A dual diagnosis is having an alcohol or drug addiction and a mental disorder, both occurring at the same time. It’s also known as a co-occurring disorder. Because one affects the other and vice versa, the addiction and mental disorder should be treated simultaneously.

Mental disorders include depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, and personality disorders. In general, those with mental illness are more susceptible to drug or alcohol addiction.

Dual diagnosis is difficult to treat because it’s often hard to know where the symptoms originate. For example, is a patient’s depression caused by their addiction or by some other factor?

Finding a dual diagnosis treatment center is the first step. But before you start your search, find out more about this co-occurring disorder.

Dual Diagnosis: How Big is the Problem?

According to research by the Journal of the American Medical Association, dual diagnosis occurs frequently:

  • About 50% of people with severe mental disorders also have a substance abuse problem.
  • Fifty-three percent of drug abusers and 37% of alcohol abusers have at least one serious mental illness.
  • Of all those with a mental illness, 29% abuse drugs or alcohol.

The Epidemiologic Catchment Area Survey found these numbers:

  • Forty-seven percent of people with schizophrenia had a substance addiction, which is four times the rate for the general population.
  • Sixty-one percent of people with bipolar disorder had a substance addiction, which is five times the rate for the general population.

The Consequences of Dual Diagnosis

Numbers often do not tell the whole story. The numbers represent real people facing challenges from having co-occurring disorders. Here are some of the consequences those with dual-diagnosis face:

  • They have a higher likelihood for violence.
  • They are more likely to live in marginal neighborhoods where drug use is common.
  • They are more likely to be accepted socially by those whose social activity is drug use.
  • They are more likely to be homeless or in jail.

The Integrated Approach

The type of treatment undertaken depends on the specific addiction, the mental disorder and the severity of both. What is most important is that both are treated with an integrated approach.

This means, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness that:

Treatment consists of the same health professionals, working in one setting, providing appropriate treatment for both mental health and substance abuse in a coordinated fashion. The caregivers see to it that interventions are bundled together; the consumers, therefore, receive consistent treatment, with no division between mental health or substance abuse assistance. The approach, philosophy and recommendations are seamless, and the need to consult with separate teams and programs is eliminated.

In a nutshell, treatment for the mental disorder and the addiction are treated in one location by professionals who provide care for every aspect of the diagnosis.

Steps of Treatment

Once you find a dual diagnosis treatment center, you’ll go through a variety of steps that include but are not limited to:

  • Interviewing with mental health professionals to assess your psychiatric needs. This consultation(s) will hopefully identify your illness(es).
  • Addressing of the drug addiction or alcohol problem.
  • The patient will be taught that the mental disorder and the addiction require two different, but integrated approaches for treatment.
  • Medication may be prescribed once the mental illness is assessed. The goal of medication is to manage the symptoms.
  • Integration of addiction rehab. Counselors use the information from the psychological evaluation to implement a plan for the drug or alcohol treatment.
  • Addiction treatment can include 12-step programs, individual and group counseling, cognitive behavioral therapy, contingency management, and holistic treatments such as yoga, massage, meditation, and nutritional counseling.
  • Psychotherapy is used to teach patients new methods for coping with their illnesses.
  • Relapse prevention and aftercare programs support the patient and provide accountability after they leave the treatment facility.

Summary

Because mental illness and addiction often go hand-in-hand, it’s important for a patient to get a dual diagnosis as well a treatment program that addresses both simultaneously. Treating only one of the problems will often result in a slower recovery or in many cases, a relapse.

To find a dual diagnosis treatment center near you, search Recoverycorps.org’s extensive database. Then make the call.