Whenever mental health or Dual Diagnosis occurs, signs of two different diseases are observable. The two co-occurring issues are usually mental health disorders that indicate an untreated mental condition and a substance abuse problem or addiction. But how can you tell if your loved one’s mental health issues are the result of drug use alone or of a distinct psychiatric disorder?
Domination of Mental Health Symptoms
In many cases, patients will seek mental health care in the process of recovery for acute or even for chronic mental health issues they are experiencing, the victims can commonly face these symptoms:
- Relationship problems
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Chronic grief
The therapist will frequently discuss the victim’s use of alcohol and/or other substances during the initial assessment mental health process. Often the patient’s reaction makes it clear that a co-occurring disorder is present. For example, if a victim confirms that consuming alcohol more than 4 to 5 drinks in an evening is normal, or that they frequently smoke marijuana or consume some other illegal drug, it is an indicator of co-occurring disorders when these indications are followed by reports of anxiety, depression, and other mental health disorders.
In most therapeutic clinical settings, the psychiatrist would then recommend that the patient discontinue any substance and alcohol use for whatever mental health cause. If the patient has a physical addiction, this can only be achieved with the care of a professional physician. If the person unable to or unwilling to cooperate, it is obvious that the patient is dually diagnosed or facing the co-occurring condition of mental health disorders. So, if that is the case the patient needs to start consultation with a professional consultant about his or her co-occurring symptoms of mental health.
Primary Causes Are Substance Abuse Disorders
Substance abuse is a consistent pattern of use dangerously any substance for personal satisfaction or mood-altering effects. Substance abuse is often confused with drug abuse or addiction because many people do not know its difference. Substance abuse is considered to be the most common cause of major depression and other mental health disorders. Substance abuse can also be considered a precursor of alcoholism, resulting in serious medical problems such as liver or kidney damage.
Unfortunately, substance abuse is on the rise for a variety of reasons. Many experts have pointed out that it is much easier to abuse prescription drugs than it is to abuse street drugs like marijuana, cocaine, or heroin. Also, anabolic steroids (like testosterone) are a viral drug among athletes and bodybuilders. There are far more cases of substance abuse or addiction to anabolic steroids than normal use of anabolic steroids. This fact alone should be reason enough to try to avoid anabolic steroids and stay away from prohibited drugs.
Besides anabolic steroids abuse, alcohol abuse is another major cause of mental health disorders and substance addiction. Alcoholism is a biological disease that can cause significant mental health problems over time. Although alcohol addiction is not a physical dependency like substance addiction is, it is mental health or psychological dependence. People become addicted to alcohol because they have difficulty letting go of their issues, controlling their moods and thus they start to consume alcohol. For this reason, dealing with a mental health problem can be as emotionally complex as dealing with drug addiction.
Substance abuse problems are not only found in teenagers. People of all ages and both sexes can fall prey to substance abuse problems. In adults, substance abuse problems are becoming more common. This is due to many different factors. Some of the most common factors for people to become addicted to drugs or alcohol are unemployment, financial problems, relationships problems, and living conditions.
The substance-use disorder is an enormously severe mental health problem that cuts across all social and economic classes, leading to long-term and potentially fatal consequences. Those suffering from addiction often find themselves subject to violent abuse, such as being pushed into a car with an unconscious driver and being beaten severely. Others find that they develop physical dependencies on specific drugs, which makes life even more difficult. Those who become addicted to drugs and alcohol have a far greater chance of suffering from depression, mental health issues, and an increased likelihood of forming a drug dependency group with multiple partners.
Those who use drugs to escape stress and boredom are at risk of developing severe mental health problems, such as psychosis, depression, or even schizophrenia. Many drugs can cause severe injury or death, and those at the most significant risk of drug abuse are teenagers and young adults. Those who abuse drugs are at a very high risk of suffering from depression, mental health problems, and substance-use disorders, such as alcohol or prescription drug abuse.
The most harmful use of illicit substances is smoking marijuana, using cocaine, taking heroin, and using methamphetamine. These are just a few of the most common drugs that can put a person in severe physical danger or mental health issues if not used properly. Illegal drug use through smoking poses several severe health risks. Chronic smoking can cause lung cancer and emphysema. Chronic mental health issues can also cause heart attacks and stroke.
Other common but harmful effects of illegal drugs include mood-altering behaviours such as euphoria, mania, and depression. People who abuse illegal drugs can also experience withdrawal symptoms that include diarrhea, vomiting, and sweating. Drug addiction and substance abuse not only affect the user but those around them as well. Police departments throughout the country have seen a steady increase in the number of people displaying signs of substance abuse due to mental health issues. The health effects of these types of behaviour can be highly harmful to society.
Dual Diagnosis Treatment is Critical
When it is clear that a person has both mental health problems and a substance abuse problem, Dual Diagnosis or a treatment program that is equipped to treat both disorders effectively at the same time – is an essential part of the healing process. It will be nearly impossible to learn how to manage the daily challenges of life without a treatment program. Nervousness, extreme pain, sleep problems, frustration, stress, disordered dietary habits, are specific symptoms of mental health disorders.
These Symptoms Are Needed to Be Treated:
- Alcoholism and Drug Abuse
- Medical Withdrawal Symptoms
- Mental Trauma
- Issues with Relationships and Family Members
- Co-Occurring Medical Problems
The more intensive the therapy in resolving uncomfortable or unpleasant problems that may cause drug dependency and facilitate a change away from concentrating on constructive control of mental health symptoms, the more likely the patient will be able to identify causes and make healthier decisions that prioritize health.
Getting Treatment for Dual Diagnoses Today
Dual Diagnosis treatment is a type of drug rehab that helps people addicted to different drugs, cope with the withdrawal symptoms, and combat each drug’s physical or mental health side effects. The Dual Diagnosis Treatment Program’s objective is to help addicts recover from the harmful effects of addiction without relapsing into the cycle of drug dependence. Dual diagnosis treatment programs are a bit different from other drug rehabilitation programs because they combine outpatient and inpatient kind of treatment facilities.
The first step is detoxification. During the detoxification stage, the individual is subjected to intense withdrawal symptoms that force them to seek professional help. This can be quite a challenge for people who are heavily addicted to alcohol, cocaine, or methamphetamine. However, various medicines can provide temporary relief from these kinds of substances. The doctor would not recommend using such medications freely, which should only be used under the advice and supervision of a professional doctor.
The next phase of the Dual Diagnosis Treatment Program involves counselling. The counselling process will allow the individual to face their mental health issues and failures and deal with them. Dual diagnosis treatment programs also give importance to spiritual and mental healing. Individuals must have faith in themselves and realize that they need support from family and friends to overcome addiction. Counselling would involve a thorough exploration of the patient’s past and current problems.
The Dual Diagnosis Treatment Program also helps the individual make a lifestyle change. This may include abstention from alcoholic beverages and any other drugs that cause dependency. Counselling sessions would deal with ways to deal with sleep patterns, eating habits, job performance, budget preparation, etc. Another important thing that is required in the Dual Diagnosis Treatment Program is group support. The entire treatment program is designed to offer complete cohesiveness, enabling the patients to form bonds with each other even during their recovery.
Dual Medication Treatment Programs have been designed in such a way so that the patients are relieved of their addiction to drugs and become sober. The program aims at not only addiction prevention but also treats withdrawal symptoms effectively. This makes it easy for the individual to deal with the setback while becoming fully recovered. The program has been successful in helping thousands of individuals around the world. Many addiction treatment centres can help you with your particular addiction.
The Dual Diagnosis Treatment Program offers you both medication and therapy. The therapy could be in the form of individual counseling with experts in addiction treatment or group therapy. Dual diagnosis treatment centres would offer you individualized treatment for your specific addiction. If you think that your addiction is not getting better with the present treatment methods, you should strongly consider getting your addiction treated with Dual Diagnosis Treatment Program. It is the best alternative to other programs, as it provides not only recovery from addiction but also a full scale of treatment services.
Treatment for both mental health problems and substance abuse must begin as soon as side effects are identified. If you presume that your loved one would benefit from comprehensive care that addresses all of their problematic issues, please call us and speak with a specialist consultant for mental health disorders treatment right now.
Ben Lesser is one of the most sought-after experts in health, fitness and medicine. His articles impress with unique research work as well as field-tested skills. He is a freelance medical writer specializing in creating content to improve public awareness of health topics. We are honored to have Ben writing exclusively for Dualdiagnosis.org.