Dual diagnosis treatment is the most appropriate and most effective treatment option for any client who has been diagnosed with an addiction and at least one accompanying mental health disorder. If your wife or another loved one has an addiction and a mental health issue, dual diagnosis treatment can help her to work towards the recovery process and to gain symptom management at the same time for better health, productivity, balance and stability.

What Is a Dual Diagnosis?

A dual diagnosis is when a client of addiction also receives a diagnosis of at least one mental health disorder such as chronic depression. This is something that occurs among male and female clients alike; however, it is much more commonly seen among female clients.

Some clients develop a mental health disorder as a result of their addictions, while others develop addictions as a result of abusing substances in an attempt to self-medicate themselves for the symptoms of their disorders. Some mental health disorders, such as bipolar disorder, even name substance abuse as a common possible symptom to endure. However, the relationship is not always so clear.

Regardless of how the dual diagnosis came into being, dual diagnosis treatment is necessary for clients to successfully reach recovery and become better able to manage their symptoms.

Dual Diagnosis Treatment

Dual diagnosis treatment is based on treating addiction and mental health at the same time. This is because untreated addiction can deteriorate mental health and untreated mental health issues can lead to relapse or even prohibit clients from ever entering the recovery process.

Psychotherapy is the main dual diagnosis treatment method as it effectively helps clients to uncover their personal, underlying causes for their addictions and mental health disorders. Clients uncover these deep insights as they participate in individual, group, family and cognitive behavioral therapy (therapy using thoughts to impact behavior) sessions. Over time, clients experience moments of clarity (breakthroughs) that will provide them with the necessary foundations for recovered living and effective symptom management. Counseling and stress management are also used to treat both addiction and mental health.

Addiction-specific dual diagnosis treatment methods also include participating in support group meetings and using relapse prevention strategies. Mental health-specific treatment methods may also include the incorporation of prescription medication for some clients of specific mental health disorders. This includes anything from antidepressants for some clients of depression to customized medication plans for all clients of bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.

If you or someone you love is suffering from the effects of alcohol abuse, substance addiction or any other type of addiction, please call us today.  Our addiction treatment counselors can help you deal with physical, emotional and psychological consequences of drug and alcohol abuse.  A substance abuse treatment program is effective, safe and has helped many men reclaim their lives. Destination Hope is a full service drug, alcohol and dual diagnosis treatment facility in Florida for men suffering from substance abuse and mental health issues.