Benefits of Dual Diagnosis

Benefits of Receiving a Dual Diagnosis

Receiving a dual diagnosis can provide relief and give a better idea of what the recovery process will look like. With the right diagnosis, a treatment plan can be developed. This plan may include a combination of therapy and medications for depression, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) for trauma, dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) for borderline personality disorder, and more.

Many people feel scared before being diagnosed. They may believe something is very wrong with them, but being correctly diagnosed can ease those fears. It may change the point of view that one is hopeless. By recognizing addiction and mental illnesses have their way of taking control despite efforts to combat them, one can start becoming hopeful about recovery.

Receiving a dual diagnosis can speed up the treatment process — the more specific the diagnosis, the easier it is to identify programs that will help. If both disorders are not identified early on in the treatment process, only one of them will be recognized and treated. While in treatment for substance abuse, knowing about a mental health disorder means long-term aftercare plans will include mental health services. Having a comprehensive diagnosis completed early will not only speed up the length of treatment, but it will also increase the chances of a successful recovery.

Benefits of Dual Diagnosis Treatment

Dual diagnosis treatment treats both substance abuse disorders and mental health disorders at the same time. While addiction disorders and mental health disorders may begin separately, over time, they often become intertwined. Dual diagnosis treatment allows the individual to receive the treatment necessary to stop using alcohol or drugs and stabilize their mental health.

Starting with withdrawal detoxification, a person will receive treatment and therapy for addiction and anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and more. Learning how the disorders are connected is a big part of long term recovery. In treatment, patients will work with professionals in therapy to determine how their illnesses work together. Understanding exactly how each condition is affecting the individual will help them control triggers and manage relapse symptoms.

Mental health disorders are often a cause of addiction for many people suffering from co-occurring disorders. Addressing the roots of mental illness and prescribing medications (if needed) can immediately help a person in recovery.

Identifying both disorders and developing an individualized recovery plan while inpatient means staff will also create a unique and effective relapse prevention plan. By coming out of comprehensive addiction treatment with a support system, resources to reach out to and mental health and addiction therapy options (i.e., narcotics or alcoholics anonymous groups and certified mental health therapists) a person’s chances of staying sober and drug-free are significantly increased,

An individual receiving dual diagnosis treatment for co-occurring disorders has greater chances to remain in recovery following treatment. The intensive care involved in treating both addiction and mental health at the same time increases the opportunity for a person to stay on their path in sobriety.