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Dual diagnosis is a condition of a person who is suffering from both a mental illness and a drug abuse problem. This concept has been broadly used for depression and alcoholism or severe mental illness and substance misuse disorder or mental illness and a drug dependency for anxiety disorder that is dependent on opioids. Since drug abuse induces psychiatric symptoms making a dual diagnosis becomes tricky in substance abusers.
The Dual Diagnosis
It therefore becomes absolutely necessary to differentiate between substance induced illness and mental illness. This type of diagnoses also refers to a condition in which a person is simultaneously diagnosed with both an Axis I and an Axis II psychiatric disorder. While the former is considered more or less responsive to treatments with antidepressant medications, the latter or Axis II conditions are more resistant to such treatments. Emerging studies prove that dual diagnosis has become an issue that requires a different type of service delivery system in order to meet the needs of addicts. That the drug and alcohol problems often co-exist with mental disorders is a well known but poorly addressed fact.
Course of Action and Medication
There are very few institutions that treat people with dual diagnosis. Normally drug abuse centers do not accept people with serious psychiatric disorders and psychiatric institutions do not have expertise with drug abuse. However, the two disorders should not be viewed or treated separately. They should be integrated and a collaborative decision-making process should be made with the mutual consent between the health care team and the addict. There are many case studies with explicit goals that vouch for successful treatment of individuals with coexisting mental and drug abuse disorders.
Medications can be useful to reduce anxiety and craving. They have also been proven to reduce paranoia and effective in opioid replacement therapies. These therapies include lifelong maintenance on methadone to minimize risk of relapse and fatality. With baclofen there is a reduction in cravings for alcoholics, cocaine addicts, and amphetamine addicts. Also, clozapine is used to help eliminate drug cravings and it is an antipsychotic, which reduces illicit drug use amongst addicts. Including holistic therapies like yoga, meditation, acupuncture and family therapy are very helpful in treating and strengthening their support system.
Dual Diagnosis Treatment Centers In California
There are many dual diagnosis treatment centers in California but the one best suited for you or for that matter anyone should have individualized program, personalized treatment, and one-to-one counseling and group therapy sessions. The drug rehab center must offer an aftercare program to help lead you through a successful recovery.
