Dual Diagnosis And Addiction Treatment

by erin on January 12, 2012

Once the addict has decided to face his or her addiction, the recovery process has begun. Yet, rehabilitation is something that is ongoing and filled with loads of challenges. A large portion of the various challenges involves dealing with other conditions in addition to the addiction. One of the best ways to tackle all the issues related to chemical dependency is to participate in a dual diagnosis drug rehab program.

Two Problems

One might be interested in learning about what programs of this nature entail. The psychiatric community is in general agreement with respect to the fact that addictive behavior is often accompanied by other conditions. The condition may predate the addiction or the addiction may have led to the condition but it is thought that both need to be addressed in order to have successful recovery.

Part of The Problem

Independent of which challenge came first, more and more recovery experts believe that it is necessary to treat psychiatric disorders and addictions at the same time. This approach seems to correlate with long-term successful rehabilitation. A combination of therapeutic elements makes up programs of this nature.

Group Therapy

Group therapy plays a big role in this type of rehabilitation. With just about any person who is dealing with chemical dependency, a feeling of isolation often exists. The group atmosphere underscores the fact that the addict is not struggling alone. The support that one gets from the larger community plays a key role on the road to recovery. Many supporting clinicians, speakers and educators are themselves recovering addicts.

Counseling

One on one counseling is usually part of the program as well. This may happen as a part of the program or it might be something that takes place simultaneously outside of the program. In the individual sessions, it can be easier to get to core issues surrounding the addiction. Here, it is the hope of therapists that the patients will begin to learn healthy ways to cope with their conditions and addictions.

Prescription Medication

If disorders such as anxiety and depression are present, psychiatrists may prescribe medication. This could be for a brief period or as a long-term treatment. The initial idea is to get things like anxiety and depression under control to be able to better focus on the addiction itself. While on medication, the patient will often learn, and put into use, emotional management skills to better manage the conditions and the urges.

Individual Assessment

All the aforementioned elements are incorporated into one comprehensive program. The manner in which each element is put into place may be slightly different depending on the clinic or venue. It is important to note that the initial patient evaluation will often be used by the recovery team to make adjustments during the course of the program as well.

The decision to do something about one’s alcoholism or addiction is often a painful, but vital, event. The recovery process, as experts and recovering addicts will attest, is a lifetime commitment and journey.  There may be no better way to embark on that journey than by entering a residential alcohol treatment program and participating in dual diagnosis drug rehab treatment.

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