Dual Diagnosis Treatment in Harlingen, TX

Many people wonder why addicts can't simply get a grip and stop their habit. Addicts, themselves, often wonder about it. While such self-control can be very difficult in addiction, in certain cases, there is an additional factor at play -- a mental illness. The majority of those who spend their lives battling addiction, also fight mental illness on another front. Addiction and mental illness can, together, form a challenging combination. Not only does each one of these disorders strengthen the other and make it harder for addicts to find treatment, it makes it harder for rehabs to offer treatment, as well. Only a few rehabs such as our center for dual diagnosis treatment in Harlingen, specialize in it.

Are Dual Diagnosis Situations Common?

Serious mental illnesses such as major depression, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder occur only in 10% of the general population. Among the addicted, however, these disorders affect a vast proportion -- depending on the study, between 50% and 70% of those addicted.

As important as it is to understand how prevalent mental disorders are among the addicted, however, treatment can be a challenge. Very few rehabs are equipped to deal with them.

Why Do These Disorders Co-occur?

In most cases, mental disorders are congenital or inherited, and appear from birth. In both mild cases of mental disorder and deeper ones, it is the difficulties created by these conditions that push those suffering from them towards drugs and alcohol. In those with mild disorders, small quantities of these substances are able to offer mental relief.

These people never actually become addicted. Those with severe mental disorders live tortured mental lives, however, and need constant relief from drugs as a way to escape their depression and their mental confusion.

While mental disorder often leads to an early need felt for drugs or alcohol, such heavy use can often aggravate existing mental illness, as well. Stimulants such as cocaine, for example, can cause anxiety, something that can push a person to abuse prescription drugs.

A person who suffers from depression may never get to feel the regular pleasure that normal people take for granted, and may turn to alcohol for this reason. Excessive use, however, may suppress the brain's ability to feel pleasure. Methamphetamine can create hallucinations, both auditory and visual, symptoms that tend to push users to the use of other, newer drugs for escape.

It can be hard to tell which disorder comes first, mental or addiction-related ones. The two disorders even share common brain chemicals and pathways. In many cases, there is even considerable overlap in symptom profile among mental disorders and addiction disorders. The overlap may be so great, psychiatrists may have trouble identifying the source of a given symptom.

Dual Diagnosis Treatment in Harlingen for Addiction

Few psychiatrists treat people addicted to drugs. Not only can it be difficult to accurately diagnose a psychiatric condition while addictive substances are in the picture, psychiatric medications have unpredictable effects when they mix with drugs, as well.

Most addiction rehabs do not bother with psychiatric disorders, and simply attempt to treat with their standard, generic approaches. These treatments fail -- these patients, once they go through medical detox in Harlingen, quickly return to drug use. Among rehabs that do recognize it when their patients have mental disorders, many will turn away such patients.

The only sensible way to approach dual diagnosis treatment in Harlingen is to approach a dual diagnosis treatment facility. In rehabs that offer integrated care, treatment is put together by a team of physicians, psychiatrists, addiction specialists and therapists, all working together.

They diagnose the different disorders involved, put together a multi-pronged treatment plan, and offer different types of care, therapy and support to help these patients through the difficult process of detoxification and relapse prevention.

It's Important to Find the Right Kind of Rehab

Without integrated care, a dual diagnosis treatment facility would be reduced to separate treatment of the illnesses that constitute these complex conditions. The approach rarely works. The right kind of approach is to treat every disorder involved jointly, with various professionals working as a team. When things go wrong, it's the team that accepts responsibility; it can make it much easier on both rehab and the patient.

If you would like to better understand how dual diagnosis treatment programs in Harlingen work, our center for dual diagnosis treatment in Harlingen should be your first stop. We specialize in such care, and we love educating our patients in the care process. The better-educated you are, the better your chances at success. Call us now for help (877) 804-1531.