Dual Diagnosis

What is Dual Diagnosis?

Did you know that substance abuse and mental illness co-occur in up to half of all people experiencing either of these issues? Addiction can be a multifaceted disease, which results in the need for inpatient dual diagnosis treatment. Someone suffering from both alcohol or drug addiction and an emotional/psychiatric problem is said to have a dual diagnosis. In these cases, alcohol and drugs have often been used to self-medicate, or their use results in brain changes that lead to emotional or psychological disorders. To recover fully, dual diagnosis treatment is required to address these problems, clear the path to sobriety, and better ensure success in rehabilitation and relapse prevention.

Dual Diagnosis is more common than you think.

According to a report by the Journal of the American Medical Association, 37% of alcohol abusers and 53% of drug abusers also have at least one serious mental illness; and of all people diagnosed as mentally ill, 29% abuse alcohol or drugs. The psychiatric problems that commonly occur in tandem with alcohol or drug dependency are:

• Anxiety disorders: Including generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and phobias
• Depressive disorders: Such as depression and bipolar disorder
• Other psychiatric disorders: Such as schizophrenia and personality disorders

What does a Dual Diagnosis treatment center do?

For people with co-occurring disorders, Blake Recovery Center™’s Dual Diagnosis Program in conjunction with Carrier Clinic® offers specialized short-term critical care intervention and utilizes group and individual therapies along with psychiatric medications. Our New Jersey dual diagnosis treatment center focuses primarily on providing individual and group counseling for patients with psychiatric disorders within a framework that gives particular attention to addictive and compulsive behaviors, which are often compounded by psychological issues. Because addiction is a disease, state-of-the-art pharmacology is used to control psychiatric symptoms as well as for craving reduction and relapse prevention.

Addressing Co-current Substance Abuse and Mental Illness on Many Levels

Our NJ Dual Diagnosis Program is a highly-integrated, multidisciplinary treatment approach that is sensitive to cultural, religious, ethnic, socioeconomic, and sexual diversity. Skilled assessment, diagnosis, and treatment go hand in hand with comprehensive aftercare planning as well. To assure continuity of care and relapse prevention, we help patients and families access community resources, and negotiate their treatment needs with private providers or social agencies. Six weeks of support and education by licensed addiction and psychiatric counselors are also offered through our Weekend Codependency Program at no cost.

By addressing issues like depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, or schizophrenia in conjunction with working toward sobriety from alcohol and drugs of abuse, a Dual Diagnosis Treatment Program provides the best chance for sustained recovery and ongoing wellness. All of the complementary therapies give people suffering from concurrent disorders a solid foundation for a happier, healthier life.