Dual Diagnosis: An Integrative Approach

Mental illness and substance abuse have existed for many years. Professionals have always treated them separately, but recently we are realizing that more success is coming from treating them simultaneously. Often one disorder may lead to the other disorder; so treating one without the other only leads to a relapse a short time after treatment. An integrative approach does not imply completely new approach. An integrative approach is using a selective combination of techniques used in both the mental health and addiction fields.

What is Dual Diagnosis?

There are many variations of dual diagnosis, but to avoid confusion the definition that will be used is the co-occurrence of any mental health disorder(s) and substance disorder(s). Substance disorder can be alcohol and/or drug dependence or abuse. This can involve many different combinations, such as: severe/major mental illness and a substance disorder(s); substance disorder(s) and a personality disorder(s); substance disorder(s), personality disorder(s) and substance induced acute symptoms that may require psychiatric care, i.e., hallucinations, depression, and other symptoms resulting from substance abuse or withdrawal. Dual diagnosis can also include various combinations of substance abuse, mental illness, and organic syndromes, where organic syndromes may be a result of substance abuse or independent of it (Sciacca, 1991).