Hope is essential, yet it's hope that too often gets lost as family endures set back after set back, and as nothing seems to make things better.



A concurrent diagnosis of a psychiatric condition complicates treatment, but treatment still works and works well, and recovery is possible. It's vital; that family retains a positive outlook, believes that recovery is possible, and continues to promote recovery as the only acceptable long term solution.

Getting into treatment can induce an enormous change for the better, and this change occurs primarily through three mechanisms of treatment: sobriety, medication and social integration.

Sobriety

The abuse of any form of intoxicant worsens psychiatric conditions. Although many people do take drugs or alcohol as a form of self medication, and do experience some temporary symptoms relief from this intoxication, over the long run it always worsens psychiatric symptoms.

Simply entering into treatment for a month or more of enforced sobriety induces an incredible change for the better of psychiatric symptoms. Many find that without the exacerbation of symptoms from the corresponding substance abuse, their psychiatric conditions become far more manageable, and some do not even need medications other than a therapy of abstinence.

Medication

Sobriety alone does wonders for a bettering of psychiatric symptoms, but with advances over the past years in the pharmacology of psychiatric symptoms control; there is no need for anyone to endure severe psychiatric symptoms unmedicated.

Even those patients who had been diagnosed and prescribed psychiatric medications while using will find that the efficacy of these medications improves dramatically without the co presence of drug of abuse. Intoxicating substances greatly reduce the effectiveness of psychiatric medications.

For those undiagnosed and in need of medication, symptoms controlling drugs can be a revelation.

Social Support

Recovery at its best does not occur in isolation, and the example and inspiration of a group of like dual diagnosis addicts also in recovery helps.

Ultimately, all in recovery need to take ownership over their progress, and a victim mentality must transform to realistic optimism. Recovering with the support of others in a similar situation, and enduring similar trials, gives the dual diagnosis addict appropriate models for recovery and for life, and helps them to reemerge into society healthier, happier and more satisfyingly productive.

Getting Help and Getting Better

A dual diagnosis addict is unlikely to make significant progress without a significant altering of routine and expectations.

The addict must take ownership over the recovery, the addict must change unhealthy lifestyle patterns (to lessen temptation and ruminative thoughts) and the addict must engage in treatments that work, and possibly medications that reduce symptoms.

Yet none of this happens as the addict sits at home, using each day and night, and growing ever more isolated. Getting into a month or more of drug or alcohol rehab treatment can restore hope and optimism. It can prove that sobriety feels better over the long run, and it can teach how-with the help of others in recovery-to keep the gains of therapy progressing into the real world.

Family needs to be patient, and although dual diagnosis treatment works, it can take longer. Patience does not mean inaction however. Addiction does not often go away on its own, and unless steps are taken to induce change, change will not come.

Treatment works, and the transformation for a dual diagnosis addict can be remarkable. There is always hope, and a month or more of rehab can make an enormous difference.