Dual Diagnosis Treatment

What Is Dual Diagnosis?

To fully appreciate the potential benefits of dual diagnosis treatment centers in Arkansas, it can be helpful to first review what it means to have dual diagnosis.

Dual diagnosis is a clinical term that refers to the simultaneous presence of a mental health condition and a substance use disorder (addiction).

It’s not uncommon for people to have multiple mental illnesses at the same time. For example, many people who develop depression also struggle with anxiety. And younger people with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often also exhibit the symptoms of oppositional-defiant disorder (ODD).

When someone develops a second type of mental illness, they are often referred to as having a co-occurring disorder or a comorbidity. When a mental illness is accompanied by an addiction, it is typically described as dual diagnosis. 

Dual diagnosis occurs much more frequently than many people may realize. According to a July 2022 study in the journal Psychiatry Research:

• An estimated 13.5 million adults in the United States have dual diagnosis disorders.
• 25.8% of adults in the U.S. who have a mental illness also have a co-occurring addiction.
• 36.5% of U.S. adults with substance use disorders have co-occurring mental health concerns.

Important note: In practice, the terms co-occurring disorders, comorbidities, and dual diagnosis are often used interchangeably. So it’s not wrong for someone to be identified as having bipolar disorder and co-occurring (or comorbid) alcoholism. 

The advantage of using dual diagnosis is that it provides the added clarity that, of the person’s two conditions, one is a mental illness and one is an addiction.

Our Dual Diagnosis Treatment Programs in Arkansas

When a person enters a dual diagnosis treatment center in Arkansas, one of the first decisions usually involves identifying which of the following levels of care are right for them:

• Detoxification (detox)
• Residential treatment
• Partial hospitalization program (PHP)
• Intensive outpatient program (IOP)
• Outpatient treatment

Detox, which is a short-term program to help people get through withdrawal, is often a vital first step for someone who has dual diagnosis. Being able to rid their body of alcohol or other substances can provide people with the strength and clarity they will need to fully engage in residential or outpatient treatment. 

When a dual diagnosis patient completes withdrawal at Time Wellness Detox, we work closely with them to identify the full scope of their needs, so that we can refer them to the most appropriate residential or outpatient program for follow-on care. 

Signs and Symptoms of Dual Diagnosis

The signs and symptoms of dual diagnosis can vary depending which mental illness(es) a person has developed and which substance(s) they have become addicted to.

Potential indicators that someone has developed a mental illness include:

• Significant changes in their mood, attitude, and energy levels
• Eating much more or less than usual
• Unintentionally gaining or losing a substantial amount of weight
• Sleeping much more or less than usual
• Unexplained outbursts of anger or sadness
• Uncharacteristic periods of confusion or disorientation
• Withdrawing from family and friends
• Downturn in performance in school or at work
• Loss of interest in activities that used to be important to them
• Failing to pay bills, keep appointments, or fulfill other obligations
• Neglecting their appearance, grooming, and personal hygiene

Warning signs that a person has become addicted to alcohol or another drug can include:

• Spending considerable amounts of time using and recovering from the effects of the substance
• Lying to or otherwise deceiving friends and family about the amount and frequency of their substance use
• Trying to buy, borrow, or steal medications that were prescribed to someone else
• Continuing to use a substance even after incurring some type of physical, psychological, or social problem due to prior use
• Using a substance in ways that are clearly hazardous, such as by ingesting multiple drugs at the same time or driving while under its influence
• Needing to use larger amounts of a substance to feel its effects
• Developing physical and/or psychological withdrawal symptoms when they try to end their substance use, or if they are prevented from using a substance for a certain period

Most Common Dual Diagnosis Disorders

Dual diagnosis can involve myriad combinations of mental illnesses and substance use disorders. Examples of mental health concerns that are more commonly accompanied by addictions include:

• Anxiety disorders
• Depression
• Bipolar disorder
• Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• ADHD
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
• Schizophrenia

These mental illnesses are frequently associated with addictions to:

• Alcohol
• Cocaine
• Heroin, fentanyl, and other opioids
• Xanax and other benzodiazepines (benzos)
• Methamphetamine (meth) 

How Effective Is Dual Diagnosis Disorder Treatment?

When someone has a mental health disorder and an addiction, the relationship between the two conditions can lead to increasingly more severe symptoms. 

For example, if the symptoms of depression cause a person to start abusing alcohol, the development of alcoholism can intensify their depression. This, in turn, can push them deeper into compulsive alcohol use.

Treating only one of these conditions is unlikely to promote long-term healing. Even if a person is able to temporarily stop drinking, if they don’t get help for their depression their recovery may be short-lived. Similarly, if the individual starts to experience relief from their depressive symptoms, but continues to abuse alcohol, their mental health may soon begin to deteriorate again.

Dual diagnosis treatment, which includes personalized care to address the full scope of a patient’s mental and behavioral health needs, may be the most effective way of helping them achieve true and lasting healing.

How Are Dual Diagnosis Disorders Treated?

Personalization is a key component of quality treatment for dual diagnosis disorders. This means that the services a person receives will be influenced by factors such as:

• Their age, gender, and developmental level
• Which mental illness(es) and types of addiction(s) they have
• The type and severity of their symptoms
• How they have been impacted by these symptoms
• Which program or level of care they are currently enrolled in

Depending on these and other concerns, personalized treatment at dual diagnosis treatment centers in Arkansas may include a variety of services, such as:

• Medication-assisted treatment (MAT)
• Individual psychotherapy
• Group therapy 
• Family programming
• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
• Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)
• EMDR
• Trauma therapy
• Red light therapy
• Biofeedback therapy
• Biosound therapy
• Yoga, mindfulness, and meditation
• Art therapy
• Music therapy
• Relapse prevention education
• Skills development sessions

How Long Does Dual Diagnosis Treatment in Arkansas Last?

The amount of time that a person remains in dual diagnosis treatment in Arkansas can vary considerably depending on which levels of care are included in their treatment plan:

• Detox usually involves a stay of 5-10 days.
• Many residential programs offer 28-day stays.
• At the PHP and IOP levels, patients may remain in treatment for 60-90 days.
• People who attend weekly or monthly outpatient sessions may stay in treatment for several months or years.

Ideally, the length of effective dual diagnosis will be determined solely by each patient’s progress, needs, and preferences.

Why Time Wellness Detox?

Here are a few of the many reasons why Time Wellness Detox may be the ideal place to begin dual diagnosis treatment in Arkansas:

• While you’re with us, you will be in a closely supervised environment where you won’t have access to alcohol or other addictive substances. This eliminates your risk of immediate relapse as your symptoms intensify.
• The team of professionals who care for you while you’re in our drug detox center will be familiar with all aspects of the withdrawal process. This can eliminate fear of the unknown and help you maintain your motivation.
• Your detox team will also be prepared to address any contingencies that can threaten your health. The moment you experience any concerning symptoms, they can take immediate action to keep you safe.
• Depending on the nature and severity of your withdrawal symptoms, your treatment team may provide both medical and therapeutic support to help you manage any discomfort. 
• While you’re still in detox, you may be able to participate in therapy sessions to address your co-occurring mental health concerns.
• We will document your progress, identify areas of ongoing concern, and use this information to recommend the most appropriate follow-on treatment for you.

Successfully completing withdrawal at Time Wellness Detox can demonstrate that you are capable of more than you may have once believed. Your improved self-confidence and renewed hope can serve you well throughout the remainder of your treatment, and help you overcome future obstacles that could threaten to undermine your recovery.