What Does Dual Diagnosis mean?

Dual diagnosis sounds complicated but basically it means that someone is living with two health issues as the same time. In this case we use the term to mean having a mental illness and dealing with problems with drugs and alcohol. If you have a mental illness and look after your health, you can often manage your illness and participate actively in the community, particularly if you have understanding and support. You might have times when you become unwell or sick and need to go to hospital until you get better and may need to take medication.

Why Do People with a Mental Illness Use Drugs?

People who have a mental illness such as depression, anxiety, eating disorders, bi-polar disorder, or schizophrenia will use drugs and alcohol for all the same reasons that someone without a mental illness will use them; for fun, to socialise, to relax, be part of a group, to deal with stress and boredom.  

If you have a mental illness you might find that when you use drugs or alcohol it relieves some of the symptoms of the illness, such as trouble sleeping or anxiety. Some of the medication you need to take can have side effects such as weight gain or make you feel really sleepy so drinking alcohol or taking drugs can give you a break from these.

There is still a lack of understanding about mental illness and you might feel you can’t fit in and won’t be accepted if you have periods of time when you are sick and can’t be involved in regular things. Taking drugs and drinking can be a way to feel “normal” and to fit in with others.

What’s the problem with drinking or drugging if you have a mental illness?

There is a difference between having fun with alcohol and drugs and developing problems or a dependency on them. For anyone, drinking a lot or taking drugs can cause problems with money, hassles with the police and the law and problems in your relationships. It can affect your ability to hold on to jobs, pay rent or a mortgage and look after your accommodation. They can also affect your physical, mental and emotional health.

Having a mental illness and taking drugs can put you at greater risk of all of these problems, as drug and alcohol use can increase symptoms and mean longer periods of time of being sick and needing to be in hospital. Taking drugs and drinking can also make any medication you are on not work properly which can cause more symptoms and you might feel tempted to use or drink more. If your doctor doesn’t know that you are taking drugs or drinking they might also increase your medication, causing more side effects. It can become a vicious cycle.

Treatment & Support

Unfortunately because of the lack of funding and resources, it can be hard to find services and workers who are able to work with both these issues together. This can mean you have to tell your story a few times before you find a worker who seems to get what you’re dealing with. It is worth persevering as there is an increasing awareness of these issues and even workers who may not be the most expert can be really supportive. Sometimes you may have to work with both a drug and alcohol counsellor and a mental health worker. Ask if you can have some combined meetings with the three of you so that you will all be in sync with whatever is being planned. Working on getting balance in your life is also very important and sometimes it’s good to get support to work this stuff out.

Withdrawal from drugs and alcohol can also aggravate and increase symptoms for a while and may mean that it will just take a bit longer and you may need to try reducing slowly. You may also need to increase your medication for a bit and take it pretty easy for a while. You may also find that you get more depressed than usual. If you find you are thinking about suicide, speak up as these feelings will pass and it is important to get support to get through this dark patch.

Some Services Worth Checking Out

SUMITT (Substance Use & Mental Illness Treatment Team)

North Western Health Drug & Alcohol Service Footscray Victoria    
 03 9317 2217

Eastern Health Dual Diagnosis Program Level 1, Upton House Box Hill Hospital
131 Thames St, Box Hill VIC 3128 
03 9895 3555 or 04 39 039 356

WAAT Team (Western Area Adolescent Team) Cnr Buran and Kelly Close, Mount Druitt
 02 9881 1230

Centre for Addiction Medicine Ward 8, 5 Fleet St, Cumberland Hospital Campus
North Parramatta NSW 2151 – 16 years & over
 02 9840 3355

(YPPI) Young People & Early Psychosis Intervention) Holden St. Gosford Central Coast
02 4320 2578                                     

South Sydney Youth Service Dual Diagnosis Program 
02 9318 0539

Corner Youth Health Service, 101 Restwell Bankstown
 02 9318 0539

Somazone also has a section which has a search section for support services so check out - http://www.somazone.com.au/