Dual diagnosis treatment refers to when a person has both a substance use disorder (such, as alcohol use disorder), and a mental health condition (such, as depression, bipolar disorder, etc.).
Combining both of these conditions can hinder an individual’s ability to recover.
Dual Diagnosis Substance Abuse/ Mental Health
You can have a dual diagnosis if you have both a substance use problem and a mental illness such as bipolar disorder, depression, or anxiety. It’s never easy to deal with addiction, substance abuse, or alcoholism.
A co-occurring disorder is one in which both the mental and the substance or alcohol addiction are present. They can each have their own unique symptoms, which may affect your ability or ability to function at school or work, manage your life’s struggles, communicate with others, or handle other people’s emotions. Add to the complexity, co-occurring conditions can also affect one another. A substance abuse problem that is not addressed can lead to mental health problems. Mental health problems are often worsened by increased alcohol or drug use.
Many people don’t realize that co-occurring drug abuse and mental health problems are more common.
- A little over half of the severe mental disorders suffer from substance abuse.
- 37 percent of the drug and alcohol abusers are also affected by a mental illness, while 53 percent have it.
- 29 percent of all those diagnosed as being mentally ill abuse drugs and alcohol.
Substance abuse problems and mental disorders don’t improve if ignored. In fact, they may get worse. But it is important to understand that you don’t have to feel this way. There are things that you can do to defeat your demons, fix your relationships, or get on the road to recovery. You can overcome a coexisting disorder with self-help and treatment.
Which Is More Important: Substance Abuse Of Mental Disorders Or Substance Abuse?
Substance abuse and mental illness such as depression or anxiety are closely linked. However, they don’t necessarily cause each other. An abuse of methamphetamines and marijuana can cause long-term psychotic effects, while alcohol can make the symptoms of depression or anxiety worse. Also:
People frequently use alcohol or drugs to self-medicate mental health disorders. Self-medicating via drugs or alcohol can often lead to side effects that may worsen the conditions they were originally meant to relieve.
Drinking and using drugs can increase mental disorder risk. However, mental disorders are caused in part by genetics and the environment. It is not possible to say whether substance abuse has ever been directly responsible. Addiction to alcohol and drugs could put you at greater risk of developing a mental health problem. Some evidence suggests that those who misuse opioid painkillers are less likely to suffer from depression, and heavy cannabis consumption has been linked with a higher risk for schizophrenia.
Substance abuse and alcoholism can lead to mental health issues that are worsened or even worsened. Addiction to alcohol or drugs can also lead to interactions with mood stabilizers, antidepressants, and anxiety medications. This can make them less effective and slow down your recovery.
Recognizing the Dual Diagnosis
It is sometimes difficult to distinguish between dual diagnoses. It can take some time to identify if there is a mental or drug disorder. The type of substance used, including alcohol, prescription medications, and mental health problems, can have an impact on how the symptoms will look. One example is that signs of depression and marijuana use can look very different from signs of schizophrenia and abuse of alcohol. You may be suffering from a co-occurring disorder if you look closely at these signs.