People take drugs and alcohol to treat anxiety, depression, and hopelessness. In our experience, when people lack the resources to deal with an unresolved underlying issue, typically trauma and loss, they turn to drugs, alcohol, or other substances.
In any case, getting sober is not a simple process. The problem is more complicated than just withdrawal symptoms. If you or your loved ones suffer through substance abuse recovery, you know that the challenging part is the mental battle. When a mental health condition and substance misuse are co-occurring, it is significantly tougher to overcome the difficulties of recovery.A dual diagnosis occurs when substance abuse and mental illness co-occur.
Dual diagnoses are common though they necessitate specialized care and tailored treatment. It is typical for patients without treatment for dual diagnosis to become caught in the vicious cycle of mental illness and substance abuse.
Signs of Dual Diagnosis
It is also necessary to receive an accurate diagnosis to receive the proper therapy for co-occurring illnesses. There are some vital indicators that you may have dual diagnosis disorders.
- Risk-taking behavior.
- Need to take control.
- Impotent to function without the use of drugs.
- Sudden change in the behavior.
- Detachment from family and friends.
- Abuse is the use of substances using in unsafe circumstances.
- Higher tolerance and withdrawal symptoms.
The above-given signs of dual diagnosis may vary from person to person. Extreme mood swings, poor concentration or thinking, withdrawal from friends and social activities, and suicidal thoughts are a few possible warning signs.
It is crucial to be aware of the warning signs, such as a sudden change in behavior, because they might approach you at any time to ask for assistance for whatever reason. The most crucial thing is never to self-diagnose.Talking to a dual diagnosis or addiction treatment specialist is critical.
Why Dual Diagnosis is Difficult to Identify
The dual diagnosis is often hard to identify. The symptoms are often multifaceted and differ in severity. As a result, it is not uncommon for people to receive treatment for one disorder while the other disorder remains untreated. It happens because the symptoms are so similar and overlap. Therefore, mental and addiction issues can share biological, psychological, and social characteristics.
Inadequate screening or training is another factor in the failure to diagnose both illnesses. In any event, co-occurring disorders that are misdiagnosed, untreated, or inadequately treated can increase the risk of homelessness, incarceration, disease, and even suicide.
Lastly, those who abuse drugs or alcohol have mental health and are more likely to act violently or impulsively, which could get them into trouble with the law. For them, maintaining long-term sobriety becomes more challenging.
How to tell if you or your loved ones need dual diagnosis treatment?
It is necessary to get an accurate diagnosis for proper therapy for co-occurring illnesses.There are some vital indicators that you may have co-occurring disorders. Use the analysis below to determine your and your loved one’s condition. Give the most truthful response you can to the following questions:-
- Do you or they have a family history of mental disorders?
- Have you been or seen dramatic mood swings or energy levels?
- Exhibited any depressive or anxiety symptoms?
- Showed any delusions or hallucinations?
- Displayed rage or uncontrollable feelings?
If the answer to all these questions is affirmative, then it has a high chance that you or your loved one is suffering from the co-occurring disorder.
Adverse effects of Dual Diagnosis on emotional and physical health
Emotional Heath
A person who struggles with both substance misuse and mental health issues is likely to feel distressed by their conditions, which can increase stress, make them estranged from friends and family, impair their self-esteem, and make them feel guilty.
An individual may experience poor emotional health due to all these impacts. In the same way that stress affects a person’s physical health, it also impacts their emotional health.People with comorbid conditions are more likely to experience depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts.
Physical Health
Each condition may aggravate the poor consequences of the other, resulting in amplified symptoms of both. A person with a dual disease may be more likely to neglect personal care since they may feel more severe and persistent symptoms. In substance abuse, you can have many damaging effects on the body such as stroke, AIDS/HIV, Lung Disease, etc. The mental illnesses associated withthe physical sickness include cancer, sexual dysfunction, heart and blood diseaseetc.
Dual Diagnosis Treatment for both Substance Abuse and Mental Health
Instead of having the patient work on each disorder individually, diagnosis and treatment will integrate both problems into the healing process.It is better to treat these two disorders together since it is evident that they both affect a person’s quality of life. Common symptoms of the illnesses, such as poor mood or issues with impulse control, are frequently the focus of treatment.
Early diagnosis and treatment of both disorders enhance the patient’s recovery and quality of life. Patients who have both addiction and another mental disorder have more enduring, severe, and resistant symptoms to therapy than those who only have one of these disorders. Because of this, they could have a tough time staying sober.
Conclusion
A dual diagnosis of substance misuse and another mental disease presents the person, their friends, and their family with various difficulties. With improved knowledge and education, there are ways to treat and cure this challenging condition successfully even when a dual diagnosis is present.
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