In: Root » Health » Medicine and alternative
People who have an addiction along with a severe mental health problem are said to have a dual diagnosis. More than half of all people with a drug problem fall into this category. Studies have shown that 53 percent of all people with a drug addiction and 37 percent of people with an alcohol addiction have what is called a "dual diagnosis." This term means that along with the drug or alcohol abuse problem also have a significant mental health problem. People with a dual diagnosis require addition care during the drug treatment process as their psychological problems can play a major part in the addiction, and treatment can sometimes be fruitless without also addressing the patient's mental health issues. Drug rehab programs frequently administer screening tests to determine if a person entering their facility has a dual diagnosis. In some cases the drug addiction can be the cause of mental health problems, but in most instances the patient had preexisting psychological issues that led to the drug use. The common psychiatric problem seen in people with a dual diagnosis is antisocial personality disorder, which is defined by the American Psychiatric Association as "a pervasive pattern of disregard for, and violation of, the rights of others that begins in childhood or early adolescence and continues into adulthood." According to drug rehab program research, people with antisocial personality disorder are more than 15 times more likely to have a drug problem than the average person. The risks for people to end up in a drug rehab center who have manic episodes or schizophrenia are similarly high, although a range of conditions including panic disorder, depression and phobias also place a person at a higher risk for addiction. After an initial drug and alcohol detoxification, in most cases an addiction program will attempt to treat both the addiction and the mental health problems of a person with a dual diagnosis. Treatment of a person with a dual diagnosis is especially tricky but can still be successful if done properly and if the person has a willingness to change. - Annabeth Morrison is a freelance writer living in Port Royal, Pennsylvania. She has written for major magazines, newspapers and online news sites.
|
|||||||||||||
Disclaimer
1) E-articles is not responsible for the information contained by this article as well for any and all copyright infringements by authors and writers. E-articles is a free information resource. If you suspect this article for any copyright infringement, please read the terms of service and contact us or use the "Report this article" button on this page to investigate the problem.
2) E-articles is not responsible for inaccuracies, falsehoods, or any other types of misinformation this article may contain and will not be liable for any loss or damage suffered by a user through the user's reliance on the information gained here. |
|||||||||||||
