The Critical Nature of Dual Diagnosis in Recovery
Dual diagnosis, as the name suggests, points towards a double-edged diagnosis in one. In most cases, it refers to substance and mental illness diagnoses. The two conditions are serious and require quick intervention to reverse the suffering and help the affected individuals.
Treating the addiction or mental illness without considering the other is useless. Therefore, finding a facility that can handle both cases, such as Skyward Treatment center, is a plus.
The Focus Should be on the Person
Turn away from the widespread belief that demonizes drugs and makes it almost impossible for those affected to recover without being stigmatized. On the contrary, drugs and substances often abused are simply brain-altering chemicals with dangerous impacts.
Substance abuse affects a person’s mental wellness as it triggers drug interaction. Think of it as if, were it not for the person using the drug, the drug would be somewhere untouched. This makes it easy to focus on the right subject and profess solutions that work.
When someone deepens into the practice, it seems like the drug is the problem. However, research has since proven that the psychology of an individual determines how they interact with drugs and substances. When you also listen to the testimonies of recovered addicts, you will also agree that it is more about the individual than the drug.
To even elaborate this further is the case where several people consume a drug that leaves others addicted and many others unaffected. Most drugs being abused today started as helpful chemical substances that would aid in specific medical conditions.
Similarly, it is common to hear stories about people moving from one drug to another. The addition also touches on other aspects, such as gaming and gambling. Therefore, it is clear that addiction is more of a psychological phenomenon and not about the substance. Usually, it is an act of a response in the brain towards a specific behavior or drug/ substance one is addicted to.
Environment and Genetics
Once you establish that the drug or substance is not the problem, the big question remains: why some people are addicted while others aren’t? Well, the answer lies in a combination of genetic and environmental influences. Most people are into addiction due to 40 to 60 percent of their genetic composition.
When a child is born with a neurophysiologic makeup, they develop as adults who are more susceptible to substance abuse and addiction. Experiences and environmental interactions could also lead to addiction, depending on what one is exposed to regularly. This has been proven through research when rats were exposed to specific chemicals. The same things happen to humans.
So which one comes first? Is it mental illness or addiction? This remains a question that cannot be feasibly answered. The important thing is to realize that the two go together and to find a solution for both.
The treatment of either disorder can help improve the other. However, you should never ignore one at the expense of the other. Make sure to enroll at a facility capable of handling both to ensure the problem is adequately addressed. Call Skyward Treatment center for more assistance.
