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Abstract

10 million Americans have a dual diagnosis and a disturbing percentage receive no treatment at all, while others receive treatment for only their addiction or mental illness. To be effective, a treatment program for co-occurring disorders should integrate treatment for both. But without an intervention, many dually diagnosis individuals may never get the help they need. The symptoms can be so disturbing that alcohol or drug abuse may seem like the only way to cope. One of the things that are so difficult to treat is that it is hard to know where certain symptoms are coming from, if a dual diagnosis patient is suffering from depression, thereâ�?�?s no way to initially know whether the drug addiction or the individualâ�?�?s mental illness is causing the problem. Treating both the mental illness at the same time, all under â�?�?one roof â�? has been a very successful method of treatment and interventions can prevent the life-threatening consequences of drug and alcohol abuse. The intervention specialist must recognize the boundaries and limitations of oneâ�?�?s own competencies and not offer services or use techniques outside of these professional competencies. The intervention specialist recognizes the effect of physical and mental impairment and makes the best suited treatment options to guide the process. It is also very effective to include case management principles of inclusion with mental health practitioners. When thoughts and perceptions are altered by mental illness, itâ�?�?s easy to neglect patients own care. Depression can make you feel that your life isnâ�?�?t worth saving, while anxiety may drive you away from contact with others.

Biography

Linda Lane Devlin ICADC is a CIP board certified Interventionist and has international certification & reciprocity consortium (IC&RC). Her work is in the social services industry for over two decades and continued onto being one of the top Executive Management Leaders in the Health Care Industry in Canada. She is involved in many provincial and national strategies in health initiatives including the council on workplace health and wellness in which building a Psychological Safe Workplace “practical approaches to success” were implemented and the creation of the New National Standard of Canada for Psychological Health and Safety in the workplace. Her commitment to service provision is to provide creative solutions that are easily accessed for today’s issues. She has been intervening, teaching and coaching adults in a variety of settings including lectures, discussion groups, seminars, classroom teaching, tutoring and one-on-one coaching.

Email: lane4790@gmail.com