Dual Diagnosis Treatment Programs:
Treatment Overview

Dual Diagnosis clients suffer from addiction as well as an underlying mental condition. This condition is what separates dual-diagnosis clients from those who are suffering from addiction alone. A person with both a mental disorder and an alcohol or drug problem most often exhibits symptoms of an apparent mood disorder that can range from dysthymia to a major depressive episode. Symptoms of anxiety are also a common feature, often mixed with symptoms of depression. Treatment centers with dual diagnosis programs understand the struggles people with co-occurring mental issues have and are trained to handle the many different situations that can arise. Therapists, doctors, nurses, detox specialists, Licensed clinical social workers, and counselors have been trained to help monitor patients, by monitoring physical condition and providing simple interventions to help people stay comfortable and calm.  Mental illness and addiction may share many of the same symptoms and both need to be treated at the same time. If these people do not receive treatment from a dual-diagnosis rehabilitation facility, the problems are more than likely to worsen over time. These facilities help treat dual-diagnosis clients while also providing counseling and care for the families. Some of the clients have tried treatment elsewhere and failed to find long-lasting recovery. We will help those searching for a new life free of drugs or alcohol find the best addiction treatment program for their individual needs and goals.

Please contact us by phone for immediate assistance. This is a necessary step in beginning the recovery process for yourself or for a loved one. Our addiction treatment specialists and staff have over 25 years of experience in helping people find effective and affordable treatment for all addictions. What you tell us is completely confidential. We are HIPAA compliant. We are here to answer your questions and to get you (or a loved one) into treatment today. For immediate intake, call us now.

1-800-513-5423

Is specialized treatment important?

Some programs use a “one size fits all” approach to treating addiction. This will not work in a dual-diagnosis case. Rehabilitation for a dual diagnosis case has to be specialized and the mental illness has to be taken into account for treatment to be successful. Those with a mental illness cannot be confronted or torn down about their addiction issues. Licensed social workers and experts in treating co-occurring mental and substance abuse problems will set the pace for treatment so the client does not feel overwhelmed.

Finding the Right Addiction Treatment Wellness Program

Addiction treatment wellness programs are well-known for comprehensive treatment as well as care for the individual. The treatment team must work together in conjunction with the client, to treat the whole problem (substance abuse and mental illness or underlying conditions), not just the symptoms of the problem. This is done with specialized counselors and doctors working together. Individual treatment plans are the key to recovery for dual-diagnosis patients. It is sometimes beneficial for the client to go to treatment further away from home. Getting away from temptations and friends who may still be using is often better for many people. Clients who go to rehab in another state also have a harder time leaving treatment early as well. Depending on the situation, our counselors may suggest looking for substance abuse programs that are a plane flight away. Please call now to speak with one of our caring counselors to get started today.

1-800-513-5423

Motivational Interviewing

Motivational interviewing when used for substance use disorders incorporates a therapeutic approach to treatment that addresses your resistance to change while working to increase your motivation to accept change in your behavior. It is designed to help reinforce a person’s motivation towards a specific goal by exploring a person’s reasons for change while in an environment of acceptance, compassion, and collaboration.

Biofeedback & Neurofeedback Therapy

Biofeedback, also known as neurofeedback, uses an EEG machine to gather information about the brain by monitoring brain wave activity. Using technology, the device sends information through electronic sensors and software that can read the incoming brainwave data. This allows for the professionals to map the brainwave activity. It helps the expert develop and understand which neuro pathways have become blocked or deregulated in the individual like a person who has been recovering from drug addiction.

Medicated Assisted Treatment (MAT) Services

 MAT Services or Medicated Assisted Treatment are programs that provide medications to ease withdrawal symptoms while undergoing counseling to help people who have to rely on their medications to get by from day to day. People who have become dependent on their opioid medications, heroin, or alcohol can benefit from MAT services in their area. These programs have proven to be effective in helping lower the overdose rate in the country as well as saving lives. Studies have shown MAT services are safe, reduce overdoses, increase treatment retention, and improve social functioning. The main goal of MAT programs is to help people make a full recovery, and be productive and independent while undergoing treatment for substance misuse.

Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT)

Cognitive Behavior Therapy focuses on finding out exactly what needs to be changed and what doesn’t and then works by targeting those areas. People who come for therapy need to change something in their lives, whether it is how they feel, how they act, or the way other people treat them. In Cognitive Behavior Therapy, the therapist doesn’t settle for just nodding wisely while you carry the whole burden of finding the answers you came to therapy for. The therapist takes an active part in helping you to solve your problems. It is important that at the beginning of the treatment, a diagnostic workup is made to make sure that your needs and problems have been pinpointed as well as possible.  This step is most crucial and it is often skipped or omitted altogether in traditional kinds of therapy. Without this step, it would be impossible to make an explicit, understandable, and flexible treatment plan that would accurately reflect your own needs. CBT in this respect, resembles education, coaching, or tutoring. Under expert guidance, you will share in setting the treatment goals and deciding which techniques work best for you.

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy also known as DBT maintains that some people, due to their environment, during their early years, and also due to biological factors, are more apt to react abnormally to emotional stimulation. This type of person is more prone to have their arousal level stimulated more quickly and have that sense peak at higher levels. It also takes more time for this type of person to return to a normal baseline. This is why some people have crisis-strewn lives and EXTREME EMOTIONAL LIABILITY (emotions that shift rapidly). It has also been noted that this person does not possess methods for coping with these sudden intense surges of emotion. DBT is a method for teaching skills that will help with this task. 

MRT (Moral Reconation Therapy)

Moral Reconation Therapy or MRT is a systematic step-by-step treatment strategy designed to enhance self-image, promote the growth of a positive, productive identity, and facilitate the development of higher stages of moral reasoning. MRT has been extensively researched and proven effective in populations with a high rate of antisocial behaviors. MRT seeks to re-educate clients socially, morally, and behaviorally to instill appropriate goals, motivation, and values. Studies have shown that this program significantly increases the participant’s odds of success. MRT is an open-ended program allowing clients to enter the program at any point in their supervision.

PTSD Treatment Centers and Residential Trauma Centers

There are many new therapies for treating PTSD and addiction together. These programs have been proven to treat the symptoms and the cause of PTSD, all of which will help in the treatment and handling of PTSD with addiction in those seeking help. Depending on the facility and the training of the therapists, most facilities are experienced in treating some of the symptoms of PTSD, if not all of them. Therapy models and practices that can be included in a program for PTSD and trauma can include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), meditation and mindfulness training exercises, group processing, individualized therapy, Biofeedback, and neurofeedback. All of these therapy models have proven to help with the treatment of PTSD and trauma in both women and men.

Patients with Special Needs

Clients with co-occurring mental and substance abuse problems are often high-risk individuals. These special case clients, need more care and supervision, to ensure the safety of the client as well as the treatment team. Dual-diagnosis patients are more prone to violence and suicide attempts than those who just have an addiction problem they are dealing with. The staff at these centers are more equipped to deal with those who have an underlying mental condition. The unpredictable nature of these types of clients makes the need for a specialized program a necessity not an option for treatment. If you have any questions, or concerns or would like to enroll in a dual-diagnosis drug rehab program place contact one of our caring staff members  now.

1-800-513-5423

Sources 

Dual Diagnosis Wiki

Co-occurring disorders

Erik Epp – Content Author