Treating Dual Diagnosis Disorders Effectively
Over the years, several models for substance abuse disorder treatment have gained traction in rehabilitation programs. These models include the following:
- Moral model. The moral model of substance abuse disorder treatment states that addiction is a moral weakness.
- Psychodynamic model. This asserts that childhood traumas dictate how we cope or do not cope as adults.
- Disease model. This argues that the origin of addiction naturally lies within the individual suffering from substance abuse disorder.
While each of these models of treatment has experienced certain levels of success, there’s one common dynamic they each fail to address – the existence of symptoms of mental health disorders within a majority of individuals who abuse drugs or alcohol.
Where these models fail to address this issue, the dual-diagnosis or co-occurring model of treatment places its focus. What is a co-occurring disorder, and how are they treated in individuals with substance abuse disorder?
What Is a Co-occurring Disorder?
A co-occurring disorder is a mental health disorder occurring simultaneously with a substance abuse disorder. This can include a number of different mental health disorders and isn’t limited to one specific substance.
Individuals with the existence of a co-occurring disorder may display several signs associated with this diagnosis. The following section outlines potential signs of a co-occurring disorder.
Medicaid Accepted for Mental Health Treatment
What are the Possible Signs of a Dual Diagnosis?
Dual diagnoses can be difficult to identify, considering the complexities of both disorders. Mental health disorders may display symptoms of substance abuse disorder and vice-versa. A proper diagnosis begins with identifying signs that are present in the individual in question.
- Drastic changes in behavior or personality
- Ignoring the dangers of using substances
- Engaging in risky behaviors
- Withdrawal from family and friends
- Requirement of substances to function
- Mood changes and confused thinking
- Thoughts of suicide
Many individuals who suffer from substance abuse disorder exhibit the previously mentioned signs. This leads to the question: how common is a dual diagnosis in substance abuse cases?
How Common Is Dual-Diagnosis?
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) publishes multiple types of research and studies relevant to mental health and substance abuse. The following list contains certain portions of data relevant to those studies on dual diagnosis.
- 45% of Americans suffer from a dual diagnosis. Individuals diagnosed with a mental health disorder have a much higher risk of developing challenges associated with substance abuse.
- 17 million young adults over the age of 18 suffer from some form of mental health disorder. About 23% of these young adults also struggled with substance abuse disorder.
- The number of patients in treatment for opioid abuse disorder with a co-occurring disorder rose from 12 to 16% in six years.
- Patients with dual diagnoses are often able to operate and function. It’s estimated that 10.6% of full-time workers have a substance abuse issue, while 10.2% have severe psychiatric challenges.
- More than half of the patients suffering from mental health challenges did not receive one treatment regimen to improve recovery rates.
- Out of three million Americans that have been diagnosed with co-occurring disorders, only one million received treatment for either one or the other. Only about 150,000 received treatment for both.
Two things stand out among these statistics. The first is the prevalence of dual diagnosis among individuals with substance abuse disorder. Secondly, there is a significant lack of treatment options for these individuals.