You must have heard of a term called dual diagnosis when discussing addiction treatment. Dual diagnosis is identifying other health issues, primarily mental health conditions that co-exist with addiction.
It is often the case where addicts suffer from an underlying mental health issue along with addiction. You might not realize this at first because you would have never imagined yourself in that position. However, co-occurring disorders are common among addicts.
Who can Benefit from Dual Diagnosis Treatment?
Dual diagnosis treatment is for patients who suffer from addiction and mental health issues. The diagnosis helps them to identify the underlying mental health disorder that was missed or ignored. The mental condition in such a case can be both, the cause and effect of addiction.
Some of the common mental health issues diagnosed in such cases are:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Borderline personality disorder
- Schizophrenia
- Bipolar disorder
- Psychotic disorder
- Other psychiatric disorders
Ignoring a dual diagnosis can lead to even serious health consequences. One of them is relapse. The mental health condition remains untreated that can force you to consume substances again. Therefore, to avoid such situations, it is advised to undergo dual diagnosis on time.
What Leads to Dual Diagnosis?
Dual diagnosis is often considered a complicated condition as the patient suffers from two or more untreated illnesses. In certain cases, the cause of dual diagnosis is found to be an existing mental health condition, for example depression.
A person begins to consume substances to overcome depression. The habit continues and eventually they are addicted to substances with an unmanaged depression.
Such a condition can also occur in reverse. The patient begins to consume substances, becomes addicted and develops mental health condition as a side effect.
Whatever maybe the cause of dual diagnosis, if detected with one condition, it is advised to diagnose for other existing health conditions.
Benefits of Dual Diagnosis
- Patients can know of any exsiting mental health illness that they must have ignored in the past
- Can know and understand the patterns of self-medication that led to addiction
- Both mental health disorder and addiction can be treated in a safe environment
- Patients can learn coping skills through behavioral therapy
- Allows patients to safely quit the substances
- Can know about safe drugs that can help in treating mental health conditions
You too can avail of the given benefits at Skyward Treatment in Houston, Texas. Contact our team today to get more details.