People with mental health problems are also at risk of developing addiction problems; in fact it is believed that almost half of them will begin abusing alcohol or drugs. It is for this reason that there are many people who require dual diagnosis treatment in Maryland. A dual diagnosis is when the individual not only has a substance abuse problem but also a mental health problem such as; borderline personality, depression, bipolar disorder, and anxiety disorders. These two problems will need to be treated and there is now a lot of evidence to support the idea that they should be treated together.
For many of these people with co-occurring problems it will have been an attempt to control their symptoms that led them into addiction in the first place. This is not a wise way to approach the problem and ends up increasing of the suffering of the person involved. One of the major focuses of dual diagnosis treatment in Maryland will be to teach the individual how to cope without the need to resort to alcohol or drugs. There is a lot to learn but when the treatment is finished people will find recovery easier to manage than they would if using a different type of program.
After dual diagnosis treatment in Maryland there will still be a lot of work to do. In fact for most people recovery will be a lifelong process. This should not be viewed as such a negative thing, because a lifelong process of recovery will mean that life will be continuously improving.Most of those with a dual diagnosis will be able to have as joyous a recovery as those who are only dealing with addiction alone; a life free of substance abuse and with their mental health problems no longer begin an issue or at least not being such a major issue.