Dual Diagnosis Drug Treatment

By definition a dual diagnosis is the presence of a mental illness in conjunction with a drug addiction, substance abuse problem or alcohol problem. It suffices to say that when a person is in active addiction it is difficult at best to properly diagnose whether the mental health symptoms area direct result of the person’s drug addiction or are actually the result of a psychitric problem.

Drug Detox Program - The First Step

In order to provide an accurate diagnosis, the person must first enter a drug detox program to rid the body of all addictive substances. After the individual has completed the drug detox program and all symptoms of drug or alcohol withdrawal have subsided, the psychiatrist will have an opportunity to properly address the possibility of a dual diagnosis. Anyone in the field of dual diagnosis treatment knows how the symptoms associated with drug addiction and drug withdrawal can mimic the presence of psychiatric symptoms. The drug detox program should be located within a drug rehab to allow for 24 hour support and effective medication management in the case of dual diagnosis treatment is warranted.

Dual Diagnosis Treatment and Evaluation

Now that the individual is no longer under the effects of drugs or alcohol, the physician can make a more accurate diagnosis. If symptoms of depression or anxiety do not subside or mood swings do not begin to stabilize, the drug rehab staff knows they may be dealing with a dual diagnosis and dual diagnosis treatment is waranted. In a dual diagnosis treatment program, both the drug addiction, alcoholism and psychiatric illness is addressed. Recovery is gradual as the dual diagnosis treatment staff generally employs a combination of medication and therapy to address the dual diagnosis.

There are many dual diagnosis treatment programs in the United States so take your time when making that choice. Research has shown that some of the better dual diagnosis treatment programs are located in Florida. For information to these dual diagnosis treatment programs call the dual diagnosis treatment helpline at 1-800-511-9225.

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This entry was posted on Monday, April 30th, 2007 at 8:06 am and is filed under Dual Diagnosis Drug Treatment. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.