Dual Diagnosis Treatment

At our rehab centers in Hawaii, we offer dual diagnosis treatment services as part of our residential recovery treatment programs. 

Dual Diagnosis is when an individual has been diagnosed with one or more mental health conditions and a substance abuse disorder (SUD). 

Having a dual diagnosis is a common occurrence among people suffering from drug and alcohol use disorders. MedlinePlus states that about 50% of the people with SUD will also have a mental health disorder at some point during their lifetimes. 

The term “dual diagnosis” was first identified in the 1980s. Today, however, the term has been updated, and the new terminology for dual diagnosis is now “co-occurring disorders” (COD). According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), CODs affect people of all ages from many different backgrounds, and these illnesses can be severe and recurrent.

If you have been diagnosed with a COD, you are not alone. According to the National Alliance in Mental Illness (NAMI), in 2019, it was estimated that approximately 9.5 million (3.8%) people experienced both a mental illness and a SUD. 

Common mental health disorders among those diagnosed with CODs include:

Individuals experiencing the above mental health disorders will often abuse the following types of substances:

Even though the co-occurrence of SUD and mental health conditions is extremely common, having one of these conditions does not automatically cause the other. You may wonder, “Why is there such a strong correlation between the two?” While there is no direct link, there could be there are a variety of factors that may contribute to their co-occurrence. 

#1. Family History: Genetics can be a contributing factor to both mental health disorders and addictive behaviors. 

#2. Stress: Stress is known to be a risk factor in the development of drug and alcohol substance abuse. 

#3. Trauma: Traumatic experiences leading to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can also lead to mental health conditions and substance abuse. 

If any of these three areas leads an individual to a mental health episode or disorder, those suffering may turn to drugs and alcohol to self-medicate their symptoms to feel better. Likewise, if any one of these three areas leads to a SUD, an individual’s brain chemistry can be affected in such a way that it could lead to a mental health episode or disorder. 

According to previously cited statistics by the NAMI, over 90 million adults in the U.S. have experienced mental illness. As outlined above, many of these individuals may turn to drugs or alcohol to help self-medicate in order to soothe or quiet symptoms of their mental conditions. 

While mental illness can present differently in each individual, signs that someone you know may be experiencing a mental health condition include:

If you have a mental health condition and suffer from a SUD, warning signs of this COD can include the following:

Simply put, dual diagnosis treatment provides medical care services to meet the needs of and heal or manage the mental health disorder and the SUD, each separately but simultaneously. 

According to a SAMHSA study, dual diagnosis treatments should include essential services that are “person-centered, trauma-informed, culturally responsive, recovery-oriented, comprehensive, and continuously offered across all levels of care and disease course.”

Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) is a common treatment for dual diagnosis patients. MAT is the use of medication in conjunction with behavioral therapies, holistic treatments, and counseling to treat substance abuse. 

Additional research regarding dual diagnosis treatment suggests that individuals suffering from the COD of mental illness and a SUD face greater consequences from drug and alcohol use. 

These consequences could include:

Learn more about the importance of integrated dual diagnosis treatment

At Hawaii Island Recovery, we offer evidence-based therapies as part of your recovery plan to help treat COD. We use a comprehensive approach to treat your mental health condition and SUD separately but simultaneously. 

Our therapies include:

At our Hawaii substance abuse treatment centers, we provide dual diagnosis treatments to manage and heal the co-occurring disorders (COD) of mental health and substance use disorders (SUD). If you or a loved one is suffering from a dual diagnosis, call Hawaii Island Recovery today at (866) 390-5070 to learn more.

As time passes more people understand the importance of dual diagnosis treatment. Addiction and mental illness are both challenging to deal with on their own. When you combine a mental illness with a substance abuse problem, though, the difficulty multiplies. Thankfully, some treatment centers offer programs specifically for these individuals.

These treatment facilities understand how substance abuse and mental illness interact. Treating someone with dual diagnosis (also called co-occurring disorders) isn’t like treating someone with only one condition or the other. The combination of the two conditions better results from certain specific approaches to treatment.

44.7 million adults in the United States live with some type of mental illness. 19 million have a substance use disorder. Of these 63.7 million people, 8.2 million have both a mental illness and a substance use disorder, or dual diagnosis. In other words, more than 40 percent of people with a drug or alcohol problem also have a mental disorder.

 Source: https://www.getsmartaboutdrugs.gov 

The side effects or results of substance abuse often look like symptoms of mental illness. Nearly every person in early recovery deals with residual anxiety and depression. Some experience schizophrenic-like hallucinations or delusions. It’s difficult to tell whether the symptoms are from drug withdrawals or mental illness until all the substances first clear from a person’s system. They might see any signs of mental illness clear once the drugs are gone.

Only 7.4 percent of those with dual diagnosis receive the proper treatment for both parts of their condition. Some receive treatment for their mental health and others for their substance use. Not nearly enough people received specialized care for both the substance abuse and mental health aspects of their co-occurring disorder.

Co-occurring disorders don’t describe only a single type of mental illness or addiction. Many conditions qualify a person as having dual diagnosis. They might deal with an addiction to drugs, alcohol, gambling, or sex. Their mental illness could be anything from anxiety or depression to full-blown schizophrenia. They aren’t a one-size-fits-all type of disorder.

Addiction alone is a vicious cycle. When you include a mental illness in the mix the problem multiplies tenfold. Many people with a co-occurring disorder turned to drugs or alcohol to help them cope with the effects of their mental illness. The substances helped them deal with either the side effects of their disorder or the medication used to treat it.

Although it seems like the substances help them handle the side effects, in reality they make the effects worse. They exaggerate the symptoms of their mental illness which leads to more substance use. Soon they’re trapped in a downward cycle of drug use and mental illness which often requires treatment to interrupt.

Again, people with dual diagnosis often find themselves with the condition as a result of trying to self-medicate. Children who do not receive treatment for mental illnesses or disorders have a greater risk of turning to substances to manage symptoms as they grow older. By offering treatment when they’re young, their chance of developing a worsening disorder decreases.

Mental illness and addiction put people at a high risk on their own. Combining the two puts them at even higher risk of risky or dangerous behavior, or even suicidal ideation. These individuals need specialized treatment as soon as possible in order to have the best chance at recovery.

Again, the side effects of substance abuse often look like a mental illness. Once the drugs leave someone’s system and the symptoms of mental illness are still present, then doctors better understand what they’re dealing with. They first need to work with the person’s substance abuse before they can make an impact on their mental illness. This specialized approach is best handled in a dual diagnosis-specific facility.

Since people with co-occurring disorders have two different issues, treatment often takes longer. Doctors and psychiatrists first handle the substance abuse before turning to the mental illness. Regular treatment centers usually don’t offer the additional care and time needed for those with dual diagnosis. Specialized facilities understand the need for well-rounded, in-depth treatment of individuals with co-occurring disorders.

The sooner someone with dual diagnosis seeks treatment the better. They are high-risk individuals that often find themselves trapped in their patterns of behavior. Treatment provides the support they need to handle both their substance abuse and their mental illness before it’s too late.

Do you know someone who lives with a co-occurring disorder? Hawaii Island Recovery is a facility that understands the importance of specialized dual diagnosis treatment. We offer both tried and tested methods of therapy alongside holistic approaches to treatment in order to create a specific path to recovery for each individual. Call our admissions office at 877-721-3556 to learn more about our program today!