What is Dual Diagnosis?
Dual diagnosis is defined as a concurrent mental health issue such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, etc., combined with a substance use disorder or addiction. Dual diagnosis is also referred to as co-occurring disorders, which means a person has two or more issues happening at the same time. Dual diagnoses are common, and it is estimated that 50% of people with mental health issues also suffer from an addiction. It is also estimated that 53% of addicts and alcoholics also have mental health issues. While these are national statistics, in our experience, virtually everyone admitted to The Sanctuary has more than one diagnosis.
Dual diagnosis theory supports our philosophy that addiction always has an underlying cause, sometimes called the root cause. This cause can be emotional or physical.
Dual Diagnosis Treatment for Sustainable Recovery
Dual diagnosis treatment is the key to sustainable recovery because it addresses the underlying issue causing the addiction. It is becoming more widely accepted that addiction is a symptom of unresolved trauma, anxiety, depression, and biochemical imbalances and is a person’s attempt to regulate their pain and suffering. Therefore, to achieve sustainable recovery, these underlying issues must be addressed. It is our experience, therefore, that unresolved trauma by its very nature will often result in various symptoms or diagnoses. Although “dual diagnosis” is the popular diagnostic term, a more accurate term may be “poly or multiple-diagnosis.”
Additionally, mental health diagnoses are also symptoms of underlying issues such as biochemical imbalances or unresolved trauma. This means that anxiety and depression are symptoms. It is now understood, for example, that the condition of the gut plays an important part in mental health. Science is discovering that inflammation is a precursor to anxiety and depression. Most of the serotonin in our bodies is made in the gut and not the brain. Therefore, treating a chemical imbalance with pharmaceuticals alone may be a reason people cannot move past symptom management or being in perpetual recovery to be recovered.
Treating symptoms does not resolve the root cause of addiction or mental health issues. Failing to address the root cause of our issues leads to a life of symptom management, ongoing support groups, lifetime medication management, etc.
Dual diagnosis by its very nature requires an integrative holistic treatment approach for sustainable recovery. Holistic, integrative, non-12 step, dual diagnosis treatment addresses the underlying issues, making it possible to achieve a full and sustainable recovery.
In addition to affecting our physical, mental and emotional health, these symptoms also diminish life force energy, and passion, and a person begins to lose their sense of purpose and meaning in their lives. They are no longer connected to their soul’s journey. People often feel alone, isolated, and disconnected from their authentic selves, others, and Source energy. When people arrive at The Sanctuary, they come with more than the symptoms of addiction or a diagnosed mental illness. They come with a soul sickness and a longing for a reconnection with life.
Integrative Addiction Recovery at The Sanctuary
As such dual, or more accurately, “multiple diagnostic” treatment must include therapeutic and healing modalities for the mind, body, soul, and spirit, for a person to become fully recovered, whole, and healed. This must include the following:
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160 plus clinical hours of treatment
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Evaluating and rebalancing of the gut microbiome
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Balanced, organic, non-GMO, alkalizing, consciously prepared food
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Nutraceutical brain supplement protocol
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Brain coherence therapy
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Mindfulness practice
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Functional medicine psychiatric evaluation and treatment
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Resolving underlying trauma
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Therapeutic bodywork to release cellular memory
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Healing dysfunctional subconscious limiting belief
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Balancing the energy system of the bod
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Regulating the parasympathetic nervous system
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Reconnection with the Sacred
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Integrative, holistic education
Please visit the Integrative Addiction Recovery page to learn more about The Sanctuary’s approach to integrative addiction recovery, or call us at 1.877.710.3385.