Dual Diagnosis Treatment in Franklin, PA

A dual diagnosis is a condition where a person experiences both a substance abuse disorder and a mental health disorder. Each of these is a separate illness, but each impacts the other in terms of successful recovery for substance abuse and improving a person's overall sense of well-being. Other terms for dual diagnosis include dual disorder or co-occurring disorder. While in the past, medical professionals treated each disorder separately, researchers now know that treatments are most likely to be effective when both conditions are addressed at the same place. Dual diagnosis treatment in Franklin focuses on addressing both aspects of a person's health as a way to improve their overall sense of well-being and health.

Often dual diagnosis addiction treatment involves inpatient detoxification. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, those with a dual diagnosis often require higher levels of medical and mental health care. For at least the first portion of dual diagnosis addiction treatment, seeking inpatient care can help.

Examples of some of the common services associated with dual diagnosis addiction treatment include detoxification, sometimes through the administration of medications to reduce adverse effects; psychotherapy, particularly cognitive-behavioral therapy to help a person recognize addictive patterns of thinking; and self-help and support groups that provide a network of people who are often committed to sobriety.

Dual Diagnosis and Addiction -- Why the Two Go Hand-In-Hand

The connection between substance abuse and mental health disorders can have multiple influences. For example, sometimes a person may struggle with mental illness. Instead of taking medications or seeking counseling to manage their problem, they may self-medicate with drugs and/or alcohol. While these substances may make a person feel better temporarily, they can often worsen the symptoms associated with a dual diagnosis. However, in some instances, a person may first start to abuse drugs and/or alcohol, which can lead to the development of mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety.

Mental health disorders aren't the result of personal weakness or mean that a person is "crazy." Instead, they are a chronic disease, just like diabetes and hypertension are. A mental health condition affects a person's brain and ways of thinking. Using illegal substances or using substances in an illegal manner also has effects on a person's brain. They can cause extreme highs of euphoria and ecstasy, but deep crashes that can worsen a person's mental health. Alcohol addiction in Franklin can occur with many mental illnesses.

According to "Psychology Today," some of the most common dual diagnoses are alcohol addiction and panic disorder, major depression and cocaine addiction, and alcoholism and multiple drug use with schizophrenia. Regardless of the severity of the two disorders, each can benefit from dual diagnosis treatment in Franklin.

According to the National Institutes of Health, a person cannot receive effective treatment for mental illness while they are abusing alcohol and/or drugs. Substance abuse can make the effects of medications and other interventions used to help treat mental illness difficult to effectively manage. Through dual diagnosis treatment in Franklin, a person can access both mental health services as well as drug and alcohol rehabilitation that can help a person address both aspects of their health.

Types of Mental Health Disorders

Mental health disorders are not just limited to anxiety and depression although each of these can factor into more serious and severe health conditions. Examples of mental health conditions that may warrant dual diagnosis treatment include bipolar disorder, a condition where a person fluctuates between episodes of depression and manic behavior, where a person's mood is highly elevated. Schizophrenia is another serious health condition associated with dual diagnosis that can cause a person to lose touch with reality and hallucinate sights, smells, and sounds that aren't there.

Because some drugs, such as marijuana and ecstasy, can have hallucinogenic effects, using these substances can make a person's symptoms even worse. Other mental health conditions that may warrant dual diagnosis treatment in Franklin include obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder, and extreme anxiety.

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), dual diagnosis is common. An estimated 50 percent of all people living with severe mental illness also suffer from addiction. An estimated one-third of those with alcohol addiction and one-half of those who abuse drugs also have a mental illness. Researchers also know that those who experience a dual diagnosis are more likely to progress gradually in addiction treatment. They may require longer treatment episodes to navigate the likelihood for relapse and provide additional emotional support. These statistics convey how important it is for a person to seek dual diagnosis rehab when they experience these conditions.

If you or a loved one is suffering from addiction because of their underlying psychological issues, then we can help. Call Franklin Drug Rehab Centers now at (877) 804-1531 for immediate help in treating both disorders, and to learn more about our addiction treatment programs in Franklin.

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