Treating drug addiction and substance abuse takes time and is a challenging process. According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse, alcohol and drug abuse comes with some mental ailments in most cases that can get diagnosed. Simultaneously, some people are into drug abuse but don’t get diagnosed with any mental illness. Hence, it is necessary to examine a person suffering from alcohol or drug addiction correctly and understand the causes and get on with the treatment.
It is essential to treat addiction and mental issues
Today, medical professionals are opting for dual diagnoses, which is a relatively new treatment. They are not denying treating those individuals who are suffering from both addictions and mental ailments. This treatment enables individuals with a psychiatric disorder and alcohol addiction to opt-in for proper treatment. To know more about this, you can get in touch with the leading dual diagnosis treatment centers.
What is a dual diagnosis treatment?
The dual diagnosis successfully detects the cause of addiction and also diagnoses mental illness. At times, the medical professionals might have issues in treating patients with both these issues, because addiction and mental illness gets tied to one another. Furthermore, the disease can also make it challenging for a person to follow a recovery routine prescribed by an alcohol and drug rehabilitation. There can be a few overlapping symptoms that medical professionals need to check to provide the best treatment. It also helps them guide the patients to manage their external factors in managing their addiction and mental clarity.
How does the treatment work?
It is ideal for patients to opt-in for an integrated health program with the help of medical professionals. They can also seek guidance from the support staff and mental health professionals. Generally, the process of dual diagnosis treatment starts with the medical professionals reviewing the complete condition. The data and the know-how obtained from the assessment help them make an informed decision about immediate treatment. The treatment can also help to address and treat mental ailments as well.
When there are diagnoses for both health issues, an individual can develop better life skills and cope with multiple aspects of their lives. They also get to know about the aftercare, which helps them stay sober, avert the trigger points, and even prevent relapses during the treatment program.
The crucial benefits of dual diagnoses
- Enhanced focused care
When a patient gets all the necessary details about his or her health while treating their addiction, it can help them stay well. They can treat their bodies better and can move towards a complete recovery faster than they could imagine. Additionally, healthcare professionals can focus on their efforts and consider particular aspects that need special attention. Also, when you treat a single condition, it is necessary to treat the other health condition that comes with it. Else, the treatment is ineffective, and the recovery is temporary. When you successfully address and treat both the ailments, it enables you to minimize the scopes of negative symptoms and hostile behavior that can show up on the patient.
- Understanding health conditions better
The medical professionals treat a patient holistically. They focus on the body, mind, soul, and spirit. And with a holistic approach, there is a detailed understanding of the patient’s condition. Hence, the treatment plan is straightforward and addresses every aspect of the patient, ensuring a permanent therapy. Treating one disease and overlooking the other, can create various other health and mental instabilities. And that can bring the patient back to getting attached to drugs and alcohol.
- Knowing that you are not alone
The doctors implementing a dual diagnosis lets the patient know that he or she is not alone. There are others as well who are witnessing similar issues. It helps to normalize the case at hand, which helps to remove the fear and phobia associated with it. Furthermore, it helps the patient recover from the problem better and cope quickly with the treatment and withdrawal symptoms.
Today, there is much stigma associated with both mental ailments and drug addiction. People look at both with a suspicious glance and tend to judge people who show signs of both. At times, that makes the patients shy away from admitting that they have a problem that needs therapy and treatment. Over the past few years, medical professionals have treated several individuals with dual diagnoses for their alcohol and drug addiction and mental instabilities.
The therapy includes taking a close look at a person’s life, habits, social circle, employment, family, and medical history. It helps to set up a holistic recovery plan that will help the patients recover gradually. It also treats other mental ailments like depression, bipolar, or insomnia and makes the patient unable to fall prey to any triggers once the therapy is over.