Addiction Rehabs for Dual Diagnosis and Mental Health
The term “dual diagnosis” is used to describe a person who is suffering from a substance abuse problem as well as a mental illness. An example of a dual diagnosis would be alcoholism and depression.
Making a dual diagnosis in substance abusers can be difficult. This is the case because drug and/or alcohol use can often times induce symptoms of mental illness.
There are rehab centers that cater specifically to dual diagnosis patients. If you are searching for such a facility, either for yourself or a loved one, it is essential to determine whether it is a dual diagnosis rehab.
Staff experience is the primary benefit of dual diagnosis rehabs. In short, the staff realizes that patients with a dual diagnosis are facing a different set of circumstances.
Mental disorders may begin to dissipate with prolonged abstinence. In this case, both problems are taken care of at the same time.
Dual diagnosis rehabs are familiar with what to expect from patients as they go through the detoxification process. In some, psychiatric disorders will persist for a long period following detoxification.
Specialized Treatment is Important
It is important to receive specialized treatment if dealing with a dual diagnosis. This is where dual diagnosis rehabs come into play. They have experience dealing with these types of patients. As you can imagine, dual diagnosis patients bring forth a challenging set of symptoms. Receiving help from those with dual diagnosis experience will greatly improve the overall chance of success.
When comparing dual diagnosis rehabs, look for all of the following:
- Experienced staff
- Detail oriented and organized
- Past success with patients with similar issues
- Meticulous care including the ability to trace the source of the symptoms
Treating a patient with a dual diagnosis is best left to rehab centers with expertise in this area. Substance abuse is bad enough, but when you add mental illness the entire rehab process becomes much more complex.
In the past, dual diagnosis was often times ignored. Fortunately, this has changed thanks to dual diagnosis rehabs and the services offered by these facilities.
