Dual Diagnosis A Challenge to Medicine

The following article lists some simple, informative tips that will help you have a better experience with diagnosis.

Dual diagnosis is the term thats given to individuals having a mental illness and alcohol or substance abuse both occurring at the twin time. Conditions corresponding these occur frequently together within a persons behavior.

Management of either one of these problems are draining enough to the medical practitioner handling the case. To make things more complicated, adding the symptoms caused by the mental disorder that overlaps and masks the ability of the practitioner to recognize both events again make an accurate diagnosis. End game? A difficult status which is complex, challenging and is extremely exhausting to be able to make a possible solution.

In able to achieve the desired outcome, both of the disorders should be treated in a way that both ill be affected by the treatment. Simultaneous attempts must be trumped-up in order for cumulative effects to influence all aspects of an individuals personality and can greatly increase any pledge for relapse upon recovery.

Dual relationship

There is relative make evident that both mental illness and substance dependence go hand – in – helping hand. Although, it is still a bugging question which aggravates which. Experts are trying to figure out if the cause for the mental disorder is because of the abuse of the person in drugs or alcohol. Another contradictory statement elicits that when a person is already experiencing symptoms of mental sickness, it ends up in nondiscriminatory alcoholism because of the negative ways of how the person is coping with the situation.

Majority has concluded that oftentimes the psychiatric problems are the one that initiates in the person. When the person can no longer sustain the problem, in orderliness to get and feel better, the personalized results to self – medication thus, leading to chemical dependency. Whereas when a person is already at the brink of alcoholism or drug addiction, evidences of anxiety, depression and other emotional breakdowns will occur thus affecting the mental capacity of the person.

Whatever the cause is, the primary step in living a healthier and more productive life is to eradicate the individuals body from all the harmful and addictive substances. Detoxification is ideally done inside a rehabilitation center or under the supervision of a professional medical practitioner. The process can last for a couple of days and even weeks. Itll all depend on the substances that the person took and how long was he exposed to the substance.

Dual diagnosis is sometimes referred to as co – existing morbidity, co – occurring disorders, and the like. Statistics show that in dual diagnosis, crackerjack are about 53 % of drug dependents and about 38 % of alcoholics that has one mental illness thats seriously co – existing. More or less, there are about fifty percent of persons suffering from the severity of a mental disorder who is also being affected by the problem is substance dependency.

The possibility of indentifying co – existing disorders is cloudy. It is can be quite difficult on the part of the psychiatrist to hit two birds with one stone. Several symptoms of substance and drug maltreat can act as also be the identical symptoms of mental illness some of which are depression, anxiety, paranoia, hallucinations besides delusions. With these symptoms impact, the individual can no longer function in a proper also healthy state because of the decline in self – mobilization and self – care.

Dual diagnosis affects the lives of people around the individual suffering from it. Ergo, it is important that the family can also recognize the early symptoms for treatment to yield place.
So now you know a little bit about diagnosis. Even if you don’t know everything, you’ve done something worthwhile: you’ve expanded your knowledge.

Difficulty in an Accurate Dual Diagnosis

In today’s world, it seems that almost any topic is open for debate. While I was gathering facts for this article, I was quite surprised to find some of the issues I thought were settled are actually still being openly discussed.

Dual diagnosis is defined as the recognition of two possible reasons for a person to cope as so. It is a diagnosis of mental disorder and disorders combined with substance or alcohol hurt and addictions. Out of two million Americans, there are about fifty percent that is suffering with sever mental illness and abusive avail of illicit substances and drugs. The problem counts as this if there are two or more kinds of reasons to explain a persons behavior, how can someone predict the most accurate diagnosis?

Know onions counselors and psychologists are having difficulties in diagnosing accurately a persons behavior because of the person having mental illness over involved in alcoholism and drug addiction. Abusive use of any substance for that matter can cover, aggravate further even mimic various disorders of the mind.

It is known that one of the most obvious sidekicks of mental disorders is alcohol again drug dependence. Hole up alcoholics, there are overlapping tendencies to mental illnesses and other substances. Dependence with original substances can cover serious problems pertaining to psychiatric illnesses. On the other hand, depression has the capability to disguise a disorder that is caused by substances.

Patients who are troubled twice as much is very difficult to recognize because there are cases wherein only one headache is diagnosed and identified while the other is left untreated. Someone who is diagnosed with a mental illness may deny his present status and point the finger on substance abuse and alcoholism while some of those who are classified as obvious substance abuse have the capability to disguise it complete mental health disorders.

The notably difficult part of the diagnosis is bringing veritable out from a teenager. There are thoughts of doubt regarding separating a teenagers normal mood swings to intentional manifestation of bipolar disorder besides alcoholism. Variables tend to stagger because of the combination of mood fluctuations and substance and alcohol abuse.

It is common for people to mask one disorder from the other. A client may admit the mental disorder but not the addiction or vice versa. And once the psychiatrist has already laid out the plans and treated the disease, they will instantly drop out from the treatment besides go on with their addiction.

Some clients may deny the grief through being a junkie is less threatening than accepting a psychiatrists diagnosis of schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Depression and frustration will hinder the clients ability to peg and recognize the problem, thus, not wanting to ask for help.

The clients families are fake burly time. Someone within the family who manifests the problems that are compounded by elements and substances lets the entire group face graver problems in proportions that are enormously laid out. Services for involved mental health and substance problems are not yet equipped to deal with clients who are experiencing the affliction. Sadly, they may also get lesser support from their families and close friends.

Single of the most prevalent behaviors for someone who is diagnosed dually is violence to himself again the people that surrounds him. Violence within the familiar is severe and the person may manifest suicidal attempts that develop into one of the most common attempts made by the client. Mentally ill people who get locked up in prisons are most likely drug addicts and abusers.
You can’t predict when knowing something extra about diagnosis will come in handy. If you learned anything new about diagnosis in this article, you should file the article where you can find it again.

Detecting Symptoms of Dual Diagnosis

Do you ever feel like you know just enough about diagnosis to be dangerous? Let’s see if we can fill in some of the gaps with the latest info from diagnosis experts.

If used together, both substance abuse and mental health illness can greatly affect an individuals psychological, mental, spiritual also social and physical status. These symptoms may interfere with how the individual may function in a more effective manner and with regards to the humans around the person. Dual diagnosis must be detected earlier in order to prevent the effects of the disorder and elicit the other manifestations.

To make things worse, not only can co – existing morbidities affect a persons life but create symptom interaction which can exacerbate disorders severity which makes relapse more possible. Diagnosis of a mental illness must be done by a psychiatrist or a physician. But because of the masking and overlapping effects of drugs which is the cause of psychosis, it will be more difficult on the part of the physician to make a very accurate diagnosis in order to give treatments which are effective and very much appropriate.

One key element of dual diagnosis is through suspicion or awareness that someone is already being drawn to mental illness and drug addiction or alcoholism. Signs like these must strictly be taken into consideration. You must be able to talk to the person about the mental health botheration in order to be given proper assessment and plan of treatment.

Mental illnesses may vary in overlapping notation and symptoms. That is why it is important that a person must note accurately the peculiar early manifestations of the problem. There are useful tools in order to recognize that a existence is bunged up not only from alcohol and bearing abuse but also slight attacks of mental illness.

There are by far multiples hieroglyphics and symptoms of misuse of substances which may cause produce the fervor of mental illness or vice versa. In a clearer aspect, it is easier to recognize substance abuse from mental illness. A lot of factors may be taken into consideration in order not to make any premature testimonies of the case. Some of the signs and symptoms are:

Neglecting ones own dignity with the deterioration of physical change or appearance

Temper outbreaks and is easily irritated with his or her surroundings which may result in fights and misunderstandings

Evident changes in the individuals unexpurgated personality and attitude

Associated with people who are known to be using illegal drugs

Doesnt want to take any responsibility which instances of prolonged depression and anxiety

Sudden changes in school or drudgery attitude, level of performance and discipline

Consequences and problems that are deeply associated with dual diagnosis that can trigger the substance abuse and mental disorder can also be in terms of:

Problems in school or trial

Relapses and multiple admissions inside a psychiatric ward

Problems regarding relationships with loved ones

Monetary problems

Withdrawal from society and isolation of oneself

Increased risk of harming oneself or morbid thoughts about suicide besides dying

Effective detection of symptoms in dual diagnosis can also be seen through knowledge of the individual symptoms of mental illness which are:

Depression and anxiety

Passion

Extreme mood swings

Increased anxiety, fear and worrying

Hallucinations and delusions

Increased hostility and anger feeling

Suicidal thoughts

Inability to cope with problems of daily living

Changes in sleeping and eating habits
Those who only know one or two facts about diagnosis can be confused by misleading information. The best way to help those who are misled is to gently correct them with the truths you’re learning here.