THERAPIES

Dual Diagnosis Treatment Centers

Q: Which patient diagnoses would be included in a dual diagnosis group?

Some different mental disorder diagnoses could be depression, anxiety, bipolar, obsessive-compulsive, specific phobias, eating patterns, and others. Some different substance use disorders include alcoholism, opioid use, sedative/hypnotic/anxiolytic use, nicotine dependence, and others. Any combination of these substance use disorders and mental disorders could be considered a dual diagnosis.

Q: What medication is used for dual diagnosis?

Medication-assisted withdrawal is used primarily for substance-abuse sufferers. Opioids are highly addictive, and the effects of withdrawal are painful. To maximize your comfort, your physician might include drugs with active ingredients like Methadone, Naltrexone, Buprenorphine, Lofexidine, and Naloxone. Nicotine sufferers may be prescribed medication such as Bupropion, Varenicline, and Clonidine.

Q: What is the difference between dual diagnosis treatment and treatment for a solo disorder?

A dual diagnosis (integrated care) is two disorder treatments at once with communication between providers if separate providers are being used. A single disorder treatment (non-integrated care) exists in a silo where the disorders are treated sequentially or simultaneously but without communication between providers.

Q: Who can be a patient in a dual diagnosis treatment?

Anybody can be a patient in a dual diagnosis treatment if they have co-occurring disorders.

Dual diagnosis involves simultaneous diagnosis of co-occurring disorders. One therapeutic response to dual diagnosis is integrated care, where simultaneous interventions are applied to both disorders with communication between healthcare providers.

Without dedicated treatment, the risk of relapse is higher if you have co-occurring disorders rather than just one.

WRITTEN Review by:

Amanda Stevens, BS

On: Dec 12, 2023

Medical Review by:

Dr. Po Chang Hsu MD, MS

On: May 7, 2024

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What is Dual Diagnosis Treatment

Dual Diagnosis treatment involves simultaneously addressing any co-occurring disorders with unique interventions applied for both. While over 52.9 million US adults experience a mental illness in 2020, around 17 million US adults suffer from co-occurring disorders.[1] Only 9.1% of these sufferers get treated for both disorders and over half (52.5%) of all US adults with co-occurring disorders get no treatment at all.[2]

Research suggests mental health and substance use disorders are contributing factors for each other.[3] It’s difficult to say one caused the other, but the prevalence of substance use disorders (SUDs) and serious mental illnesses (SMIs) are higher in their respective contrasting populations than the general population at large.

In a large representative survey on mental and substance abuse disorders by the NIH:[4]

37.9% of people with an SUD also had a co-occurring SMI.
18.2% of people with an SMI also had a co-occurring SUD.

Dual diagnosis treatment takes into account these realities and transforms them into an individualized treatment plan to ensure the symptoms of one disorder don’t cause relapse in the other disorder.

Could you or someone you know need Dual Diagnosis Therapy?
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Dual Diagnosis Symptoms

Two independent diagnoses are needed for a dual diagnosis. One is for a mental health disorder, and the other is for a substance abuse disorder. A licensed clinician must use the criteria found in the Diagnostic Statistics Manual 5th Edition (DSM-5).

Mental Disorder
Substance Abuse Disorder

Mental Disorder

A diagnosis for “mental disorder” in the DSM-5 will use these four criteria[5]:

The way you act or think reflects some underlying dysfunction.
This dysfunction causes you significant distress personally, professionally, or relationally.
Your symptoms are not merely an expected response to a culturally significant event (like a funeral).
Any socially atypical behavior (political, religious, sexual, etc.) of yours is not a mental disorder unless it comes from a specific, personal dysfunction.

Substance Use Disorder

A diagnosis of “substance use disorder” in the DSM-5 requires 2 out of 11 criteria to be present in 12 months:[6]

You take more of a substance than you want and for longer than you want to.
You’ve tried and failed to take less of the substance.
You’re spending extra time trying to find more of the substance.
You crave the substance.
You’re failing to fulfill all your responsibilities because of your substance use.
Despite negatively impacting your personal and professional life, you’re still using the substance.
You’ve given up some of your hobbies.
You’re using the substance when engaging in risky activities like driving.
Despite negative health effects, you’re still using the substance.
You have to use more and more of the substance to get the same effect.
Not using the substance hurts.

In terms of rating SUDs: 2-3 symptoms are “mild,” 4-5 are “moderate,” and 6 or more are “severe.”[7]

How (and Why) Dual Diagnosis Treatment Works

Dual Diagnosis treatment works because integrated care for SUDs and SMIs from a 1) single care provider or 2) multiple care providers who communicate with each other is better for patient outcomes than non-integrated care.

Non-integrated care has two varieties, which are described below:

Sequential: Co-occurring disorders get treated one at a time by different healthcare providers who are not in communication with each other.

Parallel: Co-occurring disorders get treated simultaneously by healthcare providers who are not in communication.

Integrated care: Co-occurring disorders are treated with simultaneous interventions applicable to both disorders and communication between healthcare providers.[8]
Research shows that the integrated care model is better at improving psychiatric symptoms than non-integrated care.[9]

Dual Diagnosis Process

The first step in dual diagnosis treatment is to be diagnosed by a licensed physician. They will ask you many questions about your perceived dysfunction, mental health history, substance use history, and how these problems have impacted your life.

If it’s determined that you need dual diagnosis treatment, the first step will be drug rehab. Your treatment could begin in a licensed and accredited residential or inpatient setting. Here, you will undergo detox for your addictions and intensive therapy for holistic treatment of both disorders.

Your dual diagnosis rehab will likely involve both withdrawal-assisting medication and behavior therapy. Both will have a therapeutic effect.

It may be necessary to undergo a short period of monitored substance abstinence before you are screened for mental disorders, so your healthcare provider can distinguish between the state of your mental health and the diminishing effects of the substance.

After detox, inpatient programs offer focused, distraction-free treatment for your whole-person healing. Aftercare support is where you will continue to receive ongoing therapy and community support – for life. We’re committed to supporting you every step of the way as you chart your trajectory toward lasting sobriety.

first step in dual diagnosis treatment is to be diagnosed by a licensed CT physician

What’s the Best Way to Find Dual Diagnosis?

It’s never too late to hit the reset button. If you put in the work, you can live the life you always wanted. Take back the steering wheel from addiction, and begin your journey back to health. There is a team of qualified and compassionate professionals waiting to assist you.

Detox is often the first phase of addiction treatment. Read the reviews of licensed and accredited treatment centers online. Or, call the SAMHSA hotline 24/7, 365 days a year, at 1-800-662-4357 to connect with healthcare providers near you.

What’s the Best Way to Find Dual Diagnosis in CT?

Cost of Dual Diagnosis Treatment

The cost of treatment is dependent on several factors, such as your length of stay, intensity of care, and prescribed therapies. Longer, dual-diagnosis treatment programs could lead to higher costs but may be covered in part or whole by insurance.

Don’t let the specter of unknown costs deter you from getting help. Your health is important, and your future is priceless. Find out what your treatment would cost by starting the evaluation process today.

Related Programs & Therapies

Additional Dual Diagnosis Resources

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