Dual Diagnosis Alcohol Treatment in Illinois

What Dual Diagnosis Means

Examples of co-occurring disorders include:

• Anxiety
• Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• Bipolar disorder
• Borderline personality disorder
• Depression
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

These and other mental illnesses are treatable, but they have to be treated at the same time as drug or alcohol use disorders.

Dual diagnosis treatment may include a combination of behavioral therapy, counseling, psychiatric medication, and support groups. It is important to get proper treatment for both the substance use disorder and any co-occurring mental health condition. In many cases, it is not possible to be successful in treating one problem without also addressing the other.

Sometimes, it can be difficult for health professionals to determine if someone has both a mental illness and substance use disorder at the same time. If you have been experiencing mood swings, panic attacks or other signs of mental illness along with cravings for alcohol or drugs, talk to your doctor about whether these symptoms might indicate dual diagnosis.

You can have a dual diagnosis without knowing it. Sometimes, the symptoms of one condition look like the other.

Common Conditions That Occur With Alcohol Use Disorder

Depressive and anxiety disorders often appear with AUD. They are common among people who seek treatment for alcohol problems.

Major depression can show up alongside an AUD. It is important to treat both conditions at the same time to be most effective.

Anxiety disorders are one of the most common conditions seen in conjunction with alcohol use disorder. If you suffer from anxiety and also abuse alcohol, it is important to seek treatment for both problems at the same time.

Trauma- and stress-related disorders include post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), acute stress disorder, and adjustment disorders.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been found to co-occur with alcohol use disorders and other substance use disorders.

Other mental health conditions can also occur at the same time as AUD. Some people have depression or another mental health condition before they develop an alcohol use disorder. For others, AUD may come first, followed by a mental illness. It can also be hard to tell which problem started first.

People with sleep disorders may have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep throughout the night, waking up too early in the morning, or having unrefreshing sleep.

Why Integrated Treatment Matters

Integrated care treats both conditions in people with co-occurring disorders. There is strong evidence that integrated treatment leads to better health outcomes than either treating one disorder at a time or providing separate services for each disorder.

Studies show that integrated treatment is more effective than sequential or parallel treatment of co-occurring disorders. Sequential treatment typically involves providing drug abuse treatment followed by separate specialty mental health care. Parallel treatment consists of delivering separate drug abuse and mental health interventions concurrently, often with separate providers.

Integrated care helps providers coordinate services and treatment from multiple agencies (such as a mental health center and homeless service provider).

Effective treatment addresses a person's physical health needs, employment status, family functioning problems, and any other issues that may have been affected by the substance abuse. It also provides educational opportunities for family members to learn about addiction, how it affects them, and how they can support their loved one in recovery.

Therapies Used in Dual Diagnosis Care

Alcoholism therapy is often combined with therapies to treat other mental health issues to address the causes of a patient's substance use. Treating co-occurring disorders can be challenging but is essential for successful recovery.

Counseling approaches used in dual diagnosis treatment may include:

• Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) addresses problematic behavior by changing the way you think about and react to things.
• Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) focuses on emotional regulation and mindfulness, particularly for people who have suicidal thoughts or self-harm behaviors.
• Motivational interviewing (MI) helps you build motivation to make changes.
• Interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) focuses on relationships that may contribute to your substance abuse issues.

A common goal in dual diagnosis care is to teach patients how to identify their triggers for drug use and develop new coping skills to manage these situations. This often includes stress management techniques as well as ways to avoid or limit exposure to drugs in social settings.

Medications and Mental Health Conditions

Alcohol medicines and psychiatric medicines may interact, so it is important to tell your health care provider about all the prescription drugs you are taking.

People with AUD should talk to their health care provider about how to get help for mental health conditions that may have been hidden or worsened by their drinking problem. In addition, research has shown that treating both alcohol and other psychiatric disorders at the same time produces better outcomes than treating the alcohol disorder first.

Medicines for AUD can be given by itself (alone) or with counseling. Research shows that when medicines and behavioral therapies are used together they produce better results than either treatment used alone.

Approved AUD medicines include naltrexone, acamprosate, and disulfiram. They are not habit-forming. They can help you manage alcohol dependence by helping you to cut down on how much you drink or by helping you avoid drinking altogether. Naltrexone cuts heavy drinking and craving in alcoholism. Acamprosate is taken as an oral medication that helps maintain abstinence from alcohol by treating the symptoms that occur during abstinence. Disulfiram causes an unpleasant reaction if you consume alcohol while taking it. There is no evidence that this medicine helps reduce cravings for alcohol, though. Patients may not know which medicine is best for them. They should discuss the benefits and risks of each medicine with their clinician.

Naltrexone blocks the euphoric effects caused by alcohol, so people do not feel a strong need to drink. Naltrexone is available in two forms: as a pill (ReVia) and as a monthly injection (Vivitrol).

Finding Integrated Care in Illinois

The Illinois Helpline provides information on dual diagnosis alcohol treatment options available throughout the state of Illinois. Whether you are looking for a residential rehab facility, an outpatient program, or medication-assisted treatment (MAT), the Illinois Helpline can connect you with resources and information to help you make informed decisions about your recovery journey.

Licensed Illinois programs assess both alcohol and other drug abuse and mental health disorders. A person can be diagnosed with more than one disorder at a time. An integrated treatment program treats both issues simultaneously to ensure that all of the client's needs are met.

There are many types of treatments available for people with dual diagnoses, including individual counseling, group therapy, medication management, family therapy, and more. The type of treatment that is right for each person depends largely on their specific situation and needs.

When a person has two disorders at the same time it can make it harder to treat either one.

Some providers have outpatient programs that can be offered to individuals in need of more intense treatment services on an outpatient basis.

Treatment is offered at locations throughout the state. Services are provided by licensed counselors, psychologists, nurses, social workers, physicians or psychiatrists. Treatment options vary widely from one program to another.

There are many different levels of care depending on an individual's needs and goals. The level of care recommended is based upon a thorough assessment of your physical and psychological condition.