Search:

Aspects Of Dual Diagnosis Defined

Dual diagnosis occurs when a person is addicted to two different substances, or is a severe mental disability disorder as well as a drug addiction. Dual diagnosis can also mean that the sufferer has a severe addiction as well as a personality disorder of any kind. These disorders require immediate medical care a long with addiction treatment.

Any combination of mental illness and drug addiction can be considered dual diagnosis. The majority of those suffering from this combination of illnesses is already being treated or is in prison. Some people who require treatment for dual diagnosis can not afford to receive if or are homeless. This means that they will most likely never be able to better their situation.

There are several classifications of dual diagnosis. These are MICAA, MISA, MIDAA, CAMI, and CAMI with substance induced psychotic episodes. Each of these acronyms classifies a different combination of illnesses and addictions. Some of them are purely addictions; others are combinations of dual diagnosis disorders.

The mentally challenged that are chemical drug users and have found themselves addicted to the substance are known as MICAA. This dual diagnosis can not contain those that may be considered severely mentally ill. If mentally challenged individual is using drugs but can not yet be considered an addict they are placed as MISA. When a drug addict is also an alcoholic, but not at all mentally ill they are considered to fall under MIDAA. A form of dual diagnosis called SAMI consists of the continuous drug users, but has not been found addicted but are severely mentally ill. This can not consist of anyone with a personality disorder.

It can be difficult for dual diagnosis to be discovered in those who suffer from out by the people around them. That is because many of the symptoms of sever drug use appear similar to the actions that those who are mentally ill already produce. Unless the family of the mentally ill individual actually catches the person in the act of taking the drug they may never realize exactly why they are acting strangely.

These problems should be dealt with immediately by those who are professionally trained to work with them. They can better understand the needs of the patients and what is best for them. They can walk them through the process of getting clean and starting there life over again after treatment is finished.

The process in which a patient with dual diagnosis must go through before they can be considered rid of the illness. First is detoxification, in which the patient goes the process of having all of the drug related chemicals removed from their body. This can take up to seven days and cause several symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, headache and sweating, along with many other unpleasant symptoms.

Residential programs made for long term stay patients exist for those recovering from dual diagnosis. These programs will help the patients to ready themselves to be allowed to join society after they have recovered.

Article Source: http://www.uberarticles.com/articles

Find out more on Dual Diagnosis and Dual Diagnosis Program.

This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License, which means you may freely reprint it, in its entirety, provided you include the author's resource box along with LIVE VISIBLE links (without "nofollow" tags).