Because the acute symptoms of addiction can appear to be symptoms of psychiatric illness, treatment of dual-diagnosis individuals is especially challenging for professionals. It is a challenge to correctly make an initial diagnosis when a person is showing symptoms that are produced by withdrawal or other consequences of chemical dependency. In addition, psychiatric illness can occur as a result of untreated chemical dependence. With the concurrent multiple challenges present in dual-diagnosis individuals, there is no guarantee that treatment will be effective, if not counter-productive. The help of dual diagnosis treatment clinics is the best way to have a chance for successful treatment. Early entry into a program through a dual diagnosis treatment center is ideal.
Acute intoxication and withdrawal can cause the same symptoms as mental illness. Substance dependency can take the form of alcoholism, prescription drug abuse or narcotic compulsions. Any one of these manifestations of substance abuse can create unrelenting psychological effects, like depressive disorders, delusion, anxiety or psychosis. Other individuals suffering from dual-diagnosis may have started with a problem like post-traumatic stress disorder, bi-polar disorder, anxiety symptoms or depressive disorder and found relief in drug use. Whilst the drug use may initially present relief to individuals dealing with agonizing psychiatric afflictions, ultimately dependence complicates their issue and makes treatment more difficult.
Despite the immense problems and many traps associated to dual-diagnosis, sufferers at dual diagnosis treatment centres can receive beneficial treatment and the effects of dual-diagnosis can be managed. The first step is controlling or eliminating alcohol and drug use. A client must be relieved of the effects of intoxication and withdrawal before psychological issues can be treated with effect. Once sobriety is maintained, dual diagnosis treatment centers can initiate treatment for the mental health challenges the dual-diagnosis sufferer is struggling with. Treatment methods used by mental health specialists can incorporate therapy and medicine. Doctors will help the patient deal with mental health problems by addressing sleep and stress management, and offering individual and group therapy. These work on the part of psychiatrists, together with support from relatives and buddies, will motivate healing from psychiatric and addictive issues.
A very hard to deal with issue when attempting to help dual-diagnosis is that affected people are often unable to ask for help or seek treatment on their own. They are very often impaired or in crisis and lack the voice to reach out to the people who can help them. They are very often without support because of conflict with loved ones, or lacking resources because of unemployment. In addition to the primary complications of their dual-diagnosis, there are often medical complications occurring from drug use that need to be taken care of before treatment can commence.
Friends and family want to help their loved ones suffering from dual-diagnosis, but don’t know what to do. All attempts to help seem to end up in a conflict and only make things worse. They feel rejected as their attempts to better the lives of their dual-diagnosed loved ones lead to feelings of resentment and hopelessness. However, there are things that family members can do to help. Foremost, family need to ensure that they’ve done all things available to understand what their loved ones are facing and that they’ve done all things possible to help themselves before seeking to extend help to their family with the intricate and confusing issues of dual-diagnosis. Family members can watch out for behaviors that may be a sign of relapse and help their loved ones be active in treatment. It is often family and friend members who are important in getting an individual with dual diagnosis into dual diagnosis treatment centers. When an individual with dual-diagnosis lacks the ability to enter a treatment clinic, the help of friends and family often is the thing that assists them as they get help.
Further Reading
http://www.captaincynic.com/thread/93674/dual-diagnosis-treatment-centers.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dual_diagnosis#Treatment
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