Drug abuse has been linked to many psychological disorders. Various psychological disorders have also been noted to result in drug abuse. There are many cases where a person who is abusing drugs is also afflicted by a psychological disorder. Before the 1990s, these people would have to seek treatment in two separate facilities. They would have to seek help for their drug addiction in one center and seek professional help for their psychological disorder in another institution.
In the 1990s, researchers observed that in cases of drug addiction accompanied by psychological disorders, treating one without addressing the other did not result in long term success. Each condition could result in the other. People with psychological disorders resorted to drug abuse while those with drug abuse became mentally unstable as a result of the drug abuse. Researchers realized that there was a need for a dual diagnosis program.
In many cases, when a person is abusing drugs it is difficult to realize that the person also has a psychological problem. On the other hand, when someone is diagnosed with a psychological problem it may be difficult to know that the person is abusing drugs. This is because the symptoms of both conditions are quite similar and easy to confuse.
A dual diagnosis program allows for the treatment of both conditions at the same facility. Someone who has both conditions will not completely recover from either until they are both dealt with. They must therefore be dealt with simultaneously.
A dual diagnosis program differs a great deal from a regular drug rehab program. The dual program will go several steps further than the regular drug rehab program. This is because there is more work to be done. The program is not only designed to help you overcome an addiction but also overcome a psychological problem. This can be quite difficult for patients and their loved ones.
The dual diagnosis treatment may be carried out in a facility that specializes in this type of treatment or be a program in a regular rehab center. It is therefore important to find an institution with services for both. This will give the professionals an opportunity to observe the patient and determine whether they need a dual diagnosis treatment program or can obtain success from a regular program.
There are various facilities that offer these services. It is very easy for a professional to miss the symptoms of a dual diagnosis case. This is because the symptoms of psychological problems and drug abuse are intertwined. Many professionals pick up on one or the other. It is therefore important to approach a facility with experience in dual diagnosis and show a good success rate.
