Complexity of dual diagnosis treatment - Case Study Example

osis: Because of an amalgamation of two diagnoses, it is often difficult to establish whether the problem is majorly due to substance abuse, mental illness, or both (Australian Drug Foundation, 2013). 3) Complex treatment: The treatment of dual diagnosis consists of multiple steps, namely, engagement of patient in a health care service, keeping him/her in service, intervention, and finally relapse preclusion and rehabilitation (Watson & Hawkings, 2002). Major issues with treatment are resistance to treatment/non-compliance, relapse of one illness leading to subsequent relapse of the other, and pharmaco-dynamics and pharmacokinetics of the prescribed medication and alcohol/drug affecting each other.

Even normal dosages prescribed by the doctor can lead to adverse effects in such scenarios (Australian Drug Foundation, 2013). Lack of support from society and health care staff is also a problem (Graham, 2013).  Unfortunately, most regular health facilities are incapable of dealing with multi-problems like these. Health practitioners and nurses do not have the training or the expertise to recognize, investigate, and treat these disorders Stigma is a social construction that demarcates people on the basis of a certain property, and then isolates and humiliates them because of that demarcation (Bos et al, 2013).

Stigma leads to inhumane behaviour towards the victim (Goffman, 1963). The phenomenon of stigmatization is very common in the field of psychiatry. Since time immemorial both mental ailment and substance abuse have individually been regarded worthy of contempt. Stigma is of many different forms and manifests itself in many ways. It can hinder delivery of proper treatment by health care staff, socially isolate a person, or stall him/her from disclosing his/her true problems (stigma article). All these effects result in delayed treatment when disease has become advanced or relapses, resulting in increased costs (Biernat & Dovidio, 2000) Since dual diagnosis is