Bookmark Page Send link to friend!

Dual Diagnosis Rehabilitation

Dual Diagnosis: Information and Treatment for Co-occurring Disorders

A dual diagnosis is given to an individual who has both a mental disorder and an alcohol or drug problem. These conditions occur together frequently. Trying to manage just one of these problems can be extremely stressful. To complicate things further, add to the mix multiple symptoms that overlap and mask the ability to make a diagnosis, and what you are left with is a difficult and complex challenge to find a successful treatment. To achieve the best possible outcome, both disorders must be treated simultaneously because the cumulative effect influences all aspects of the individual’s life and greatly increases their risk for relapse.

The relationship between mental illness and substance abuse

Which develops first, the emotional issues or the substance abuse problem?

Often the psychiatric problem occurs first. In an attempt to feel better the individual self-medicates with alcohol or drugs, which can lead to chemical dependency. In other cases, the alcohol or drug dependency is the primary condition, which over time can lead to depression, anxiety and more severe emotional and mental problems. Regardless of the cause, the first step to living a more healthy life is to cleanse your system of the substances. Ideally, detoxification should take place under medical supervision and the process can last from a few days to more than a week, depending on what substances the person abused and for how long.

Statistics on dual diagnosis indicate…

• Fifty-three percent of drug abusers and 37% of alcohol abusers have at least one serious mental illness.
• Roughly 50% of individuals with severe mental disorders are affected by substance abuse.
• Twenty-nine percent of all people diagnosed as mentally ill abuse either alcohol or drugs.
• Sixteen percent of jail and prison inmates are estimated to have severe mental and substance abuse disorders.

...

Deborah Cutter, Psy.D., Steve Elam, Jaelline Jaffe, Ph.D., and Jeanne Segal, Ph.D., last modified on: 3/5/08. Retrieved 07 August 2008 from http://www.helpguide.org/mental/dual_diagnosis.htm