Dual Diagnosis in Warwick, RI

If you've heard the term ‘dual diagnosis' and aren't quite sure what it means, the definition is simple. When people come into rehabs with a diagnosis of drug addiction or alcoholism, they are said to have a single diagnosis. If that same person presents with drug or alcohol dependence combined with a mental health disorder, they are said to have a dual diagnosis in Warwick. There are a number of confidential dual diagnosis centers for addiction treatment in Warwick.

What Is Dual Diagnosis?

Also called ‘co-occurring disorders,' dual diagnosis is a term used to describe a phenomenon wherein a patient presents with a mental health condition along with drug or alcohol addiction. Dual diagnosis may involve a range of mental disorders, including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and borderline personality disorder, or BPD.

Experts say that persons with mental illness may be more prone to substance abuse and addiction than their mentally healthy counterparts. In some cases, the mental disorders appear first. In other cases, abuse of drugs or alcohol triggers mental illness. In either situation, both conditions must be treated in order to affect lasting sobriety or abstinence. Dual diagnosis treatment programs may include cognitive behavioral therapies, peer support groups, one-on-one talk therapy, and medications.

Men are generally more affected by dual substance abuse and mental health issues than women. Combat veterans, persons with chronic illnesses, and persons of lower socioeconomic status are also more likely to benefit from dual diagnosis treatment, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

Addiction and Mental Illness

Behavioral specialists are unable to completely explain why many addicts have mental health issues. Dual diagnosis may be a genetic disposition, or it may be the result of environmental factors. Recurring drug addictions often present in patients who have borderline personality disorder. Cocaine addiction is often noted in patients who have been diagnosed with major depression, and alcoholism is oftentimes seen in persons who are schizophrenic. There is no limit to the type of mental disorders that may be diagnosed along with substance abuse. Fortunately, safe and effective dual diagnosis in Warwick is available.

Any sort of mental illness can occur along with drug or alcohol abuse. Psychiatric conditions and personality disorders commonly associated with drug and alcohol addiction include obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD), anxiety, and clinical depression.

Treatments for dual diagnosis coordinate substance abuse intervention with mental health therapy. At dual diagnosis treatment centers, a treatment team works in tandem to provide a safe and supportive environment where addicts with concurrent mental health issues learn to cope with everyday problems without resorting to alcohol or drugs. Of course, no two addicts are precisely alike, so individualized dual diagnosis for addiction treatment plans are designed to address the unique circumstances of the doubly diagnosed inpatient.

Dual Diagnosis Therapy Can Help

When treating dual diagnosis, it is imperative that medical staff and mental health professionals work together to stabilize acute symptoms. A patient with multiple diagnoses increases their chances of achieving physical and emotional wellness when their recovery program is overseen by a dual diagnosis rehab facility that offers treatment for drug addiction as well as expert mental health therapy.

Some people start using drugs or drink as a kind of self-medication for a disturbing mental condition. Others slip into psychosis or another mental illness as a result of out-of-control alcohol use or drug abuse. No matter how it happened to you, dual diagnosis treatment in Warwick, RI can help. Call Warwick Alcohol Treatment Centers now for help (877) 804-1531.