Dual diagnosis treatment works on treating both addiction and mental illness at the same time. It is the only means of reaching a successful recovery process for clients of addiction and at least one mental health disorder because addiction affects the mental health and vice versa.
The Dual Diagnosis
A dual diagnosis is when a client of addiction has been diagnosed with at least one accompanying mental health disorder. Mental illness often goes undiagnosed but it can be a major contributing factor in a client’s addiction. Whether the diagnosis is addiction and depression, addiction and anxiety or some other combination, dual diagnosis treatment is the answer for the best recovery and mental health success results.
Dual diagnosis treatment focuses on treating both mental health and addiction at the same time using tried-and-true treatment methods. Psychotherapy is the main treatment method for addiction as well as for the majority of mental health disorders. It works by helping clients to uncover the underlying causes beneath their addictions and beneath their disorders. Clients realize deep personal insights while participating in individual, group, family and cognitive behavioral therapy sessions. Counseling and stress management are also effective treatment methods for both addiction and mental health disorders. They help clients to manage stress – a major trigger for substance use and for the symptoms of mental health disorders – and to learn how to live more successfully with addiction and mental illness. Some clients of specific mental health disorders may also be prescribed medication to assist with chemical imbalances associated with their disorders such as when antidepressants are at times prescribed for clients of depression. Addiction-specific dual diagnosis treatment methods also include support group meetings and relapse prevention strategies.
Why Dual Diagnosis Treatment Works
Dual diagnosis treatment is effective because simply treating addiction alone when there is an underlying mental illness present sets up a client for an eventual relapse. The symptoms of an untreated mental health disorder can directly or indirectly cause relapse due to anything from experiencing troubled emotions to having a higher risk for abusing substances due to the nature of a specific disorder such as bipolar disorder.
In fact, sometimes a client has developed a mental health disorder as a result of their experiences with or the effects of their addiction. Other clients became addicted to substances they abused in an attempt to self-medicate themselves from their mental illnesses. Still other clients live with addiction and mental health disorders without such clear correlations. Regardless of the nature of the dual diagnosis, dual diagnosis treatment can help treat both problems at the same time.
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.
