Dual Diagnosis Treatment in Chesapeake, VA

Mental disorders have always been closely connected to a number of behaviors; they are sometimes connected to artistic tendencies, for instance. While this connection hasn't ever been proven, a connection to addiction certainly has. Mental disorders are so pervasive among those who suffer from substance abuse and addiction, it would make sense for anyone attempting to quit an addiction, to investigate the possibility. If you need help with an addiction, you should look for dual diagnosis treatment in Chesapeake.

Understanding Why the Connection Exists

A lot is reported these days about the connection between liberal painkiller prescriptions by doctors, and the rise of addiction to these painkillers. People who become trapped in addictions to OxyContin, Percocet, Vicodin or Fentanyl do not set out to have a good time with drugs; rather, they simply receive prescriptions for legitimately painful conditions but then find themselves slipping into addictive behavior.

It doesn't happen to everyone; only some people. When it does happen, a hidden mental disorder is often to blame -- it has the ability to aggravate a tendency to substance abuse. Such a person may then suffer a full-blown substance abuse problem that leads to addiction. Once substance abuse begins, it can even worsen the symptoms of the hidden mental disorder and bring it out. These conditions can enter turn into a vicious circle.

The takeaway here is this: addiction does not usually simply happen because someone chooses to use drugs a lot. Rather, you take too many drugs because you suffer from a mental condition that pushes you to act in this way.

The connection between mental disorders and addiction is not a hard one to imagine -- mental conditions such as bipolar, schizophrenia, OCD, anxiety and many others, rise as a result of imbalances in the brain chemistry; drugs and alcohol temporarily alter brain chemistry, leading to temporary improvements. People with mental disorders simply gravitate to drug use because they offer temporary improvement.

To Treat Addiction First Treat Any Psychiatric Disorders

Addictions are categorized mental disorders because they involve damage to the brain in the area of self-awareness. When affected by addiction, the brain loses its ability to remain aware of the harmful effects its tendency towards substance abuse. It happens because exposure to drugs affects specific parts of the brain to create a deep attachment to drug use. Such attachment tends to stay in spite of every indication of the harm caused.

Coming out of addiction requires intensive psychological therapy. Patients, however, need good mental health in order to focus on and engage in such addiction treatment in Chesapeake. When an additional mental disorder in the form of bipolar, anxiety or another condition exists, however, the challenge becomes that much harder.

In some cases, these disorders can be serious enough to even render initial addiction treatment impossible. In such cases, and in every other case of a condition where the patient suffers from a psychiatric disorder in addition to addiction, seeking treatment at dual diagnosis treatment programs makes a lot of sense. These are rehabs that possess special abilities and skills in the area of treatment for dual diagnosis conditions.

How Does a Dual Disorder Rehab Help?

They are prepared: Treating addictions and mental disorders together requires special skills. It takes a full set of professionals with specific training to know how to help patients who experience these conditions. They bring the patient skills and helping with low levels of cooperation, an ability to understand the specific drug interactions between detox drugs and psychiatric drugs and so on.

You know where the buck stops: When a psychiatric disorder and an addiction are treated separately by different sets of professionals, there's no way to fix final responsibility for the outcome. At centers for dual diagnosis treatment in Chesapeake, it is one team that comes up with a treatment plan. The buck cannot be passed.

There are special therapists available: When addiction appears on side of a mental disorder, patients can require special therapy. Those who have trouble with bipolar tend to have different needs than those with depression or schizophrenia, as well. Therapists with specific experience in different combinations of mental disorder and addiction are better able to offer assistance.

Look for Inpatient Rehab

When you look for dual diagnosis treatment in Chesapeake, it is likely to make sense to aim your search at rehabs that offer inpatient treatment. Certainly, such rehab is likely to be more expensive; it tends to offer improved chances of a full recovery, however. With specialists monitoring and assisting each patient around the clock, there's simply better hope. Call Chesapeake Alcohol Rehab Centers. (877) 804-1531