Overcoming Dual Diagnosis

Dual diagnosis can become a problem with either a drug or alcohol problem when depression, anxiety, schizophrenia or even personality disorder occurs.
In 1986 as drugs were prevalent in many neighborhoods, my own drug use escalated; there was no longer a reason spiritual or emotional: I simply needed them. Spiritually, I accepted more excuses of the nature of drugs and using them, God’s will, God’s creation, Jesus’ Wine! I lied to myself, over and over again. I became ‘burnt out’ with excuses, and to use became an excuse, after the fact, drugs were my friend; so were the abandoned houses and buildings of sorts, I lived to get high instead of facing reality.
When you’re dual diagnosed, detoxification isn’t so easy, that is going without a ‘crutch’. Drug addiction is a mental illness, and as the drug changes the brain, so do 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 to control the mental disorder. I was admitted to several different psychiatric hospital wards, including the state hospital, because my own addiction was physically destroying me, kidneys and liver were shutting down; becoming crystallized and I had to understand this if I want to continue to live.
I was placed in a community psychiatric ward were other clients (patients) had severe drug issues as well. In 1994 I turned around, yet the emotional stability was not at rest. To this day, I take medications to keep from running and debasing people without reason. I can see a bit clearly now at this time. The mental health clinicians, N.A and A.A meetings opened up the door to my facing and questioning my own reality and emotions for people as well as my own abilities of what I can do!
You can probably see how dual diagnosis is ascertained and the reason some consumers, without guidance return to their space to play while others understand their struggles and work towards becoming free of the partial bindings in order to find their reprieve. Accepting your needs isn’t misleading yourself, it’s knowing what those needs are being, and a clear mind to think not the imagination of make believe in the one room you’re free within yet knowing in another you can be real.

Written by Donald Sammons