Being addicted to drugs and alcohol can be overwhelming and a hard habit to break. Most feel that their addictions are uncontrollable or have tried to quit several times. Others feel that they aren’t suffering from addiction, that their drug of choice makes them feel better, and don’t see a need to seek help. You could be in one of these two scenarios and the fact is, you could be suffering from a mental disorder. Having a mental illness isn’t anyones fault. Most cases of mental disorders come from traumatic events or are genetic. Regardless of what you may be dealing with, there is help available.
How Substance Abuse Can Coincide with Mental Illnesses
According to The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Association, the existence of both mental illness and substance abuse within an individual is referred to as co-occurring disorders. A lot of the time, people who suffer from substance abuse also have some form of mental illness. These mental illnesses can be anything from depression to schizophrenia and can be on different levels of severity. There are also no specific combinations of the two. You could have mild depression coinciding with your alcoholism, or you could have severe anxiety in addition to a cocaine addiction.
“Dual diagnosis” is the procedure that treats co-occurring disorders, which about 8.4 million adults suffer from. This means that about 45% of Americans who seek substance abuse treatment also find that they have a mental disorder as well. A lot of the time, patients within rehab facilities don’t receive the proper care because of a primary focus on detox alone, as opposed to a combination of the two.
Dual Diagnosis Treatment: What It Is and How It Can Help You
The dual diagnosis treatment is a method that was developed in the 1980s and with much trial and error, has now become one of the most effective treatments for those suffering from co-occurring disorders. Evidence-Based Practices Implementing Dual Diagnosis Services for Clients With Severe Mental Illness by Dr Robert E. Drake and various authors state that,“the dual diagnosis treatment combines or integrates mental health and substance abuse interventions at the level of clinical interaction.” In other words, the dual diagnosis treatment focuses on the side effects of addiction with the help of professionals.
Dual diagnosis treatments are also tailored specifically to your individual needs and concerns. Improper care or lack of care can lead to the worsening of your disorders, which have been know to be the cause of higher rates of:
- relapse
- homelessness
- incarceration
- mental illness
- violence
- hospitalization
- unexpected death
- suicide
Where Can You Go For Treatment?
The Intervention Drug Rehab Association has a great dual diagnosis treatment plan, along with other amenities to help with your recovery. Case managers are available to help you plan a 30, 60, to 90 day program that includes the dual diagnosis process. If you or someone you know is suffering from substance abuse, they may also be struggling with a mental illness and aren’t aware of their co-occurring disorders. Contact us today, and find out more about how the dual diagnosis treatment can help save you life.
