The Dual Diagnosis Treatment Model

Statistics from the National Alliance for Mental Illness show as many as 50 percent of persons diagnosed as mentally ill also have a substance abuse problem. Alcohol and drug abuse numbers show as many as 37 percent of alcoholics and 53 percent of drug addicts are also suffering from a mental illness. Individuals with both mental illness and addiction issues are given a dual diagnosis and require a coordinated treatment plan that addresses both conditions.

Identification

• A dual diagnosis is made when the symptoms of drug or alcohol addiction and mental illness are present in an individual. Both conditions--addiction and mental illness--are diagnosed as a set to ensure that the treatment protocols are coordinated to address both sets of symptoms. As anxiety, depression, paranoia, delusions and hallucinations are possible effects of both conditions, it's not uncommon for an individual to be diagnosed with one or the other. When both conditions are present but only one is being treated, the untreated condition can aggravate the symptoms of the other.

Features

• The key component that makes a dual diagnosis so difficult to treat is how one condition tends to feed into the other one. It's not uncommon for a mentally ill individual to use drugs and alcohol in an attempt to self-medicate whereas individuals who've abused illegal substances for a prolonged period of time eventually develop symptoms of mental illness. These two conditions combined place individuals at a lower functioning level with limited communication and socialization skills. The ability to communicate one's full range of symptoms to a professional may be challenging, at best.

Detoxification Treatment

• The dual diagnosis treatment model is unique in that it must target both conditions at the same time for the treatment process to be effective. The initial course of treatment focuses on eliminating substance abuse behaviors while reducing symptoms caused by the mental illness. Admission to a detoxification center is typically the first step, where individuals receive addiction counseling, as well as help with managing symptoms resulting from mental illness. In cases in which physical symptoms require more than counseling, medication therapy may be administered to treat ongoing symptoms caused by detoxification, mental illness or both.

Aftercare Treatment

• Aftercare programs are the next line of treatment once a person completes the detoxification program. These programs are set up on an outpatient basis. Individuals are required to attend regular counseling sessions and may be monitored on an ongoing basis by case managers, doctors and psychiatrists. Individual, group and vocational counseling are provided. Individuals who are homeless may require additional services such as housing and food assistance, as well as assistance in learning daily living skills.

Considerations

• Agencies that treat individuals with dual diagnosis conditions are often underfunded and, in effect, are unable to provide effective treatment. As a result, individuals go in an out of treatment programs, causing their symptoms to worsen with time. In addition, traditional mental health programs are designed to asses individuals under a single diagnosis. This one-diagnosis focus results in a one-side approach that further lengthens the treatment process. Facilities that specialize in dual diagnosis treatment are best equipped to provide the coordinated care needed.