Understanding the Link between Depression and Dual Diagnosis

Imagine an individual struggling with both alcoholism and clinical depression simultaneously. This is something known as a dual diagnosis. What you might not know is that dual diagnosis conditions are more common than most people think. All across the UK there are untold numbers of individuals receiving help for a substance addiction when what they really need is treatment for a dual diagnosis condition.

Please understand that being diagnosed with a dual diagnosis condition does not make you a freak of nature. It simply means you are a human being with very specific problems that require specialised forms of treatment. There is nothing for you to be ashamed of.

The tricky thing with dual diagnosis conditions is determining cause-and-effect. In other words, such a condition belies one of three possibilities:

• the addiction is the direct cause of the mental illness

• the mental illness is the direct cause of the addiction

• both the addiction and mental illness occur simultaneously.

The cause-and-effect of a dual diagnosis is nearly impossible to know prior to treatment. So while doctors may have a suspicion in one direction or the other, it’s more important to figure out how to best treat the patient in the most effective way possible.

Treating a Dual Diagnosis Condition

When a dual diagnosis is observed, doctors must come up with a treatment plan that addresses both disorders without one treatment negatively affecting the other. We will use the example of alcoholism and clinical depression to demonstrate what we’re talking about.

Statistics suggest that nearly 40% of all alcoholics also exhibit some symptoms of clinical depression. However, those same statistics suggest that only 5% continue to exhibit those symptoms after the alcoholism has been successfully treated. For this reason, a dual diagnosis of alcoholism and clinical depression is treated by dealing with the alcoholism first.

If the symptoms of depression clear up as a result of the addiction treatment, it will be assumed that continued abstinence from alcohol will also keep any future depression at bay. If not, doctors must then address the depression in a way that does not interfere with the continued alcohol recovery programme. There are a number of medications that can be used for this purpose.

In cases where clinical depression is independent of the alcoholism, it will likely be made worse by the addiction treatment. Why? Because one of the medications commonly used for addiction recovery is benzodiazepine. This drug is a powerful sedative that could make symptoms of depression worse, even as it reduces the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal.

Finding Appropriate Care for Dual Diagnosis

Through this discussion of alcoholism and clinical depression, it should be easy to see why people with a dual diagnosis condition need to find the right treatment. The truth is that not every private rehab clinic in the UK is equipped to handle these types of cases. And of course, the NHS and community-based organisations find dual diagnosis conditions significantly more challenging to treat.

If you or someone you love is potentially suffering from a dual diagnosis condition, you could certainly take the time to research the treatment options available in your area. There are clinics in Essex and other parts of England that might be able to help. However, your search could take you days, weeks, or even months to get through. There’s no need to waste that time when we’ve done all the research for you.

Part of our mission is to stay abreast of the treatment options available throughout the UK. If there is something available nearby in Essex, we’ll point you in that direction. If not, we will get you the treatment you need somewhere in England or the UK.

Get Started Right Now

The fact that you visited our website suggests either you know someone suffering from some sort of addictive behaviour or you are that person. In either case, there is no better time to reach out for treatment than right now. Every day you delay is only making a bad situation worse. Please consider what is already happening:

• Physical Health – The physical health of the dual diagnosis addict only gets worse with every passing day. Failure to get help could eventually lead to permanent damage or even death.

• Personal Relationships – Everyone the addict comes in contact with is directly affected by his or her addictive behaviour. Addiction destroys family relationships, the best of friendships, solid work relationships and so on.

• Financial Hardship – Addictive behaviour destroys finances by requiring ever more money to satisfy the addictive habit. Financial hardship can lead to loss of a home, irreparably damaged relationships, and even criminal activity.

You may already be aware of the damaging effects of addictive behaviour. Now you also know how a dual diagnosis condition makes things even worse. So what will you do with the information? Will you call us so we can get you started on that road to recovery?

Our staff of addiction recovery specialists is here to assist you around the clock. We are not here to pass judgment on you or your family, condemn you for who you are, or spend hours lecturing you on the phone. We are here to help you locate and access the treatment that will make you well. Please do not delay.