Dual diagnosis: substance-related and psychiatric disorders.
Although significant strides have been made in the treatment of dually diagnosed patients, integrated treatment still is not offered. Until behavioral health providers can broaden their perspectives and stop focusing on which came first, the mental illness or substance abuse/dependence, they will continue to evade the approach that would serve this challenging patient population most effectively and efficiently. Integration needs to occur not only within the philosophical framework, but also within the clinical interventions used. Treatment modalities that have proved or could prove most effective have been presented. The challenge now is to apply the modalities in an individualized plan of care, meeting the patient at his or her own personal level.
Patrick
Dee Dee
DD
Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Stone Institute of Psychiatry, 222 East Superior Street, Suite 240, Chicago, IL 60611, USA. dpatrick@nml.org
D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D012657:Self-Help Groups; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D014481:United States