If the emotional aspect of recovery is not addressed, substance abuse has a much higher chance of reappearing after detoxification. Dual diagnosis is actually less rare than many people realize. In fact, 53 percent of drug abusers and 37 percent of alcoholics have emotional problems which intensify the abuse. On the other side of the coin, 29 percent of people who have diagnosed emotional problems also abuse drugs or alcohol. These conditions cross-reference each other, and it is easy to see why.

Emotional problems rarely have easy answers, yet substance abuse quickly takes away the pain. In many cases, drugs act as a quick solution to what is otherwise a complex psychological problem. Common mental conditions that are associated with dual diagnosis include depression, anxiety, and even schizophrenia. A dual diagnosis can manifest itself in the abuse of drugs and an eating disorder.

The practical implication here is that you have to make the right choice in selecting a depression treatment center. Remember, there are no guarantees in the depression treatment process. Some facilities really can help their patients get where they need to go. Some can’t. For your own sake, for the sake of the people who care about you…let today be the day you learn how to tell the difference. Given the stakes, you simply can’t afford to make the wrong decision.