Dual Diagnosis Treatment in Utica, NY

At our rehab for dual diagnosis treatment in Utica, we recognize that treatment of addictions can never succeed without treatment of the mental disorders that often hide behind them. It tends to be a confusing concept to many. Here, we try to explain what dual diagnoses are all about.

What is a Dual Diagnosis?

Most people who overuse drugs and alcohol get into some trouble, but do manage to turn their lives around before things go too far. Others are not so lucky. They find themselves trapped in addictions that they cannot escape. What makes them vulnerable?

A number of factors come into play. In some people, there are genetic vulnerabilities to blame. In others, personality disorders such as anger issues, poor self-image or impulse control make life's stresses appear to stressful, and make substance abuse seem an attractive escape. In one out of two addicts, however, the problem of addiction can be traced to a serious underlying mental disorder. A variety of mental disorders from depression and anxiety to schizophrenia and bipolar result in a tendency towards addictive behavior.

Since mental disorders can drive addictive behavior, adequately treating addiction would require addressing the underlying cause. Treatment that doesn't take the underlying cause into account can fail over the long-term. Even today, however, most rehabs do not possess the expertise needed to treat patients in this way. It's important, however, for patients and their families to make sure that they choose the rehab that possesses the expertise needed.

How is Dual Diagnosis Treated?

At our center for dual diagnosis treatment in Utica, we favor the integrated approach, rather than the independent or parallel treatment approach. If you aren't sure why this is a good idea, here are some of the advantages that come from the use dual diagnosis rehab programs that use the integrated approach:

There is greater clarity: Mental disorders and addictions tend to come with considerable overlap of symptoms. Agitation, anxiety, depression, fear and many other symptoms appear with either disorder. For this reason, there is much room for misdiagnosis. With dual diagnosis treatment programs in Utica, however, the doctors involved are able to coordinate with one another because they belong to one multidisciplinary team.

Treatment tends to be safer: Many mental disorders come with severe complications — tendencies to violence, suicide or poor self-control. When an addiction is treated independently of a mental disorder, there may be inadequate supervision of the patient, leading to violent episodes or simple noncompliance with the requirements of the course. Patients may easily cheat or not comply with instructions. In integrated care, both the psychiatrists and the addiction specialists involved are aware of every area of complication, and can together work out safe treatment plans.

There are no differences in approach and philosophy: It's important for all doctors involved to agree on one view of the patient's troubles. When there are two sets of doctors involved, each one may consider a particular issue or symptom a problem that belongs to the other, or may use an approach incompatible with a method used by the other.

There is a way to affix responsibility: When there is no integration of treatment, the psychiatrists and the addiction specialists involved are able to blame one another in the event of failure of treatment. With integrated treatment, the team works from the initial steps until relapse prevention in Utica, and there is no excuse for relapsing.

It's important to understand that there is a difference between an integrated dual diagnosis treatment center and one that is parallel. In parallel rehab, both disorders are treated together, but by two separate teams who don't talk to one another. The benefits of integrated treatment are not available in the parallel model.

Much of the Work Happens After Detoxification

Most of the work to be done in dual diagnosis treatment happens outside of drug detox in Utica, in the form of psychological therapy. It is the therapy that equips recovering addicts with the skills that they need to move away from addictive behavior. With integrated dual diagnosis care, patients gain access to therapists with special skills and experience.

Such expertise is simply not available with therapists at regular rehabs. Whether training patients for anger management, poor self-image or impulse control, it takes an entirely different set of skills to work with those with mental disorders.

Seek Dual Diagnosis Treatment in Utica

Few rehabs today offer the comprehensive care needed for dual diagnosis treatment programs. It is up to patients and their families to work hard to look into the choices available. At our center for dual diagnosis treatment in Utica, we offer some of the best experts in dual diagnosis anywhere in the state.

Whether you're gathering information or preparing to sign up to rehab, talking to one of our experts is a good idea. All you need to do is to call us at (877) 804-1531.