Dual Diagnosis

Dual Diagnosis is a mental disorder when a consumer has a drug or alcohol problem in tandem. Dual diagnosis can become a problem with either a drug or alcohol problem when depression, anxiety, schizophrenia or even personality disorder occurs. Often times the mental disorder occurs first, with the individual seeking drugs or alcohol for relief from the mental disorder symptoms. Sometimes it can happen in reverse, where the mental health consumer becomes a drug addicted individual or an alcoholic, with mental disorders overtaking the consumers conscious mind.To overcome the malady of Dual Diagnosis both conditions must be treated. The consumer must dry-out; go without drugs for a period of time in other words the client must detoxify. After detoxification comes rehabilitation. This is where the client is treated for both substance abuse and the mental disorder, which may involve medicines and group therapy.Drug addiction is a mental illness, as the drug changes the brain, changing needs or desires and priorities. This results in dual diagnosis which can be treated so that the symptoms of the mental disorder can be alleviated with the client going through withdrawal from drugs and accepting the necessary medications being made available for control of the mental disorder.

Wriiten by
Donald Sammons