Dual Diagnosis Treatment in Camden, NJ

As many as one third of individuals suffering from an addiction also suffer from another underlying mental health disorder. The presence of both conditions is known as dual diagnosis. Since suffering from co-occurring disorders is relatively common, many addiction treatment centers are equipped to help patients combat both these serious health problems. Dual diagnosis treatment in Camden involves simultaneous treatments that help addicts manage their mental health disorder and addiction.

If you think you might be suffering from dual diagnosis, it is important to visit a dual diagnosis treatment center to obtain the medical help you need.

What Is Dual Diagnosis?

According to the latest statistics, as many as nine million people in the U.S. suffer from co-morbid disorders. Although clinicians assert that substance addiction and a co-existing mental illness are separate conditions, they do affect one another. Dual diagnosis is a broad term because there are actually many forms of substance addiction as well as many mood and mental disorders. A dual diagnosis treatment facility employs medical experts who specialize in concurrent disorders. These professionals can pinpoint an addict's specific illnesses in order to provide them with the customized treatments they require.

There are various signs and symptoms associated with dual diagnosis. Dual diagnosis rehab professionals assert that symptoms like withdrawing from family and friends, engaging in risky behaviors when under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and suffering withdrawal symptoms are commonplace for people with co-existing disorders. However, it's important to be professionally evaluated at a dual diagnosis treatment center so the precise treatment can be prescribed to manage both serious conditions.

Dual Diagnosis and Addiction

Sometimes an addict will have a mental condition like depression or anxiety and self-medicate with drugs or alcohol to alleviate their mental health symptoms. When this self-medication becomes abuse, it can quickly escalate into full-blown addiction. Conversely, an alcohol or drug addict can cause themselves a mental illness, complicating their recovery. Over time, an addictive substance can alter brain chemistry, resulting in a mental disorder like acute anxiety or psychosis. In other words, either condition may pre-empt the other.

Dual diagnosis treatment in Camden is designed to treat both illnesses in a medically professional setting. Many dual diagnosis treatment programs rely on both medications and behavioral therapy to help patients manage their conditions. Experts have found that it's best to treat both conditions at the same time as treating one may exasperate the other. Dual diagnosis for addiction is not an easy solution, but it can be effectively managed so an individual can enjoy an improved quality of life.

Types of Mental Health Disorders

Dual diagnosis treatment in Camden involves therapies designed to treat substance addiction as well as therapies designed to manage various mental disorders. Although there can be a wide array of addiction and mental illness combinations, dual diagnosis treatment programs often find correlations between them. For example, alcoholism and depression are common co-existing disorders.

Similarly, it is not uncommon for someone suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder to develop an addiction to opiate-based painkillers. Other common mental disorders that occur with substance addiction include anxiety, obsessive compulsion disorder, and bi-polar mood disorder. Clearly, these mental illnesses are a serious health issue on their own, but when coupled with alcoholism or drug addiction, they can become quite severe. Without dual diagnosis treatment, illness progression on both fronts is unlikely.

Dual Diagnosis Treatment in Camden

Upon entering a dual diagnosis treatment facility, careful evaluation of the individual's physical and mental health typically occurs first. This allows addiction specialists and mental health experts to then develop a careful treatment plan for the individual in question. The first stage of treatment is invariably medical detox, but an attending psychiatrist will often prescribe anti-depressants or another medication to lessen the severity of the mental disorder symptoms.

After detox is completed, which can least between two and ten days, other types of therapies can be initiated. Many people suffering from concurrent disorders have long inpatient stays, but there are some dual diagnosis treatment programs that allow for outpatient therapies. Again, it all depends on the individual's specific needs.

Both inpatient and outpatient therapies will include individual and group counseling sessions, behavioral therapy, and certainly aftercare. Some sufferers benefit from alternative treatments like art therapy or restorative yoga. Family therapy is also recommended for some sufferers who have a strong support system at home.

If you think you may have co-existing disorders, you should seek dual diagnosis treatment in Camden to get the custom treatment you need to manage these chronic and often debilitating conditions. Learning to manage these conditions effectively can prevent relapse and help you get your life and health back on track.

Speak with an addiction specialist to learn more about dual diagnosis and if it may be the right choice for you. Call Camden Drug Rehab Centers at (877) 804-1531.