Dual Diagnosis

The term ‘dual diagnosis’ or ‘dual disorders’ has in recent years come to be used in  the  alcohol,  drug  and mental  health  fields  to  describe  a  particular  group  of people  who  have  both  a  diagnosed  mental  health  problem  together  with problems of alcohol and/or drug use. Usually  this  focus has more often referred to a diagnosis of severe mental  illness, for example psychotic disorders.

Over the past decade the drug rehab field has seen an expansion in programs offering services to those suffering from so-called "dual-diagnosis" or "co-occurring" disorders. There are several problems with this including the obvious fact that every substance abuser displays symptoms of some disorder or another.

Given the high prevalence of substance abuse in patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), psychiatrists need to consider comorbidity in assessment of both conditions.

A new credential, represented by the initials CCDP (Certified Co-Occurring Disorders Professional) was introduced last week by [the IC&RC] in a move that pressures the addiction treatment workforce to get more training.

People with addictions often suffer from other mental health disorders. Some with untreated mental health problems start using alcohol or drugs as a way to self-medicate.

Data from the Epidemiologic Catchment Area (ECA) study showed that over half of individuals who have a lifetime diagnosis of a drug use disorder also have a lifetime diagnosis of a mental disorder.

Treatment for behavioral, psychosocial, and psychiatric problems should be integrated with substance abuse interventions.

Mood disorders, including depression and bipolar disorders, are the most common psychiatric comorbidities among patients with substance use disorders.

Between 10 and 30 percent of a substance abuse counselor’s clients will have a co-occurring problem gambling disorder. So what can the counselor do to better assess and screen clients for problem gambling?

People who have multiple disorders of severe mental illness, drug addiction and alcoholism "dual diagnosis" have the same severity of addictive disorders as do people who have addictive disorders alone. They also experience exacerbation of both their mental illness and their addictive disorder due to interaction effects.