Dual Diagnosis Treatment vs. Rehab

The term dual diagnosis is a term used to describe the simultaneous presence of two independent disorders. It has recently been found within the fields of mental health, psychiatry, and addiction medicine that individuals experiencing mental health disorders are also more inclined to struggle with drug or alcohol addiction problems. Some common examples of dual disorders include the combinations of major depression with cocaine addiction, alcohol addiction with panic disorder, alcoholism and poly drug addiction with schizophrenia, and borderline personality disorder with episodic poly drug abuse. In fact, some individuals have more than two disorders, such as cocaine addiction, personality disorder, and AIDS. The treatment principles that apply to dual disorders also apply also to instances of multiple disorders.

Mental health disorders may interfere with individual's ability and motivation to participate in addiction treatment, as well as their compliance with treatment guidelines. As an example, individuals with anxiety and phobias may fear and resist attending Alcoholics Anonymous or group meetings. People struggling with depression may be too unmotivated and lethargic to participate in treatment. Individuals experiencing psychotic or manic symptoms may exhibit bizarre behavior and poor interpersonal relations during treatment, especially during group-oriented activities. These behaviors, which are clearly mental health issues, may be misinterpreted as signs of treatment resistance or symptoms of addiction relapse. For these reasons, it is so important to correctly diagnose co-occurring disorders from the beginning of treatment. If not, symptoms of a coexisting psychiatric disorder may be misinterpreted as poor or incomplete "recovery" from drug or alcohol addiction.

It has been found that the most effective treatment approach for someone struggling with dual disorders is an integrated system where the professionals/providers have been cross-trained to handle both. Whether the individual with dual disorders presents themselves for treatment at a drug rehab or mental health facility, both a comprehensive psychiatric and substance abuse evaluations should be performed to determine the correct course of treatment. It is preferable for treatment centers to provide specialized services for the dual diagnosed client, with both mental health and drug treatment professionals working together simultaneously to address both problems.

Most drug rehab treatment facilities are prepared to deal with mental health and co-occurring drug or alcohol disorders, also known as dual diagnosis treatment. It has now become commonplace for individuals to address mental health issues in addition to their drug rehabilitation and alcohol rehabilitation services. Dual diagnosis is an increasingly common finding among drug and alcohol rehab centers and programs, and dual diagnosis treatment is a service offered in most drug rehabilitation centers and alcohol rehab programs. However, there are drug rehab facilities that specialize in dual diagnosis treatment and provide drug rehab and alcohol rehab services as an integrated part of their dual diagnosis rehabilitation programs.

Many drug rehabs have expanded the scope of their services to provide an integrated continuum of care that includes respite care, half way houses for men and women, "step-up" houses for senior residents of the program, and educational workshops for the dual diagnosed. Drug treatment professionals and medical staff are becoming trained on how to spot an individual that may be struggling with co-occurring disorders, and this can assist in getting these individuals properly diagnosed. This way, the individual can have a shot at a lasting recovery as they will be handling both.