3 Reasons to Choose a Dual Diagnosis Treatment Center

In your search for the best drug and alcohol rehab, you will hear about dual diagnosis treatment centers. Many rehabs now tout their dual diagnosis approach, promising the best possible chance of a successful recovery.

The dual diagnosis approach refers to the concept that addiction rarely occurs in isolation. There are common co-occurring disorders that many addicts suffer from. These include mood disorders like depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder, as well as personality disorders like borderline personality disorder.

Dual diagnosis treatment centers treat both the addiction and any co-occurring disorders. But you may be wondering why co-occurring disorders should be treated in rehab. And if you do not think you suffer from a co-occurring disorder, why should you choose a dual diagnosis center?

Consider the following 3 reasons.

1. They take a medical approach:

Dual diagnosis treatment centers are a good option even for people who might not have co-occurring disorders because it demonstrates that they take a medical approach. While many rehabs in America do not hire licensed professionals as staff, dual diagnosis centers recognize the need for mental health professionals. They approach addiction as an illness, which needs to be treated by experts.

Not all dual diagnosis treatment centers are necessarily staffed by experts, and you will still have to do your research on each potential option. However, you are more likely to find experts in centers that take this approach.

2. There is overlap between addiction and co-occurring disorders:

Addiction should not be treated in isolation when there is a co-occurring disorder, as the other disorder may trigger a relapse. Furthermore, causes and symptoms of addiction often overlap with co-occurring disorders. When a person stops using drugs and alcohol, they have to confront difficult feelings and thoughts that arise. These may bring anxiety, despair, and other symptoms of mental illness.

Mental health experts are best placed to treat addiction. The fact is that a systematic approach to treatment is most likely to yield good results.

3. Diagnosis can take a while:

Finally, you should choose a dual diagnosis treatment center because you cannot be certain your addiction is occurring in isolation. If you have not seen a psychiatrist regarding potential co-occurring disorders, you may not know the signs of those disorders. If you have seen a psychiatrist and they have not diagnosed you with a co-occurring disorder, there is still the chance that symptoms will appear when you stop using substances.

Diagnosis is not a static process. It needs to be reassessed as time goes by, and in a rehab that takes a dual diagnosis approach, you are in the best position to get suitable care if necessary.

Dual diagnosis treatment centers are ideal even if you do not think you have a co-occurring disorder. Rather than taking a chance with a rehab that eschews a medical approach, choose a rehab center that considers your mental health on a systemic level.