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Research shows that more than half of the
people affected by one condition (such as an addictive disorder)
are also affected by at least one other condition (such as an
emotional condition or mental illness), and vice versa. This
diagnosis is referred to by a variety of terms including:
co-occurring disorder, dual diagnosis, co-morbidity, concurrent
disorders, co-morbid disorders, and dual disorder. Individuals
with co-occurring disorders often face a wide range of
psychosocial issues and may experience more than two interacting
illnesses. When all conditions are not simultaneously treated,
recovery is far more difficult. Unfortunately, because many
addiction treatment and mental health programs treat only one
condition, many people are under-treated or inappropriately
treated. A single course of treatment is less likely to be
effective than a comprehensive plan of treatment that
simultaneously treats all conditions, addictions, and disorders.
The Brain, Health and Recovery
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At the Neuroscience Institute through research we know that certain people have propensities toward
addictive behaviors and that brain chemistry plays a
significant role. Aggressive
behavior is often the result of a brain gone wrong.
When these brain abnormalities are properly treated
there is often significant improvement. There is
substantial imaging research on violence;
New
Neuro-scans can
identify brain systems involved with
violence and help direct treatment
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Prefrontal Cortex – impulsive, poor forethought
and judgment
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Temporal Lobes – dark, violent thoughts
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Anterior Cingulate – get stuck on thoughts,
rigid, inflexible
Addictions are typically a result, not a cause, rought
on by one or more psychological factors or trauma that has been
self or through prescriptions medicated
for relief which became uncontrollable and a dependency.
You do not have to hit your head to have a brain
injury, such as having a whiplash accident.
The impact of head trauma is often overlooked in
psychiatry. Even minor head injuries to vulnerable parts
of the brain can cause problems for years to come. After
a significant brain injury there is a high incidence of
depression, substance abuse, marital conflict, school
underachievement, job related and legal problems.
SPECT-scans and Neuro-scans are the best tools in
evaluating functional deficits from brain trauma that
are often not seen by other studies, leading to more
understanding and effective treatments for patients.
Medicating often
has lead to a chemical adjustment in the brain resulting
in a craving and a lifestyle of compulsive use
and intense abnormal addictive behavior. The change and in
time becomes damaging to the organs
and the more obvious physical showings, hair, skin,
teeth and then brain executive functions. Some recovery
is usually possible with professional treatments and a
follow through program.
Abuse of prescription and illegal drugs occurs at all
social and economic levels of society. It affects people
in all walks of life and with all levels of education.
Excessive alcohol and many drugs lower the functions of the prefrontal cortex,
and causes problems with judgment and impulse control.
Much like cancer, drug and alcohol
abuse becomes debilitating and if not treated
effectively, continues to diminish your mental capacity, damages
and deteriorates primary organs your body functions and
significantly shortens the your life span.
Current
brain imaging research has shown that many chemicals are
toxic to brain function. Alcohol, drugs of abuse,
nicotine, much caffeine, and many medications decrease
blood flow to the brain. When blood flow is decreased
the brain cannot work efficiently. Avoid these toxic
substances. In a similar way, sleep deprivation also
decreases brain activity and limits access to learning,
memory, and concentration. A recent brain imaging study
showed that people who consistently slept less than 7
hours had overall less brain activity. Getting enough
sleep is essential to brain function.
Dual diagnosis occurs when someone has both a
mental disorder and an alcohol or drug
dependency. One of these conditions usually foster the
other. In
particular, alcohol and drug problems tend to
evolve as a result of occurrences or trauma that have set up in the hippocampus
part of the brain and triggers the amygdala
resulting in characteristics often misdiagnosed as
bipolar, ADHD, OCD and other impulsive and
compulsive behaviors.
While many programs claim to
provide dual-diagnosis co-occurring
disorder treatments, we are one of very few
facilities that are truly prepared to
deal effectively with co-occurring
disorders. Our evidence based,
integrative methods have been proven
more effective than traditional drug and
alcohol treatment methods in a five-year
research study.
The degree of impairment due to
psychiatric illness may vary greatly
from mild to severe, or may occur in
mixed patterns. Others may be impaired
during ongoing periodic episodes or
cycles. The nature of co-occurring
disorders becomes even more complex when
alcohol and drug use is considered. Some
people may choose to use a single type
of drug while another person may use
many different types of drugs. Some
people use large amounts for the effects
while other people use smaller amounts.
Some people use daily, while others use
on periodic binges. Often individuals
attempt to “medicate” their psychiatric
illness with alcohol and drugs. It
becomes evident that there are many
different forms of co-occurring
disorders when the different types of
psychiatric illnesses and different
patterns of alcohol and drug use are all
taken into account. However, in terms of
co-occurring disorder recovery, they do
share one thing in common: treatment
must address both the emotional or
psychiatric illness and the chemical
dependency within a comprehensive
program to ensure recovery from both.
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Family and social problems
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Employment or school problems
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High-risk behavior
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Increased emergency room
admissions
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Increased need for acute health
care services
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Legal problems and incarceration
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Multiple admissions for chemical
dependency due to relapse
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Multiple admissions for
psychiatric care due to reoccurrence
of psychiatric symptoms
Very often, the psychological issue occurs
first. This can lead people to self medicate
with alcohol or drugs for relief, setting
up a chemical imbalance in the brain, resulting
in dependency. Occasionally, the substance
abuse evolves into dependency as a result of a
brain chemical change and leads to emotional
and mental problems.
According to the National Institute of Mental
Health (NIMH)-sponsored research studies:
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56% of individuals with a bipolar
disorder, (Manic depressive illness) abuse
substances
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47% of individuals with a schizophrenic
disorder, abuse substances
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32% of individuals with a mood disorder
other than bipolar, abuse substances
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27% of individuals with an anxiety
disorder, abuse substances
Research
and technology
tells us that an addiction is very often a stress related disorder {psychological}
which
alters the brain chemistry, neurotransmitter flow and brain functioning.
In turn this change diminishes one's
capacity to use logic, reasoning or good judgment orchestrated in the
pre frontal cortex.. Psychologists refer to most psychological disorders having good insight, but
inability to regulate and exercising good judgment, resulting in poor
and destructive behavior.
These
conditions are often self medicated for relief by prescription drugs for
relief, excessive use of illicit drugs, alcohol and or compulsive
addictive behaviors {obsessive sex, compulsive gambling, rage and anger}
that activate the endorphins for relief.
When primary parts of the
brain that control behavior are “hijacked”
i.e., imbalanced,
these reactive symptoms presented by the patient are often misdiagnosed or
intentionally labeled for insurances purposes.
Brain and Behavior
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here
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Perfectionism Reinforces Eating Disorders
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 College-aged
young adults already concerned with their physical
appearance can have tendencies toward eating disorders
reinforced by perfectionist fathers.
A survey of more
than 400 male and female college students showed that
fathers are more likely than mothers to create the kinds
of pressures that can lead to disordered eating, and
eventually to anorexia, bulimia and other problems.
Seventeen percent
of the students surveyed exhibited eating patterns
considered maladaptive, including vomiting as a result
of feeling uncomfortably full.
Personal
perfectionism was also found to be more an issue in
eating disorders than food itself. Those who feel out of
control of their lives and bodies may turn to eating as
an area in which they do have a sense of control.
An interesting
note neurologically, the adrenalin influence on the
dopamine level has significance baring on the continued
practice and ultimately sets up a chemical imbalance
soliciting a continued pattern of eating and vomiting.
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The individual may have insight-i.e. knowledge, but can not regulate his or her
emotions
resulting in {moods} a fight or
flight argument condition.
which occasionally escalates into uncontrollable physical abuse and violence.
This condition is often
diagnosed as obsessive-compulsive disorder,
ADHD, bipolar disorder, however neurologically it is stated, it is an
uncontrollable amygdale, 'a
racing brain'
that through proper testing and integrated therapy can be adjusted to
normalize,
readjusting allowing the patient to regain control of
thoughts, feelings,
emotions and
behavior.
The
process to
adjust
the brain
(neurotransmitter movement from
amygdale to prefrontal cortex)
functions,
is multi-psychological cognitive integrated
holistic treatment process
called "Holistic Therapeutic
Transference". a complex
clinical process that requires
both clinical knowledge and expertise
involving multiple
tests, and specialists who know how to identify and cause adjustment,
transference of these emotionally sensors.
Often the patient is functioning
with excessive endorphin stimulation, adrenalin, with great expectations-, ... trying to
process neurotransmitters in a chemically imbalanced brain..
What Is Neuropsychological Testing?
What information will I get from a neuropsychological report?
Neuropsychological testing is a procedure that measures and
identifies cognitive impairment and functioning in individuals. It provides quantifiable data about the following aspects of cognition:
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Short-term and long-term memory
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Ability to learn new skills and solve problems
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Attention, concentration, and distractibility
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Logical and abstract reasoning functions
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Ability to understand and express language
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Visual-spatial organization Visual-motor coordination
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Planning, synthesizing and organizing abilities
This data
provides accurate insight for "clinical diagnosis"
by a Neurologists
and a grading of clinical severity.
Neurological-imaging provides information on structural and physiological aspects of brain injury while neuropsychological testing provides the most accurate picture of patient's cognitive functioning.
Although dopamine is a key glutamate, it also plays an important role in a return to the substance of abuse. Brain chemical alterations to the glutamate signaling system lead to compulsive drug use.
Some medications are capable of interfering with glutamate signaling and conditioning, and thus will block drug cravings. These medications are discussed upon intake assessment and thoroughly in the treatment process.
Alcohol has been linked to specific gene codes that encode for a particular dopamine receptor. These codes can make a person more vulnerable to alcoholic addiction.
Today, we have various medications that can help balance certain brain
chemistries or provide a blocker to receptors that activate the
cravings.. Neuroscientists believe that in men,
substance abuse leads to changes in the genes, liver damage, loss of libido and potency, shrinking of the testicles and penis, increased breast sizes, excessive loss of body hair,
wet-brain, mental deterioration, amnesia and often pitit mal seizures. In women, ovulation may cease, breasts and sexual organs shrivel,
aura, tremors, loss of hair, blemished pail skin, notwithstanding Romberg's sign and
several strains of cancers that are alcohol-related.
Some facilities
solicit a
brain wave and biofeedback map to try and picture the internal functions
of a patient. However due to the complexity of
the brain, [much like fMRIs and
CATscans] only specially trained and experienced doctors "Neurologists"
can accurately assess brain imaging, mappings and more importantly can accurately
evaluate and develop an appropriate treatment plan that
maybe effective. At AA&E, the neurologist's expertise
is significantly important to providing accurate findings with a clinical team to provide effective individualized treatment for
adjustments, correction for sustained recovery. Some patients with acute psychotic behavior may need both neurological and neuro-psychological work-ups.
| In time, alterations in the reward system can bring about horrific feelings of stress, fears, anxiety, violence, depression, irritability, panic attacks and despair, These feeling drive the person to what seems to be the only possible relief ...cutting, purging, self -medicating. Relief often starts with a conscious abuse of prescription drugs or alcohol and lead to a more pills, illicit drugs and then a dependency., an uncontrollable addiction. In need or substituted with other compulsive behaviors [gambling, sex ...endorphin kicks], some resort to unusual physical stimulations to increase endorphins for relief. |
At the Crosby Centers, our doctors have the capacity to empower and inspire individuals to
succeed-in recovery
If you have been in
programs and relapsed or seen a psychiatrist for medication or a
psychologist for more than 3 months, you should consider
getting the proper diagnosis and effective treatment now.
Ask a doctor what
integrated clinical
treatment can do for your recovery ...opposed to
12-step rehab disciplines, medications and AA- meetings for the rest of your
life.
If you are
serious about recovery, call around, ask the hard questions, how
many doctors will I see for diagnosis and one-on-one in treatment each day?
" THERE IS HOPE THERE IS RECOVERY "
 1- 877. 379. 2273
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1.
877-379-2273