Dual Diagnosis Includes Multiple Co-Occurring Disorders
photo credit: Oslo In The Summertime
It’s already difficult to know just how common dual diagnosis issues are in the United States. There have not been many studies done to find out. What’s even more hidden is the true number of people with multiple co-occurring disorders - one or more mental disorders and one or more addictions at once.
Dual Diagnosis Includes Multiple Co-Occurring Disorders
It’s already difficult to know just how common dual diagnosis issues are in the United States. There have not been many studies done to find out. What’s even more hidden is the true number of people with multiple co-occurring diagnoses, one or more mental disorders and one or more addictions at once.
While several reliable resources acknowledge that some people with dual disorders actually have multiple disorders, it’s difficult to really know the true numbers. Suffice to say that mental health professionals may need to consider co-occurring disorders more of the norm than the exception.
Prevalence of Multiple Co-Occurring Disorders
It isn’t really accurate to use the word “dual” because that implies the existance of just two co-occurring disorders. In fact, some people have three or more diagnosable mental or addiction disorders going on at the same time. It is difficult to get statistics on how many people are affected by more than two disorders. Few studies have been done on dual diagnosis prevalence at this point. Hopefully, the current shift in awareness and treatment of dual diagnosis disorders will prompt the push for more studies. Professionals need to get a good handle on the problem to continue improving treatment options, treatment availability, and awareness.
Proper Assessment for Multiple Co-Occurring Disorders
For anyone needing help with a mental illness or addiction, proper assessment and diagnosis is absolutely essential. The Canyon has participated in dual diagnosis research and found that although 14 million people in the United States have co-occurring disorders, only 19% actually get treatment. Since it’s clear that many more people have co-occurring disorders than was once thought, accurate diagnosis is the first step to getting the right treatment. Certainly there need not be over-diagnosis hysteria, seeing anyone and everyone as possibly having dual and multiple disorders. However, the current pattern is under-diagnosis.
The recent trend of greater awareness among the public and professionals is heartening. Perhaps the entire treatment success rate for mental health and addiction services has been skewed for years because one or more disorders were either undiagnosed or not properly treated in the first place. It all boils down to people getting the treatment that fits their needs. The Canyon’s treatment process includes careful and thorough dual diagnosis assessment. The staff is committed to understanding the whole picture and treating the whole person.
Your Experience
Have you ever had more than one addiction and realized you also had other problems like wild mood swings, bouts with depression, or a serious anger problem (possibly depression in disguise)? Or, have you had more than one mental illness (bipolar and anxiety, schizophrenia and depression, etc) and also developed an addiction? Assessment and study of multiple mental illness and addiction disorders is a subject that needs much light shed on it. The experiences you share are very valuable to us and everyone else going through the struggle.
Tags: co-occurring disorders, Dual Diagnosis, Dual Diagnosis Includes Multiple Co-Occurring Disorders, multiple addictions, multiple mental disorders
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