Drug Detoxification and a Dual Diagnosis Treatment Center
First let’s define a dual diagnosis treatment center as a residential treatment center capable of treating drug addiction, alcoholism and associated psychiatric disorders. Within these parameters, not all dual diagnosis treatment centers, provide a drug detoxification program. This is a neccessary treatment services as many of the dually diagnosed patients are physically dependant to various substances. If dual disorder center does not provide this service then the patient will need to be referred to a detox center and then back to the dual diagnosis center. This is not the best continuum of care.
Medical Detox in Dual Diagnosis Treatment
A medical detox program is a detox program that is medically driven, usually inpatient in nature and complete with 24 hour nursing and physician directed. Every patient entering dual diagnosis treatment with an addiction will need to enter the medical detox first. After they are medically stable, the physician can more effectively evaluate the psychiatric disorder. In many cases, symptoms associated with drug addiction mimic psychiatric disorders so we try and allow the patient to rid themselves of any drugs in their body.
To locate an effective dual diagnosis treatment center or medical detox, you can call the national addiction treatment helpline at 1-800-511-9225. A gay friendly drug rehab can be found at www.gay-rehab.com.
