What is Dual Diagnosis Treatment?

A dual diagnosis, also known as a co-occurring disorder, is a condition in which a patient suffers from a substance abuse problem and a mental health condition at the same time. Almost nine million people per year suffer from a dual diagnosis; the root cause can begin with mental health or substance abuse.

Oakvine Recovery Center provides treatment for these problems at the same time. We treat these co-occurring disorders as intertwined, as research has shown that treating substance abuse and mental health on separate—even parallel—paths is not effective. The emotional anguish and social anxiety that results from a dual diagnosis cannot simply be attributed to one disorder or the other, so we focus on a personalized, integrated treatment plan that addresses all of the symptoms and challenges from the co-occurring disorder.

Who Needs Dual Diagnosis Treatment?

As with most substance abuse treatments, there is no single answer. Individuals become addicted to a wide variety of drugs or alcohol and mental health conditions vary both in type and severity. Some of the common mental health conditions in a dual diagnosis are bi-polar disorder, ADHD, schizophrenia, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), panic disorder, and anti-social personality disorder.

However, there are some symptoms that indicate an individual may need Dual Diagnosis Treatment:

  • Noticeable changes in standard behavior
  • Withdrawing from friends, family and social situations
  • Changes in appetite and/or weight
  • Changes in sleep patterns (more or less sleep)
  • Reckless or impulsive behavior
  • Dramatic mood shifts
  • Inability to complete simple tasks
  • Inability to concentrate, hold a job or focus on academics
  • Difficulty managing finances
  • Displaying withdrawal symptoms
  • Prolonged feelings of despair or hopelessness
  • Suicidal thoughts or behaviors
  • Ignoring daily health and hygiene
  • Trying to cope with these issues by drugs or alcohol
  • Refusal to ask for or accept help

Our Dual Diagnosis Treatment Services

Oakvine Recovery Center takes an individualized approach based on each patient’s unique assessment and condition. We incorporate evidence-based psycho-social treatments to create these services. Some of the services that might be included in treatment include:

  • To ensure we identify every issue, we begin treatment for every patient with a thorough evaluation. This includes assessing psychiatric health to identify the disorder(s) as well as discussing all substances that the patient has used.
  • We combine the assessment and patient history to form a diagnosis that helps the patient understand the comprehensive condition, what treatments that involves, and how we can plan for the future.
  • Psychotherapy. This service relies heavily on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to help the patient understand and cope with their mental illness. We also help identify triggers for relapse and ineffective patterns of thinking to better prevent a relapse occurring.
  • Group therapy. Group sessions with other patients who suffer from either the same substance addiction or mental health condition are a common way to help patients experience support, a welcoming audience to share feelings and concerns, and discuss similarly challenging life issues related to dual diagnosis.
  • Family therapy. We empower the patient to rebuild relationships and the family members to actively participate in the patient’s recovery. Often these relationships have been damaged by someone suffering from dual diagnosis, so our skilled therapists work on fostering open communication, educating the family on the mental health and substance abuse issues, and a mutual understanding of how to build the family dynamic they want.
  • After-care program. We also prepare each patient in this program for life after treatment. While unique to every person, this plan includes education for preventing relapses, how to create an effective support system, and what kind of ongoing treatments are likely to work best.

Get Started Today

Dual diagnosis cases number in the millions and can prove very dangerous to the person suffering. It impacts relationships, careers, and physical and mental health. Fortunately, Oakvine Recovery Center has the knowledge and experience to treat co-occurring disorders using a variety of holistic and evidence-based methods. We specialize in identifying each patient’s personal needs and creating a custom path to recovery.

Contact us here or call (877) 255-6890 to get started!