How Dual Diagnosis Programs Can Help Addiction Recovery

Dual diagnosis is a term that refers to an individual who has both a substance abuse disorder and a mental or behavioral health condition. Often, one of these conditions worsens the other and symptoms are exacerbated. Dual diagnosis, also known as co-morbidity, is common in those suffering from substance abuse problems. Individuals with mental or behavioral health issues often self-medicate with drugs or alcohol in order to cope, leading to addiction. Dual diagnosis patients can be successfully treated for their conditions, with successful diagnosis and care.

What Is A Dual Diagnosis? 

When a person suffering from alcohol or drug abuse is diagnosed with mood or behavioral disorders, it is considered a dual diagnosis. Mood disorders that often occur in those with substance abuse diseases include:

• Major depression
• Bipolar disorder
• Anxiety and panic disorders
• Schizophrenia

Behavioral disorders that are often found in those suffering from substance abuse include:

• Conduct disorder
• Oppositional defiant disorder
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder
• Self-harming behaviors

Those who are diagnosed with addiction disorders and mood or behavioral disorders must receive proper treatment for both conditions to ensure a successful recovery. Dual diagnosis is not always properly detected or treated.

Dual Diagnosis Symptoms Are Often Overlooked 

Many times, individuals are only treated for substance abuse problems and their mental disorders go undiagnosed. Treating one illness without treating the other can lead to unsuccessful rehabilitation efforts. It is important for patients to find reputable treatment facilities to recognize and diagnose co-morbid disorders so that they can enter into a proper program. Reaching a dual diagnosis is sometimes difficult, dependent on symptoms and severity of the mental disorders. When properly diagnosed, a patient will begin treatment for both conditions and have a better chance at long-term recovery.

The Danger Of Dual Diagnosis And Self-Medicating

Self-medicating is the use of alcohol, drugs, or food as a means of escape. When an individual possesses a mood or behavioral disorder, their symptoms often lead to self-medication to provide relief. Mental illness alone is dangerous, and adding drugs or alcohol into the mix is more dangerous. As people begin to self-medicate, they worsen their mental illness and underlying issues are never resolved. It is common to blame a person’s moods or depression on their alcohol use, but often these symptoms come first and result in substance abuse.

Self-medication becomes a habit because of the masking of symptoms the substance produces. For example, a person suffering from depression may self-medicate with a drug that temporarily boosts their mood. A bipolar person suffering from mania may seek out alcohol or marijuana for their temporary calming effects. The positive effects that an individual experiences are always short-lived and cause worsening of symptoms once the substance is out of their system. They begin to self-medicate again and a vicious cycle is formed.

Childhood Trauma And PTSD

Unresolved trauma from childhood and PTSD frequently leads to substance abuse issues. It has been found that 50-66% of those who suffer from PTSD are also battling addiction. PTSD can be the result of trauma from child abuse, sexual abuse, traumatic events, deaths, or natural disaster. Many times, trauma from childhood goes untreated and PTSD symptoms go unnoticed. When this happens, symptoms worsen, and the individuals begin self-medicating to mask their pain.

The only effective way to deal with PTSD is to deal with the underlying causes. Self-medication works only temporarily to mask symptoms. To exacerbate matters, drug withdrawal symptoms can make PTSD symptoms worse. Long-term treatment, avoidance of substance use, and possibly medication can treat a dual diagnosis of PTSD and substance abuse.

Treating Only Substance Addiction

If an individual enters into an addiction treatment plan and is not properly diagnosed, they may only be treated for their addiction problem. When a person has an undiagnosed mental or behavioral illness, addiction treatment is fruitless, as underlying conditions are not treated. A reliable treatment facility will test for mood and behavioral disorders to ensure care is individualized and effective.

As an undiagnosed mentally ill patient progresses through treatment for addiction, they may appear to be on the right path. Once treatment slows or ceases, the patient will not successfully manage their addiction and will begin to self-medicate again. This results in high relapse rates for these individuals. The undiagnosed disorders will still produce symptoms, which are often unbearable for the sufferer.

Dual Diagnosis Treatment Success

When an individual receives a proper dual diagnosis, treatment is effective to treat both disorders. Treatment must occur simultaneously and be integrated. This may involve a detox period for the addiction before treatment for the mood or behavioral disorder can begin. When mental illness is present, detox and withdrawal can be especially difficult as symptoms worsen before they improve. Inpatient detox centers are the best option for treating those with a dual diagnosis.

As soon as the detox period is complete, the patient can begin receiving treatment for both disorders. The patient will receive a psychological evaluation to determine the severity and length of the mental disorders. This will ensure a proper diagnosis and can result in prescription medication for use in treatment. As the mental illness is addressed in the patient, the treatment for addiction will also begin.

There are many different treatment options available, but for those with a dual diagnosis, inpatient care is highly recommended. Treatment as an inpatient will involve individual and group therapy sessions, behavioral health counseling, and transitional programs. After leaving an inpatient facility, treatment continues on an outpatient basis. This will include a possible sober-living facility, psychiatric therapy, drug testing, and group therapy sessions. Patients will receive an abundance of help in their transition back to sober living.

Receiving Proper Care From Maryland Recovery

Properly diagnosing a mental illness is pertinent in receiving the proper treatment for a dual diagnosis with addiction. If a mood or behavioral disorder goes undiagnosed, addiction treatment will not be successful. If you or a loved one are entering into an addiction program, be sure the facility tests for mental disorders. This ensures the best chance for successful treatment.

When looking for a drug rehabilitation program near you, take the time to research whether or not the treatment center offers dual diagnosis rehabilitation services, as opposed to solely drug detoxing. Maryland Recovery, for example, offers customized holistic-minded dual diagnosis programs to any client seeking their substance abuse recovery treatment.