Dual Diagnosis Drug Treatment

-Since the beginning of time the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community has been fighting an uphill battle. As it relates to drug and alcohol treatment the question was ” Where could I go as a gay man or woman to receive the best drug and alcohol treatment?” With that question answered, the LGBT community is asking the same question regarding a gay friendly dual diagnosis treatment center. Upon review there does not seem to be very many gay friendly dual diagnosis treatment centers available.

Gay Friendly Dual Diagnosis Treatment Center

One dual diagnosis treatment center that deserves mention is Freedom Rings in Jacksonville, Florida. This dual diagnosis treatment program not only provides state of the art dual diagnosis treatment, but has specialty groups and staff specifically for the gay population. This Florida dual diagnosis treatment program has received national recognition for its comprehensive care of coexisting disorders such as drug addiction, alcoholism and mental illness. Located in Jacksonville, Florida this dual diagnosis treatment center provides medical detox services, psychiatric care from a board certified psychiatrist and a host of other individualized dual diagnosis treatment services.

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Texas Alcohol Rehabs

For years alcohol rehabs in Texas and surrounding cities like Fort Worth, Dallas, Plano or Houston have been providing effective treatment for alcoholism. These alcohol rehabs, some of which are recognized on a national basis, have provided the residents of Texas with exceptional care. The problem was that over the yeas more and more people being admitted to Texas alcohol rehabs have had psychiatric disorders. The co-existance of a drug addiction and alcohol addiction, coupled with a psychiatric problem is referred to as a dual diagnosis. There were not many Texas alcohol rehabs treating dual diagnosis in a state of the art fashion.

Texas Dual Diagnosis Treatment

To date, a few of the Texas alcohol rehabs have added a dual diagnosis treatment component. Texas dual diagnosis treatment centers are still developing. A dual diagnosis treatment program in Texas must have a strong psychiatric comonent to support the addiction treatment. Any quality Texas dual diagnosis treatment center whether in Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, San Antonio or Abilene, will have a board certified psychiatrist, who is also trained in addiction medicine. A psychiatrist with this training is imperative as the Texas dual diagnosis treatment program will treat both disorders concurrently and the physician needs to have a thorough background in both areas.

Florida Dual Diagnosis Treatment Programs

Patients that require more than a few weeks in a dual diagnosis program might want to look into Florida dual diagnosis treatment . Florida dual diagnosis treatment centers seem to have a design capable of providing longer term care in a more creative addiction treatment environment. Dual diagnosis treatment programs in Florida have designed themselves after the Florida Addiction Treatment Model, which has become known nationwide.

For additional information on the Florida Addiction Treatment model call 1-800-511-9225, an addiction treatment helpline or view www.lakeviewhealth.com and see how Recovery Apartments have been integrated in the dual diagnosis treatment program.

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For years drug rehabs in Minnesota have been providing effective treatment for drug addiction and alcoholism. These drug rehabs, some of which are recognized on a national basis, have provided the residents of Minnesota with quality care. The problem was over the yeas more and more people being admitted to Minnesota drug rehabs have had a co-existing mental health disorder. The co-existance of a drug addiction and alcohol addiction, coupled with a psychiatric problem is referred to as a dual diagnosis. There were not many Minnesota drug rehabs treating dual diagnosis.

To date, a few of the Minnesota drug rehabs have added a dual diagnosis treatment component. Minnesota dual diagnosis treatment programs are still developing. A dual diagnosis treatment program in Minnesota must have a strong psychiatric comonent to support the addiction component. Any quality Minnesota dual diagnosis treatment center will have a board certified psychiatrist, who is also trained in addiction medicine. A psychiatrist with this training is imperative as the Minnesota dual diagnosis treatment center will treat both disorders concurrently and the physician needs to have a thorough background in both areas.

Patients that require more than a few weeks in a dual diagnosis program might want to look into dual diagnosis treatment in Florida. Florida dual diagnosis treatment centers seem to have a design capable of providing longer term care in a more creative treatment environment. Dual diagnosis treatment programs in Florida have designed themselves after the Florida Addiction Treatment Model, which has become known nationwide.

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For most patients who need dual diagnosis treatment, the public sector is the source of mental health care. There are six types of generic ambulatory mental health treatments provided to outpatient clients in the public sector: medication services, talk therapies, consumer advocacy and referral, crisis interventions, education and training, and psychosocial services. Patients with dual disorders often mix medication with alcohol and drugs. The dual diagnosis treatment that have been effective with dual diagnosis patients have been medication services, talk therapies and psychosocial services.

Medication services are widely used in the public sector. Medication reduces psychiatric symptoms, keeps patients out of the hospital, and may even reduce substance abuse. However, medication effects are not permanent, especially for dually diagnosed patients. These patients will often resume substance abuse to counteract side effects of psychiatric medications. They also are more likely to discontinue using psychiatric medications, which often leads to admission to a dual diagnosis treatment center. Medicating may reduce symptoms in the short run, but may be ineffective or even counterproductive over the long-run.

Talk therapies support the positive effects of other services in terms of prognosis and reduction in hospitalizations. However, both group and individual talk therapies may not be useful for schizophrenic patients, whose thought disorder may be worsened by talk therapy.

Psychosocial factors play a major role in the onset and maintenance of substance use problems. In the context of severe mental illness, stable social networks buffer the individual against stress and repeated breakdown. Psychosocial services, such as instructional courses, basic living skills, social skills, managing symptoms, obtaining work skills and jobs, have been found to be very effective with dually diagnosed patients. These services tend to redirect dual diagnosis patients into structured, constructive, and meaningful activities.

Motivation for change is a pivotal variable and a key proximal outcome for dual treatment programs. The literature on alcohol treatment programs suggests that motivation for change is a key variable in whether alcohol treatment is effective compared motivational and belief variables for persons in programs using 12-step models to persons in programs using cognitive-behavioral models and found significantly greater change in motivation for programs using 12-step-type models. In 12-step-type programs, changes in motivation are the proximal outcomes.

The theory on which most dual diagnosis treatment programs are based argue that changing the person’s motivation to refrain from using substances is an immediate outcome of treatment and a prerequisite for preventing relapse. Thus, the attitudes that persons with dual diagnoses hold about mental illness, substance abuse, and addiction at the conclusion of formal dual diagnosis treatment and alcohol treatment should play an important role in their patterns of community functioning. It has been recommended that conventional substance misuse services be adapted for people with severe mental illness so there is a greater tolerance of relapse and people have access to dual diagnosis treatment and support services even if they are unable to achieve or maintain abstinence.

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When a heavy drinker abruptly stops drinking alcohol, he or she typically experiences alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Alcohol detox is an alcoholism treatment approach that focuses on managing the alcohol withdrawal symptoms in an alcohol treatment program so that the body can eliminate the alcohol.

Alcohol Detox Facts

Alcohol detox, a widely available, traditional form of alcohol rehabilitation, is typically done under the supervision of a medical practitioner, and it is frequently employed as the first step in an alcohol treatment program. Due mainly to the relatively long time-frame needed for alcohol detox programs these alcohol detox programs are typically part of an inpatient alcohol rehabilitation program.

Alcohol Detox and Withdrawal Symptoms

According to the research literature, it is important to treat every individual who is suffering from alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Having said this, however, it should be noted that approximately 95 percent of the individuals who quit drinking alcohol experience mild to moderate withdrawal symptoms and can frequently be treated in a residential alcohol treatment program.

The remaining 5 percent of the people who suffer from withdrawal symptoms, however, experience symptoms so severe that they must be treated in a hospital, specializing in alcohol rehabilitation and alcohol detox.

Alcohol Detox Using Doctor Prescribed Medications

More than a few researchers openly claim that chronic alcoholics who cannot maintain sobriety or those who suffer from severe alcohol withdrawals should receive drug therapy to control their withdrawal symptoms. By using alcohol detox medications, alcohol-dependent individuals are less likely to experience possible brain damage and/or seizures.

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Dual diagnosis is a person who has both an alcohol or drug problem and an emotional/psychiatric problem is said to have a dual diagnosis. To recover fully, the person needs treatment for both problems. Dual diagnosis refers to the co-occurence of mental health disorders and substance abuse disorders (alcohol and/or drug dependence or abuse).

Dual Diagnosis, and Dual Disorders profiles may include the following:

·Severe/major mental illness and a substance abuse problem
·Substance abuse problem and a personality disorder(s)

Substance abuse problem, personality disorder(s) and substance abuse induced acute symptoms that may require psychiatric care, i.e., hallucinations, depression, and other symptoms resulting from substance abuse or withdrawal.

Substance abuse problem, mental illness, and organic syndromes in various combinations. Organic syndromes may be a result of substance abuse, or independent of substance abuse.

Persons are found across the mental health and substance abuse systems that have various combinations of these dual/multiple disorders. They are also found outside of these systems of care, often among the homeless, and within the criminal justice system.

Acronyms that define various dual disorders:

MICAA: Mentally Ill, Chemical Abusers, and Addicted. Denotes the severely mentally ill chemical abuser. (Sciacca, 1991)

MISA: Mentally Ill Substance Abuser. May denote various combinations of dual disorders with or without severe mental illness.

MIDAA*, This denotes the inclusion of Mental Illness, Drug Addiction and Alcoholism in various combinations as dual/multiple disorders.

CAMI: Chemical Abusing Mentally Ill. This denotes Chemical abuse or dependence as primary with personality disorders (but without severe mental illness). (Sciacca,1991).

CAMI, With substance induced psychotic episodes: Same as CAMI with induced acute symptoms. (Sciacca,1991)

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