Fast Facts about Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Dual Diagnosis
Many people are not familiar with the term "dual diagnosis". It is a problem that the mainstream media rarely discusses, yet millions of people around the world are classified as a dual diagnosis – and see their lives at risk as a result. What follows are a series of basic facts about dual diagnosis and how it pertains to one of the most insidious mental disorders, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.
Facts about Dual Diagnosis and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
- Dual Diagnosis refers to those individuals who suffer from co-occurring mental illness and drug addiction or alcoholism.
- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder in which the individual feels a profound lack of control over the events and circumstances of his own life. Individuals with OCD perform "rituals" to help them feel more in control of their lives, including: repeated counting of items, hand washing, etc.
- Those with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder use drugs and alcohol as a means to escape the anxiety and feelings of loss-of-control that they experience as a result of their illness.
- Individuals with OCD have a tendency to keep their drug addiction secret – making the problem worse and reducing the chance that they will seek professional help before the addiction becomes too severe.
- Several studies have shown that individuals with OCD are more likely to move from casual drug use into addiction than other members of the population. The reason for this is because the OCD proves that the individual has compulsive tendencies. When these tendencies are tied to drug abuse or alcohol abuse, addiction usually follows soon thereafter.
- Research has found that when an individual with OCD turns to drugs, they tend to use those with enhance performance including stimulants such as cocaine and amphetamines. (Those with OCD have also been known to hold intense addictions to caffeine.)
- Treating the individual with OCD and Addiction requires an integrated drug rehab facility that offers both treatment for the mental condition, as well as detox and counseling programs to address the addiction component of dual diagnosis. Traditional alcohol and drug treatment centers rarely have the level of psychiatric care on site required to properly treat Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and other forms of mental illness.
- There is no set timeframe for complete of dual diagnosis-based alcohol and drug rehab. Generally speaking, things move at a slower pace than traditional rehab because the OCD introduces such a complicated set of circumstances into the mix. Personalized care is also important to the treatment of the dual diagnosis patient, as two conditions are rarely ever the same given the different types of mental illness, level of mental illness, type of addiction and intensity of addiction. These variables all lead to longer diagnosis and treatment times.
Michael's House is one of the leading dual diagnosis drug treatment centers in the country. Michael's House provides integrated care for both the individual's mental illness and addiction all under the same roof. Contact Michael's House today for more information.
