al.
If the person does not ask what he is self-medicating in an attempt to treat, he will not be able to identify and eventually cure that deeper imbalance. For example, an individual in a manic state may justify a marijuana addiction as it helps to level their mood. As always in psychiatry, accurate diagnosis is limited to a careful clinical evaluation18 and, in the case of possible dual disorders, is complicated by the fact that both SUD and non-SUD can cause the same psychiatric symptoms (e.g. insomnia, anxiety, depression, manic behavior and psychosis).
For many like me, having a dual diagnosis is a trick, even more so when you run the risk of severe and life-threatening withdrawal symptoms. Because a person with a dual diagnosis may experience more extreme and chronic symptoms, they are more likely to neglect self-care. Dual diagnosis is a common term used to describe a person with a mental health disorder and a substance use disorder. Dual diagnosis is quite common, and many people with mental health problems tend to prefer substances that offer relief from their psychological stress.
A dual diagnosis carries a whole set of unique problems, and understanding these issues is key to treatment and recovery. In a treatment setting, a dual diagnosis requires specialized treatment and care that not all programs can offer. Adequate treatment should address the social struggles of a dual diagnosis, as well as the disorders themselves. A dual diagnosis problem that is common to all current medical treatments is the gap between research advances and the practices of health maintenance organizations and other providers.
Dual diagnosis describes a scenario in which people struggling with substance abuse are also diagnosed with a mental health disorder, such as bipolar disorder, anxiety, or depression.
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