Treatment of dually diagnosed clients

Up to 80% of people with mental and emotional disorders have abused or will abuse street drugs or alcohol at some point in their lives. Similarly, over half of people with substance use disorders are also diagnosed with a mental disorder at some point. In clinical populations and institutional settings, the numbers are far higher. The term dual diagnosis (coexisting mental and substance use disorders) refers to a large and complex group of people. This article addresses general issues regarding the complexities of dual diagnosis--differential diagnosis, the difficulty of achieving abstinence for people who perceive significant benefits from drug use, and the problems due to the historical split between the mental health and substance abuse treatment systems. Harm reduction, an approach to treating drug-using clients that focuses on the damage done by drugs and alcohol without insisting on abstinence from all psychoactive substances, can offer a useful way of conceptualizing treatment of dual diagnosis. A treatment group specifically designed for dually diagnosed clients is described. This group, inspired by the idea that changes in addictive behavior occur in a series of stages and that motivation can be influenced by the quality of the relationship with the treatment provider, uses a drop-in structure to provide low-threshold access to supportive treatment, to meet clients "where they are."