A person with a dual diagnosis has a mental illness as well as an alcohol or drug issue. These disorders commonly coexist. At some time in their life, almost half of persons who seem to have a mental disease will also have a drug use issue, and vice versa. Interactions between the two states may exacerbate both.
Why do drug use problems and mental illnesses coexist?
Although both issues often coexist, this does not imply that one produced each other, although one occurred earlier. In fact, determining which came first might be difficult. Researchers believe there are three possible explanations for why they happen together:
Both mental diseases and drug use disorders may be influenced by common risk factors. Genes, stress, and trauma are examples of such influences. Drug and substance use problems may be exacerbated by mental illnesses. People suffering from mental illnesses, for example, may take drugs to temporarily alleviate their symptoms. This is referred to as self-medication.
Furthermore, mental illnesses may alter the brain, making it more probable that you may get hooked. Substance abuse and addiction may both support the development of something like a mental illness. Substance abuse may alter the brain in a way that increases your risk of developing a mental disease.
The following are among the most frequent mental health concerns related with drug abuse:
ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder)
People that suffer from attention deficit disorder (ADHD) may be much more inclined to seek drugs to cope with their symptoms. Stimulants are routinely advised to treat ADHD, but they could become habit-forming or escalate to a dangerous cycle of drug usage.
Bipolar illness
Addiction affects roughly half of all people with bipolar disease (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bipolar_disorder). It is tempting, as with any other ailment, to self-medicate. For people with bipolar illness, medications and alcohol provide temporary reprieve from emotional issues and manic periods.
Borderline personality with antisocial traits
According to study, drug abuse with borderline personality disorder (BPD) commonly coexist. Upwards of two-thirds of patients with BPD used this alcohol or drugs at some stage in their lives.
Depression
An approximated one out of every ten individuals in the U.S. feels depressed. Many persons who have been identified with depression attempt to self-medicate with drugs or alcohol. This typically exacerbates the issue. For persons who do have a pre-existing depressive condition, the descent after the high may be disastrous.
Eating Disorders, including bulimia
Eating difficulties and eating disorders are sometimes induced by sentiments of inadequacy. People with these conditions are more prone to employ appetite suppressing drugs.
Anxiety
Anxiety disorder (GAD), one of most prevalent mental health ailments in the U. S., affecting 18 percent of the total population. GAD sufferers may be more likely to abuse drugs and alcohol to treat their symptoms. Benzodiazepines, which are strongly addictive prescription medications designed to treat anxiety problems, may possibly be misused. Click here for more information on benzodiazepines, and their use and misuse information.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
OCD creates a range of undesired anxious thoughts, including an excessive dread of contamination and also the impulse to clean incessantly. This disease appears in a number of ways. As a result of their uncontrolled behavior, persons with OCD typically deal with anxiety and depression, which may develop to drug dependency.
Post-traumatic stress (PTSD)
When a patient struggles from post-traumatic stress exposure (PTSD), his brain has less oxytocin than a normal brain, making the afflicted user more prone to seek pleasure through alcohol or pharmaceuticals. So according to the Department of Veterans Affairs, roughly 75 percent of service men and women who have encountered a traumatic or violent event while serving in the military show a history of alcohol usage.
Schizophrenia
Hallucinations and paranoid thinking problems are characteristics of schizophrenia. It could be difficult to identify schizophrenia with addiction as the two conditions have overlapping outcomes. This means that often the result of both schizophrenia and drug use are paranoia and hallucinations. Patients with schizophrenia who misuse substances such as methamphetamine are even more difficult to identify because the symptoms are so similar between the two issues. When a patient uses medicines to self-medicate their disease, they risk harming their well being even more.
Symptoms
Dual diagnosis is distinguished by the presence of a psychological disorder and a drug addiction illness at the same time. Because there are so many different conditions that may coexist, the signs of dual diagnosis differ tremendously.
• Separation from friends and relatives are signs of drug misuse.
• Sudden behavioral changes.
• Using drugs in hazardous situations.
• Engaging in unsafe conduct when intoxicated or high.
• Losing control over drug usage.
• Doing behaviors you wouldn’t ordinarily do to keep your habit going.
• The development of tolerances and withdrawal symptoms.
• Feeling as though you need the medicine to function.
The signs of mental health disorder might also differ widely. Knowing the warning signals, such as significant mood swings, muddled thinking or difficulty focusing, avoidance of friends and social activities, and suicidal thoughts, may assist the treatment specialists at rehab centers like Chapters Capistrano in determining whether there is a cause to seek an ongoing treatment and long-term care.
According to World Health Organization (WHO) standards, there should be a sustained emphasis on the continuum of treatment that occurs between drug misuse and mental illness (WHO). A wide range of addiction treatment centers are now able to handle drug misuse patients who are also suffering from major mental health issues including such bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. A tailored treatment strategy may be provided by a Dual Diagnosis rehab center.
Even if the Internet allows it simpler to get information about all possible rehabilitation choices, choosing the proper dual diagnosis may not be as simple as it once was. Finding the correct recovery program is becoming more challenging owing to mental problems such as depression caused by drug misuse and personality disorders combined with opiate addiction. That’s why it’s important to seek treatment at a qualified facility familiar with dual diagnosis treatment and long term care for the recovering addict with mental health disorders.
