Common among alcohol and drug dependent individuals, a dual diagnosis is a particularly difficult condition to deal with.
Dual diagnosis treatment combines and deals with the complications of two separate and co-morbid afflictions that build upon each other.
Dual diagnosis is the term used to describe a scenario where a person simultaneously suffers from a mental condition or developmental disability, as well as a substance abuse problem.
The mental condition can range from depression to schizophrenia and making a diagnosis is difficult as drug abuse itself often induces psychiatric symptoms.
The difficulty is in determining if the symptoms existed before the substance abuse began.
It is usually difficult to find a treatment center that will take in a person that exhibits symptoms of this condition.
Substance abuse treatment centers alone may not have the proper staff to deal with severe mental illnesses.
On the other hand, psychiatric centers may not be adequately staffed to deal with substance abuse.
Dual diagnosis treatment should be integrated.
The conditions should not be treated separately as if the other did not exist.
So, even if a person afflicted with such conditions can get through the doors of either type of facility, it may not help much unless the facility is equipped to deal with both of the issues involved.
The role of the treatment facility is further stressed by the fact that medicines can be crucial to reduce paranoia, anxiety, and craving in order to progress in treatment, while some treatment facilities are opposed to such methods.
Dual diagnosis is most certainly a serious matter, and any attempt at treatment should be left to experienced professionals.