There exist a number of connections between the alcoholism, drug addiction and a mental health disorder. While dual diagnosis is the combination of a drug addiction or alcohol addiction and a mental health disorder, they should all be treated at the same time in a drug rehab, alcohol rehab or dual diagnosis treatment program.
Below are the listed similarities for Drug Addiction and Alcoholism:
Drug addiction, alcoholism and mental health disorders are physiological diseases with strong genetic and hereditary components; Drug addiction, alcoholism and mental health disorders are physical/mental/spiritual diseases; Drug addiction, alcoholism and mental health disorders if left untreated are progressive, chronic, incurable, and potentially fatal; Denial of the disease of drug addiction, alcoholism and mental health disorders and noncompliance with attempts at addiction treatment, drug rehab or dual diagnosis treatment are symptoms of the disorder.
Drug addiction, alcoholism and mental health disorders manifest loss of control in behavior, thought, and emotions; Drug addiction, alcoholism and mental health disorders effect the whole family; Growing powerlessness and unmanageability over drug addiction, alcoholism or mental illness’s lead to feelings of guilt, shame, depression, and despair; Drug addiction, alcoholism and mental health disorders are diseases of vulnerability and isolation; Both the primary symptoms of each disease AND loss of control in behavior/thought/emotion are reversible with addiction treatment or dual diagnosis treatment; Stabilization of the severe disease Rehabilitation of body, mind, and spirit and the risk of relapse in either disease is always high, and relapse in drug addiction or alcoholism will predictably set off a relapse in the mental health disorder in recovery.