Dual Diagnosis in Teens
The teenage years are the most vulnerable periods of life as physical, psychological and social changes takes place at this point of time. At this stage, teens are caught between the sheer thrill of experiencing their independence, to maintaining their parents’ expectations, to managing peer pressures, to excelling in academics, etc. Sometimes the challenges that linger during this period paves way to addiction and other mental health issues. Most teens are stressed during this period that makes them prone to developing mental disorders like anxiety and depression as well as get inclined to drug or alcohol abuse. Sometimes, they become victims of both, a co-occurring mental health and substance abuse condition.
Teenagers with a co-occurring disorder can benefit from an integrated residential treatment program at a certified dual diagnosis rehabilitation center. Treatment at dual diagnosis rehabilitation for adolescents addresses symptoms of both mental health and addiction disorders. Dual diagnosis treatment centers use the most effective health care programs, thereby, increasing a teen’s chance of maintaining long-term sobriety. An effective dual diagnosis rehab for teens involves psychiatric care and proper medication along with therapy and educational programs about addiction in a safe and comfortable environment.
Symptoms of Dual Diagnosis
The symptoms of dual diagnosis can vary from patient to patient. However, the symptoms of substance abuse remain constant. Some of them are:
- Clumsy behavior, a lack of coordination or slurred speech
- Being unusually tired
- Sudden money problems, or household valuables and money disappearing
- Needle marks on extremities
- Bad hygiene
Some of the other warning signs of dual diagnosis in teens are:
- Sudden withdrawal from family and friends – or association with new and/or different set of friends
- Dramatic changes in behavior, such as poor performance in school or a sudden loss of interest in activities
- Participation in high-risk behaviors
What causes Dual Diagnosis
In dual diagnosis, there is no guarantee which problem will develop first. Anxious people may start using drugs for their temporary calming effect, or people dependent on alcohol can become steadily more depressed as their disease drives away their friends, family and employers.
Drugs fundamentally rewire the brain to make a person believe that he or she needs the substance – be it alcohol, opioids or stimulants like methamphetamine. Over time, a person dependent on substances would need more of the addictive substance to feel the same effect – a condition known as tolerance. Additionally, when the user tries to discontinue the substances, the body realizes that it is not getting enough of the substance and it goes into withdrawal – causing painful, unpleasant and sometimes fatal effects.
In case of an existing mental disorder, addiction can quickly overwhelm a person and ruin his or her life. Both drugs and mental illness can damage a person’s ability to reason and make sound decisions, creating potentially life-ruining situations, especially for adolescents.