| A person who suffers from alcohol abuse / alcoholism, | | | | higher-than-average risk of having alcoholism or drug |
| drug abuse / drug addiction and an emotional | | | | addiction................... |
| psychiatric problem is said to have a dual diagnosis. To | | | | Drug Addiction, Alcohol Addiction or the Emotional |
| recover fully, the person will require addiction treatment | | | | Problem....Which Came First? Often the psychiatric |
| and psychiatric treatment for both problems. | | | | problem develops first. In an attempt to feel calmer, |
| How Common Is Dual Diagnosis? | | | | more peppy, or more cheerful, a person with emotional |
| Dual diagnosis is a common diagnosis. According to a | | | | symptoms may drink or use drugs; doctors call this |
| report published by the Journal of the American | | | | "self-medication." Frequent self-medication may |
| Medical Association: * Thirty-seven percent of people | | | | eventually lead to physical or psychological |
| with alcohol abuse and fifty-three percent of people | | | | dependency on alcohol or drugs, alcohol addiction or |
| with drug abuse also have at least one serious mental | | | | drug addiction. If it does, the person then suffers from |
| illness. * Of all people diagnosed as mentally ill, 29 | | | | not just one problem, but two. In adolescents, however, |
| percent suffer from alcohol abuse or drug abuse. | | | | drug or alcohol abuse may merge and continue into |
| What Type of Mental Health Problems are Seen in | | | | adulthood, which may contribute to the development of |
| People with Dual Diagnosis? | | | | emotional difficulties or psychiatric disorders. Dual |
| The following psychiatric problems occur in Dual | | | | diagnosis is a complex disorder to diagnose. |
| Diagnosis - i.e., in tandem with alcoholism or drug | | | | If a Person Suffers From Drug Addiction, Alcoholism |
| addiction. * disorders, such as depression and bipolar | | | | and a Mental Health Disorder, Which Should Be |
| disorder. * Anxiety disorders, panic disorder, | | | | Treated First? In a perfect world, both problems should |
| obsessive-compulsive disorder, and phobias. * Other | | | | be treated simultaneously. For any substance abuse |
| psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia and | | | | problem, however, the first step in treatment must be |
| personality disorders. | | | | detox - a period of time during which the body is |
| The following table based on a National Institute of | | | | allowed to cleanse itself of alcohol or drugs. Ideally, |
| Mental Health study, lists seven major psychiatric | | | | detox should take place under medical supervision. It |
| disorders and shows how much each one increases | | | | can take a few days to a week or more, depending |
| an individual`s risk for drug addiction. Psychiatric | | | | on what substances the person abused and for how |
| Disorder Increased Risk For Substance Abuse | | | | long. |
| Antisocial personality disorder 15.5% Manic episode 14.5 | | | | Until recently, alcoholics and drug addicts dreaded |
| Schizophrenia 10.1 Panic disorder 4.3 Major depressive | | | | detox because it meant a painful and sometimes |
| episode 4.1 Obsessive-compulsive disorder 3.4 Phobias | | | | life-threatening "cold turkey" withdrawal. Now, doctors |
| 2.4 | | | | are able to provide those people with a drug addiction |
| Thus, someone suffering from schizophrenia is at a 10.1 | | | | or alcohol addiction carefully chosen medications while |
| percent higher-than-average risk of alcohol addiction or | | | | in detox, which can substantially ease withdrawal |
| drug addiction. Someone who is having an episode of | | | | symptoms. Detox done under medical supervision, is |
| major depression is at a 4.1 percent | | | | safer for the dually diagnosed. |