Dealing with metal health challenges alone can strain any family, but when difficult behaviors and self destruction are compounded with substance abuse, it can emotionally devastate.
When a family member concurrently suffers with mental health symptoms and substance abuse, it is imperative to assist them in getting the help that they need. Conventional addictions therapies can and do work for dual diagnosis patients, but therapy must occur within a facility well equipped for the unique needs of the dual diagnosis patient; and the therapy often needs to be more intensive and longer than it might otherwise need be.
The occurrence of a dual diagnosis of mental health problems and addiction is sadly common, and when it occurs, treatment needs to occur quickly. The continuing use of drugs or alcohol can exacerbate psychological symptoms, and the two disorders can interact to greatly worsen the effects on the body and mind.
When selecting an appropriate facility for a dual diagnosis sufferer, there are a few things that are vital, the facility should have educated professional staff accustomed to treating dual diagnosis patients, the facility should provide continuing psychiatric evaluations and pharmacological interventions, it should include family involvement into the programming and it should offer intensive and long lasting treatment, with correspondingly intensive and long lasting aftercare and case management.
page last update Aug 05, 2010
