
When a mental health disorder coexists with substance abuse, the condition is referred to as co-occurring disorder or dual diagnosis. For instance, someone can be addicted to drugs, alcohol or both, and be diagnosed with psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder (BD), depression, borderline personality disorder (BPD), or panic disorder, among others. Someone suffering from dual diagnosis is said to have two distinct illnesses, each of which needs to be treated separately with a uniquely cohesive dual diagnosis treatment plan to ensure complete recovery.
Studies have shown that either of the two, i.e., a mental disorder or a substance abuse, can surface first. Acute mental illness may drive an individual to turn to self-medication through drugs and alcohol as a means to escape from mental agitation. However, in the long-term, drugs and alcohol only worsen the existing mental condition. On the other hand, substance abuse is known to impact moods, thoughts and alter brain chemistry and behavior adversely.
To recover from co-occurring disorders and lead a happy and productive life, it is important to counter the symptoms of mental illness without falling back on drugs or alcohol. An intensive medical and therapeutic intervention that caters to both the conditions at the same time, also known as integrated treatment, can be the best strategy to deal with this fatal combination. Invictus Health Group understands the complexity of such a diagnosis and offers effective evidence-based treatment plans at its dual diagnosis treatment centers.