Dual Diagnosis Research Paper

Dual diagnosis is a term used to describe people who have a problem with or an addiction to drugs and/or alcohol and also have a mental illness such as depression or bipolar disorder. The relationship between substance abuse and mental illness is very complex because drugs and alcohol are often used as a kind of self-medication for people who suffer from mental disorders. Nearly 10 million Americans have co-occurring mental health conditions and substance abuse disorders (SAMHSA Report, 1996, Primm, n.d.). Research shows that those with a dual diagnosis result in worse or more undesirable outcomes than those with single diagnosis. Dual diagnosis is usually assessed by a very structured set of questions that help to assess any mental illness

A person suffering from a bout of mania may use alcohol to slow down their mind full of racing thoughts. Cocaine may be used to pull someone out of a state of depression or lethargy. The problem is, the drugs may feel good in the moment, but the effects will always wear off and they do not treat the underlying condition ("Dual Diagnosis Treatment," n.d.). Alcohol and drugs make the mental illness worse during active use and during withdrawal from the substance. They can even cause a person to experience the onset of an underlying mental illness for the first time, whereas, without any use, the illness may have continued to lay dormant (Tracey, 2013). Without achieving abstinence, active users are very unlikely to follow through with their treatment plans and are less likely to achieve lasting sobriety and are more likely to end up in legal trouble or become physically dependent or addicted to the substance of their choice. The use of drugs and alcohol in co-existence with a mental disorder are at a higher risk of committing impulsive and violent acts. They are more likely to die from severe medical complications, as well as suicide (Duckworth, Freedman, & Drake, 2013). This is the dilemma that millions of Americans face each

If neither go treated, one or both of the illnesses are likely to become worse. If only one illness is treated, the other illness may become worse or treatment may be less effective or completely ineffective in general (Duckworth, Freedman, & Drake, 2013). More than one doctor may be necessary, as well as the need for medication. A patient’s psychologist, psychiatrist, and treatment center or recovery group should all be made aware that a dual diagnosis is present. As previously mentioned, treatment of mental illnesses are more effective when a patient has been safely detoxed and continues to abstain from the use of drugs and alcohol (Duckworth, Freedman, & Drake, 2013). Substance abuse treatment can begin in an intensive in-patient treatment center, followed by intensive out-patient treatment and regular participation in recovery groups such as 12-step programs like Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, or other recovery groups that focus on living without substances and learning to cope with “life on life’s terms” ("Step 11," 2001). There are also sober living housing and group homes that can help a patient avoid relapse and continue successful treatment. What is important to understand is that the success of treatment depends on the patient’s involvement just as much as the involvement of all