Duel Diagnosis
Have you ever wondered, “Why am I always so sad? I may as well just drink my blues away”, you say to yourself as you are throwing back another beer.
But none of your sadness dissipates…Neither does the booze. You wake up and poor yourself a cocktail instead of a cup of coffee.
Is that a bad thing? Well, let’s just say it’s not a good thing. Just like alcohol, other drugs are dangerous too. Whether it be, marijuana, mushrooms (hallucinogenic), acid, cocaine, meth, molly, ecstasy, heroin, pills, nicotine and so on- substance abuse & chemical dependency can be a dangerous thing.
Duel Diagnosis refers to having a mental health disorder, like depression, in addition to a substance abuse disorder. Each diagnosis should be taken very seriously and have its own treatment plan.
For example, if you are suffering from depression-your treatment plan may include: Mental health therapy with Assessment, and/or medication to help reduce your depressive symptoms; and attending weekly AA Meetings to maintain your sobriety.
You are working on 2 goals simultaneously. Both goals are major life changes that could improve your overall health, well-being and quality of life.
“I understood myself only after I destroyed myself. And only in the process of fixing myself, did I know who I really was. My recovery must come first, so that everything I love in life does not have to come last”.
Treatment may also involve: Treating the mind, body, and spirit; Substance Abuse Treatment; Behavior Modification; Psycho-education; and an integration of approaches.
“Don’t hate the addict, hate the disease. Don’t hate the person, hate the behavior. If it’s hard for you to watch it, imagine how hard it must be to live it”.