While there is still some debate on the topic, it is widely accepted that addiction can be characterized as a medical disease or a mental illness. In fact, addiction is classified as a disease in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM–5) labeled Substance Abuse Disorder. The acceptance of addiction as a mental...Read More
Historically, addiction has been viewed as a choice or as the result of poor decision-making. Presently, it is understood that addiction is driven by chemical imbalances in the brain. This neurotoxicity component of addiction categorizes the condition as a disease. While competing theories of addiction do still exist, the disease model of addiction is widely...Read More
In short, every mental illness is different. Some mental illnesses appear to run in families, such as depression and bipolar disorder. On the other hand, post-traumatic stress disorder from trauma is situationally based on the traumatic event that the person experienced. In reality, both a person’s genetics and their environment will contribute to their mental...Read More
Dual diagnosis occurs when someone is experiencing mental illness along with a substance abuse disorder (for example, depression and alcoholism). Dual diagnosis is common and is also referred to as co-occurring disorders. It is highly recommended that when these conditions present at the same time that they are treated together in a dual diagnosis treatment program....Read More