Dual Diagnosis Treatment in Edison, NJ

Dual diagnosis treatment in Edison offers specialized treatment for people with both an addiction and a co-existing mental health problem. Treating a drug addiction must take the possibility of a mental disorder into account in order to improve outcomes.

Traditionally, treatment protocols were kept separate, so patients would be treated for addiction but would be denied treatment for the mental health condition until they were clean and sober. Yet many people develop substance abuse disorders as a result of an underlying mental health disorder, so it's important to treat both conditions concurrently.

Dual diagnosis treatment programs are designed specifically to ensure patients receive the specialized treatment they need to address both disorders. By considering both the addiction and the psychiatric problem, addiction specialists are able to customize the correct combination of therapies and treatments to improve the chances of achieving a full recovery.

What is Dual Diagnosis?

A person with a dual diagnosis has both a mental health disorder and a co-occurring substance abuse disorder. Statistics published by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration show that around 45% of people with an addiction also have a co-occurring mental health disorder.

Despite the prevalence of dual diagnosis, it's estimated that only 7.4% of people with both an addiction and a mental health disorder received help from the specialized dual diagnosis treatment programs they needed in order to recover.

Research into the importance of integrated dual diagnosis rehab released by the Parliament of Australia indicates that people with co-occurring substance abuse disorders and mental illness should be considered the expectation and not the exception.

Types of Mental Health Disorders

Some types of mental health disorders are commonly linked to substance abuse. In some cases, the substance abuse may be triggered by the psychiatric disorder. In people with a pre-existing psychiatric condition, drugs can make symptoms even worse. However, there are cases where symptoms of mental illness can be triggered by substance abuse.

Some commonly-linked mental health disorders include:

Anxiety Disorders: Anxiety and panic attacks can cause serious amounts of mental stress for sufferers, many of whom turn to drugs or alcohol in an effort to numb feelings or emotions. However, taking drugs or alcohol can often make anxiety symptoms worse.

Depression: There has been a long-standing link between depression and substance abuse. Many people struggling with depression attempt to elevate their mood temporarily with drugs or alcohol. Yet alcohol is a central nervous system depressant that makes symptoms of depression worse.

OCD and PTSD: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are both extremely debilitating mental disorders. People struggling with PTSD often turn to substance abuse to escape from nightmarish thoughts or emotions. People with OCD often struggle to cope with the overwhelming anxiety associated with the disorder, which increases the likelihood of developing a drug or alcohol abuse problem.

Drug-Induced Psychosis: Abusing some types of drugs over a period of time can trigger symptoms of mental illness. Some drugs that can cause symptoms of psychosis include cocaine, cannabis, and hallucinogenic substances. Even after the person stops using the drug, symptoms of psychosis can still persist for months, or even years in some cases.

Why is Dual Diagnosis Treatment Necessary?

Dual diagnosis treatment in Edison uses an integrated approach to treatment. The first step in recovery is the detox process, which eliminates the drug's toxins from the body. Depending on the type of drug being taken, drug detox in Edison may require prescription treatment medication to reduce the severity of any withdrawal symptoms that may emerge.

Dual diagnosis rehab also needs to take into account effective management of the psychiatric disorder. The underlying mental health disorder may be treated using prescription medications. For example, some patients may require antidepressants or anti-anxiety medications to help treat the underlying mental illness.

Integrated dual diagnosis treatment in Edison takes into account both conditions in order to determine the right therapies needed to improve outcomes. One-on-one counseling sessions and behavioral therapies work to reinforce self-esteem and teach the recovering person strong relapse prevention strategies.

An important aspect of dual diagnosis treatment in Edison includes providing access to a range of group support therapies. Attending specific dual diagnosis group meetings offers the opportunity to meet others facing similar challenges throughout the recovery process.

Call Edison Drug Rehab Centers to learn more about our dual diagnosis programs, as well as our other addiction treatment programs in Edison. Speak with an addiction specialist at (877) 804-1531.