Understanding Dual Diagnosis
Dual diagnosis, a term that for years was misunderstood, simply stands for the co-existence of two or more disorders such as; drug addiction and depression or alcoholism and bipolar disorder. That being said, it is also not uncommon for the individual to be diagnosed with more than two interacting illnesses such as; drug addiction an eating disorder and major depression. During the past decade, more than any other time, clinicians working in dual diagnosis treatment programs have noted that dual diagnosis is more commonplace than first believed. The latest statistics show that dual diagnosis is found in more than 10 million individuals each year. When people ask the question; with a dual diagnosis, which came first, the addiction or psychiatric problem the in our dual diagnosis treatment program adhere to the philosophy that it really doesn't matter, as we treat both disorders concurrently. The good news is in the case of a psychiatric problem resulting from drug use, the psychiatric symptoms associated with the dual diagnosis tend to diminish over time.
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Our clinicians who are experts in treating dual diagnosis are well aware there is no one psychiatric problem that is present in a dual diagnosis. The mental health issues accompanying a dual diagnosis may range from major depression, bipolar disorder, post traumatic stress disorder, mood disorder or anxiety disorder. It is critical the dual diagnosis mental health disorder be properly diagnosed as medication will be prescribed for treatment. From a treatment perspective, the best treatment for dual diagnosis is admission to a residential dual diagnosis treatment program. A residential dual diagnosis treatment program, such as the Women's Center for Healthy Living, provides women with structure in a safe and comfortable environment while receiving treatment for their dual diagnosis and any other associated disorders.
Dual Diagnosis Is Treatable
A dual diagnosis is more complex to treat than a single addiction. While some dual diagnosis treatment programs treat dual diagnosis separately, the Women's Center for Healthy Living treats dual diagnosis concurrently. As a leader in the treatment of dual diagnosis we utilize an integrated approach which we have found to provide the best results for women suffering from dual diagnosis.
Due to the presence of drug addiction or alcohol addiction, our dual diagnosis treatment program provides “state of the art” detox services. Our board certified physicians dispense adequate amounts of medication to manage any withdrawal symptoms, as well as, psychiatric medication to manage any psychiatric condition. After the patient is medically stable, our therapists begin to provide holistic treatment for the dual diagnosis. By holistic, we refer to treating dual diagnosis by addressing issues associated with the body, mind and spirit. We utilize proven methods of care from a variety of medical specialties such as; the psychiatric and medical community, addiction medicine professionals, self help groups and holistic treatment practices. This combination of these treatment methods for dual diagnosis has resulted in our patients experiencing balanced long term recovery.
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Dual Diagnosis and Associated Issues
As with drug addiction, the presence of a dual diagnosis creates tremendous problems for the individual and family members. Behavior can be unpredictable, decisions made with little or no thought, participation in high risk behavior and lack of responsibility are a few examples of the results associated an individual suffering from an untreated dual diagnosis. Additional examples of the consequences relating to dual diagnosis are;
- Loss of employment
- Legal and financial problems
- Family problems, divorce
- Admissions to drug and psychiatric facilities
- Problems with educational goals
- Attempted suicide or drug overdose
- Health and medical consequences
- Dual Diagnosis Recovery
To maintain recovery from dual diagnosis is a challenging proposition. While many patient's do extremely well in our dual diagnosis treatment program, it is what happens after completing treatment for their dual diagnosis that matters. To support our patients during this challenging time, our professional staff designs a comprehensive relapse prevention plan for each patient. The relapse prevention plan is custom designed for each patient and sets forth guidelines to follow in order to maintain dual diagnosis recovery.
In far too many cases, patients will want to discontinue or alter their medications once they begin to feel better. We urge you, before modifying your relapse prevention plan or altering your medication, call our aftercare coordinator and your psychiatrist. Allow these professional assist you in making these type of life altering decisions. Dual diagnosis recovery is hard to come by, don't be afraid to ask for help..
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