How Is Dual Diagnosis Treated?
January 8, 2008
Historically, addiction treatment programs, drug rehab programs and psychiatric hospitals, have treated dual diagnosis separately. This has not proved to be an effective addiction treatment approach and today most addiction treatment programs, drug rehabs and psychiatric hospitals treat both disorders concurrently.
- Ideally, drug addiction, alcoholism and psychiatric disorders should be treated simultaneously.
- The first step in addiction treatment for drug addiction or alcohol addiction must be detoxification or detox – a period of time during which the body is allowed to cleanse itself of alcohol and/or drugs and all withdrawal symptoms managed.
- Detox should be medically monitored as medical challenges do occur. Time in detox varies, depending on what substances the person is addicted to, the frequency of use and amount of usage.
- Once stable in detox, a psychiatrist will assess the person to determine the mental illness and how to best address it. Addiction treatment programs or drug rehab programs for this population should take a gradual approach. Those with a dual diagnosis have to proceed at their own pace.
- The goal of any quality drug addiction treatment program or drug rehab program should be abstinence and medication compliance.
- After completing drug addiction treatment or drug / alcohol rehab, the person should be involved in psychiatric follow up and aftercare in the drug rehab or addiction treatment program they have completed in order to prevent relapse.
Denial is an inherent part of the problem with dual diagnosis. The person with dual diagnosis often does not have insight as to the seriousness and the scope of their problem. In many cases, an intervention is required to get the person into addiction treatment or drug rehab so the recovery process can begin
Is Drug Addiction Treatable?
December 30, 2007
Drug addiction and alcoholism are treatable conditions. The first goal of addiction treatment is abstinence. The chemically dependent person must stop using alcohol or drugs. This sometimes requires a period of medical detox, which should be done within an addiction treatment program.
Once alcohol and/or drug use is stopped, individuals may honestly feel that they have the desire and ability to remain sober. This period can last days, weeks or months before cravings (the obsessive pressure to use) return. To reduce the risk of a relapse, the person must address personal problems and life issues related to the drug addiction. Some of those issues are addressed in group therapy, individual counseling sessions, educational lectures, and discussion groups in chemical dependency treatment. The therapy process helps chemically dependent individuals obtain the insight and skills needed to understand and deal with problems associated with their alcohol and drug use. They learn to deal with their problems from a psychological, emotional, and spiritual perspective as well as from a physical perspective. After addiction treatment, personal problems and other major life issues can be handled at a higher level of functioning.
Drug Rehab and Drug Addiction
November 30, 2007
Drug addiction is a complex but treatable brain disease. It is characterized by compulsive drug craving, seeking, and drug use that persist even in the face of severe adverse consequences. For many people, drug addiction becomes chronic, with relapse possible even after long periods of abstinence. In fact, relapse to drug abuse occurs at rates similar to those for other well-characterized, chronic medical illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension, and asthma. As a chronic, recurring illness, addiction may require repeated treatments to increase the intervals between relapses and diminish their intensity, until abstinence is achieved. Through drug rehab treatment tailored to individual needs, people with drug addiction can recover and lead productive lives.
The ultimate goal of drug rehab is to enable an individual to achieve lasting abstinence, but the immediate goals are to reduce drug abuse, improve the patient’s ability to function, and minimize the medical and social complications of drug abuse and addiction. Like people with diabetes or heart disease, people in treatment for drug addiction will need to change behavior to adopt a more healthful lifestyle.
Addiction Treatment
October 11, 2007
Drug addiction is a treatable disorder. Through treatment that is tailored to individual needs, patients can learn to control their condition and live normal, productive lives. Like people with diabetes or heart disease, people in treatment for drug addiction learn behavioral changes and often take medications as part of their treatment regimen.
Behavioral therapies can include counseling, psychotherapy, support groups, or family therapy. Treatment medications offer help in suppressing the withdrawal syndrome and drug craving and in blocking the effects of drugs. In addition, studies show that treatment for heroin addiction using methadone at an adequate dosage level combined with behavioral therapy reduces death rates and many health problems associated with heroin abuse.
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