26 Nov

What Is a Dual Diagnosis Treatment Center

A dual diagnosis treatment center treats co-occurring conditions that involve some form of a mental health disorder and a substance abuse disorder. They are equipped to treat both disorders by developing a comprehensive treatment plan to help people with co-occurring conditions. 

What Is Dual Diagnosis?

A dual diagnosis is when someone is abusing substances and also suffers from a mental health disorder. Both disorders often affect one another, meaning the mental health disorder can affect substance abuse and vice versa.

For example, some people will attempt self-treatment for their mental health condition. They may attempt to manage it by drinking regularly or using prescription or illicit drugs that help alleviate the mental health disorder symptoms.

Conversely, someone who is struggling with alcohol addiction or abusing other substances may cause a latent mental health disorder to trigger their addictive tendencies. As a result, the symptoms of the mental health disorder that develop can cause continued abuse of alcohol and drugs. 

What Makes Dual Diagnosis Treatment Centers Different?

Not too long ago, treatments for co-occurring disorders were not available at a dual diagnosis treatment center. Instead, the individual would have to seek treatment for their mental health disorder from a mental healthcare facility and obtain treatment for their addiction from an addiction treatment center. 

As a result, one condition was ignored while the other was treated. It was discovered this was not an effective treatment method for those suffering from co-occurring conditions. Without treating both conditions simultaneously, the other condition often worsened.

In addition, the likelihood of relapse was much higher since only half of the condition was being treated. Fortunately, mental health professionals and addiction treatment specialists realized the importance of treating both conditions which led to creating dual diagnosis treatment centers. 

So, the key difference between a dual diagnosis treatment center and a standard alcohol and drug treatment center is that the facility is equipped to offer a treatment process that addresses both the mental health disorder and the substance abuse disorder. In comparison, a standard treatment center offers programs and treatments just to treat the addiction but not the mental health disorder. 

What You Need to Know About Dual Diagnosis Treatment

People that suffer from a mental health disorder and addiction require a higher degree of treatment and support options to address their specific needs. Furthermore, both the addiction and mental health disorder must be treated simultaneously for treatment to be truly effective. 

An effective treatment plan should include:

• A comprehensive examination to identify any physical and mental health issues. 
• Supervised detoxification for substance use disorder. 
• Various forms of psychotherapy, such as CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy), DBT (Dialectical Behavioral Therapy), and individual psychotherapy. 
• One-on-one and integrated group counseling and therapy for identifying and treating the symptoms of the addiction. 
• The ability for the person with the co-occurring disorder to be involved in the treatment approaches used and actively participate in their recovery.
• Involvement of family and friends when appropriate to help them better understand their loved one’s dual diagnosis condition and what they can do to help. 
• The use of prescription medications when appropriate for treating the mental health disorder. 

As you can imagine, a dual diagnosis treatment center’s treatment processes, therapies, and methods are much more detailed to ensure the person receives the best care possible. 

In addition, it is essential that a plan for ongoing care after rehab is put into place prior to leaving a treatment center. Aftercare is crucial to ensure the person does not experience a relapse and fall back into their former addictive tendencies and substance abuse problems. 

In situations where medications are being used to help treat mental health disorders, people need to learn responsible drug use. In most cases, when they do, they are less likely to relapse because their medication effectively aids the symptoms of their mental health disorder. 

Dual Diagnosis Aftercare Options

In general, dual diagnosis treatment aftercare will continue to include regular therapy and counseling sessions. Ongoing group sessions should also be maintained to provide the support needed to remain sober. Additionally, some people find that they need time to transition back to their normal lives. As such, sober living facilities can be beneficial for these individuals as they offer a structured environment while allowing people to return to work and continue their treatment program. 

Dual Diagnosis Treatment Center in Beverly Hills, CA

You no longer have to suffer from an untreated mental health disorder while struggling with addiction. MD Home Detox is a dual diagnosis treatment center in Beverly Hills, CA, that can help you recover from your co-occurring condition. We offer customizable treatment plans that treat both conditions through our concierge-level at-home treatment programs. To learn more about our dual diagnosis treatment options and at-home detox, please feel free to call us or use our contact form today!